update on my cargo cover project. (1/18/05 new pics!)

Hello all,

just thought I'd post some pictures showing all of you the lastest progress I've made on my Cargo cover project.

I've got most of the steel parts, but most of them need to be sanded and repainted. Here's a picture of them all installed to check for correct fit up:

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Notice I'm using twine in place of the vertical nylon straps. That's all I have on hand at the moment.
And a view from the front:


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It's been a long time coming, but it's starting to come together now. As I showed in a previous post, I also have the troop seats (not shown in these pictures.) In addition, I almost have all the parts I need to put a 440 in the M880 that has been patiently waiting its turn for almost two years. After that, maybe I'll install some humvee tires (however my 4" lift might not be enough to clear them.)

P.S. I almost forgot: a repaint of the truck is in the works. I'm almost decided on redoing it in the 1976 four color pattern "Winter US & Europe - verdant" using forest green and field drab as the primary colors.

What, no comments from anyone? <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_vconf.gif" alt="Very Confused">

McG;
Praxis II exam at 0730 tomorrow. Need to cramp tonight.

Mcguyver, do you have the big block 4x4 727 touque flite trans for your conversion? I Put a 440 with 727 and NP 203 into a 77 Jeep pick up a few years back. I used a conversion kit to convert the transfer case to a part time four wheel dreve. Warn hubs fit right into my hub and rotor assys. I whoud highly recommend swapping hubs over to the later dodge ones so that the conversion can be done. mileage went up and most importantly the engine reved up much faster. George

<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_warn.gif" alt="Warning!"> dilvoy

You need to attach your signature that includes your location<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_wink.gif" alt="Wink"> Thanks

Hello Dilvoy,

Yes, I have the 727 with the big block bell housing. I rebuilt the transmission last winter. Started out as a 2WD version of the tranny with the long tail shaft and housing. I found a donor transmission out of the wrecking yard for parts to convert over to the transfer case adapter housing and stub shaft.

You put a 440 in a jeep?!! Wow, that must have been like having a bull in a cage (or a monster under the bed if you prefer.)

As far as considering a conversion to part time goes, I'm very happy with the full time set up. It's perfect for the mixed road conditions around here in the winter time. You're prabably the first person I've ever heard of getting any increase on their fuel mileage. Most people I've talked to haven't seen any improvement at all and regretted doing the conversion afterward. I have however considered swapping out the "unit bearing" hubs/knuckles and replacing everything with full time hubs/knuckles from an `80's CAD axle set up. Some people argue that the unit bearing setup isn't strong enough to handle big tires, and the wider spacing of the Timken bearings in a more conventional hub design is claimed to be stronger in that respect.

You mentioned your engine revving up faster, did you put a high stall torque converter in your truck, or are you saying that the 2WD conversion accomplished that for you?

McGuyver, I did not change the torque converter to get the difference. Just the removal of rotational mass of the drive shaft, diff and axles helped accelerating through the gears in less time. I did not use the stock 440 converter. I used a stock converter for the 383 engines. It helps the engine get up on the cam sooner driveability is "normal". Back in the day, I had built a pretty radical 383 for my Challenger. It had a real big cam, 12 to 1 compression and depending on the temp and humidity a 4bbl, 6 pack or dual quads. It was a real money maker. I would change things all the time to try and get more speed. Once I took out the 35 lb flywheel and put in a 50 lb unit. It really slowed the rpm increase through the gears way down. Only 15 lbs of rotational mass difference! That anchor stayed in that car less than 4 hours. George

Interesting. When you converted to part time 4WD, did you convert the hubs to locking hubs as well? I would think you would need to do this as well to reduce "rotational mass" like you mentioned. I'm starting to get impatient with this 440 project. I'm really close right now, only have a few more things to do before stabbing it into the truck. Mostly just waiting on the money to do them-- one paycheck at a time. I'm sure it will be worth the wait. <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_thumzup.gif" alt="Thumb Up">

P.S.
Dilvoy,
do you have any thoughts on putting a high volume/high pressure pump on an old engine with out rebuilding it? I had some concerns about running it with a stock oil pan, but I called up Performance Automotive Warehouse and asked them about it and they said that the pump did not require a deeper pan. A friend of mine has the philosophy that by putting one of these on an older engine, you can raise the oil pressure back up and compensate somewhat for older worn parts (looser clearances result in less flow resistance and a drop in oil pressure.) Sounds reasonable to me, but I don't need this to be a high revving motor, (low end torque is what I want) and I have a little bit of concern about raising the oil pressure on an older motor. So I'm debating going with a new stock oil pump, versus a new HV/HP pump. There is about a $10.00 difference in price between them.

McGuyver, I had it easy. Even though my Jeep Was equiped with full time quadritrack the front wheel hubs were the type that have the protruding hub. Inside under the cap instead of a moving hub locking and unlockind device was just a piece of metal that had internal splines for the axle and external splines for the hub to interface. I just removed the cap, and the full time stuff and slid in the Warn part time stuff. I have a 1981 dodge 3/4 ton truck that has the part time hubs. Perhaps that hub is a direct bolt on replacemant. As far as oil pumps, I have never used a high pressure type. The high volume is always what I put into my engines. They run at a slightly higher perssure than a stock pump. I think that it is a good idea to put on a new pump even id the engine is old. I use the high volume pumps with the stock oil pans and have never sucked a pan dry yet. The 440 Magnums, 440-6's and Hemi's had a deeper pan that held two more quarts. Even though these were intended for high rev usage and you don't expect to be doing that, I think they had a good idea. You probably have plenty of room for a deeper pan, but pay attention to the sump location. I think the trucks use a rear sump and passenger car engines use a center sump. On my Jeep I had to use a rear sump and I purchased a milodon 8 quart unit and even at that I had to notch the right front corner of it to clear the diff pumpkin. You should have lots more room in the Dodge though. Your so lucky in that you have lots of room to easily mount a big radiator too. George

Thanks Dilvoy,

So you were talking about a full time conversion to part time on a Jeep Cherokee? I thought you were talking about a conversion you did on a FT4WD M880 or W200 Dodge truck. I also thought you meant you swapped the 440 into a CJ5 or 7, thus my astonishment.
Yeah, I'm kind of leaning toward the high volume oil pump, but I already bought the stock truck rear sump oil pan for this project (the car pan won't clear the center cross member) so I was concerned about it's capacity (didn't want to suck it dry.) But I feel less concern after hearing your take on it. Like I said, I'm not building a high reving motor, I want a workhorse, So I ought to be fine with that pump/pan combo. I may keep my current 3 core radiator I currently have in the truck, however I will have to get a custom top radiator house in order to get it to fit (small block radiators have inlets on opposite side from big block radiators.) Alright then, it's settled: I'm going to get the HV oil pump ordered tonight. <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_thumzup.gif" alt="Thumb Up">

McGuyver, You should be sitting pretty with that oil pan. Those deep sump jobs seem to be hit by things. I hit the one on my Jeep on something and I bottomed the oil pan a Cuda on a city street. I had installed the 440 with 727 into a Jeep Pick Up. It looks like the Cherokees of the 70's with the wheel flares, but it has differences underneath. Wider rear axle and differeng pumpkin offset. I have always been a Mopar guy, but when I was looking for my first truck I saw how the Jeep was designed with a low center of gravity and felt that was the way to go. Even with the big engine it corners like a car. Lots of drawbacks though. Small radiator opening, giant trans hump in the cab and huge wheelwells almost touching the inside of the hood, which made it hard to locate things like the battery and cruise control unit. I have finally purchased a couple of Dodges to work on though. I always liked how the M880 series trucks looked. I have a neighbor who wants my jeep and wants to put in a Chevy engine, so I may soon be doing the same conversion that you are doing. Oh, by the way, an old time mopar racer told me that a big block mopar reved up to 5000 rpm has about one quart of oil in the pan, if it is using a 5 quart oil pan. The oil filter holds its one quart and four quarts are in the oil passages or decending from the cylinder heads towards the oil pan. George

are those Hummvee tires i see on the side wall

Yes they are actually. But I see from your reply in the "M880 with Humvee tires" thread that you already figured that out. Thanks for the posts all. <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_thumzup.gif" alt="Thumb Up">

Okay folks, here's some pics of my new cargo cover on the truck, got it just last week:

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