This is my hybrid 1963 J-200/ 1977 J-20 with a 401 AMC V-8 from a few years back. I was big into Jeeps and I put it together myself.

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Nice! I had a 78 Wagoner and an 86 CJ7 both with AMC 401s.

Used to scour the local pick your parts grabbing up 401s wherever possible. Some of the aftermarket pistons available at the time were terrible as they would swell up once heated up. And you know as well as I do these engines can only be bored out so much.

One of my responses to the pandemic was to pick up this '77 CJ7 so I would have something to work on while they paid me to stay home. It's a solid body and frame and came with a good running 304 and full cast iron 3 speed and transfer case, all working great.

However, it needed a clutch so being the easier way is to just pull the motor, I decided to go with a 360 I got out of a Grand Wagoneer instead. I am no stranger to this routine as I built and owned several AMC Jeep products in the 90s and 2000s, but sold them all off 15 years ago. One of the last one being an '86 CJ7 with a 401 and a T18.

AMC V8s are basically all the same on the outside with the exception of the flywheels and balancers which are specifically balanced to each engine size, and will replace most any 6 cyl with no special adapters. There are no more easy and cheap to find 401s, so the 360 is the next best thing as parts are more readily available as well. They made a ton of them.

It was certainly easier to round up what I like to use in '90s, but after about 15- 20 different sources I got everything I need. Honed and cleaned the block today and should be able to pick up the crank and heads from the machine shop tomorrow.

WARNING- IT'S A JEEP THING, YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND
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Perhaps that is what my latest one looked like at one time. The '86 I had was one of the rare end of run ones that had a Dana 44 axle and with that 401 it could really git it.

But Jeeps are more about gearing than power and unfortunately being a later model it had rather high axle gears. Great for freeway and the T-18 four speed with the granny low gear more than compensated when crawling.

I'd like to say I miss it, but I got a new one now.

Heads weren't ready, but crankshaft was, so I installed it today. Platiguage showed up in the mail right when I got home so I verified at least so far the main bearings have the perfect clearance. Nice. Pistons go back in tomorrow.

Back in the day, I found the Edelbrock Performer Plus camshaft and lifter kit was a quality package that could wake these AMC V8s up and give them more grunt and low end torque, but at the same time a smooth idle and no emission problems or valve train modifications required. And their True Roller timing chain and gears were a super upgrade that got rid of all slop and were almost guaranteed to outlast me.

So why do anything different now?
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I had an F-head and the only advice I can give if you ever remove the engine or flywheel is you will need two new of those tapered bolts that hold the flywheel to the crank. They will break upon reinstall. You can probably still get them at your local Willys Overland dealer.

Had that happen too. Life's a bitch!

I figured as much. I was amazed how easy they were to get even in the early 80s. Even more amazed how easy they broke. Probably why they were and are easy to get.

It is that broken exhaust stud in the rear of the block that is the bitch. I think it goes into a coolant jacket. I broke an easy off in mine. The end repair was hardly conventional, but it worked.
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Sometimes I kinda miss my 72 J-4000. It was a real workhorse and served me well for years. Of the four J series trucks I owned, it was my favorite.

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Probably slightly better than my J-4000 was.

Just to let you guys know, I have had issues getting a pilot bushing that will fit in an AMC crankshaft. Seems they are all made in China now and something got lost in translating inches to the metric system. Bought some old stock Dorman and they fit.

We used to take my 48 CJ2A to two local places with lots of mud and water. That's when those 9 inch drum brakes become worthless. When they get wet.

Using gears can control the Jeep until you start climbing a muddy hill with those wet brakes.

That J-4000 truck also had drums all around. First thing I did when I got back from driving Highway 1 south from Oregon was convert the fronts to disk. That's one sketchy highway.

Driving back from Azusa Canyon soaking wet, the only heat that was available in my '48 after a winter day's fun in the mud was removing the cover over the shifters and stopping at the 7/11 once we got into town and buying trash bags to wear the remaining 50 miles or so.

So while I wait for one piston to finish putting the engine back together on my CJ7, I went thru the heater system to make sure it is all in working order .

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After two tries, I finally got the one piston I needed to finish putting the 360 back together. In the meantime, since the engine and radiator are out, which makes it easier, I ordered and installed this Crown heavy duty steering shaft and lower column bearing to replace the sloppy original.

When you don't have power steering, the steering column shaft gets a lot of stress, and the Crown has actual u-joints at both ends. This is an affordable solution compared to others that cost several hundred dollars. It is expandable, and it had been assembled 180 degrees off, so I pounded it apart, put it back together, and now it is a perfect fit. It got a little scratched, but no big deal. I may spray a little paint on it now that it is in.

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That glass table is the least of my worries around here.

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Operation Dumbo drop

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Operation- take it back apart.

So much for that "quality" Edelbrock camshaft kit that I had so much luck with back in the day. Wiped out the bottom of one of the lifters that came in the kit. Just one. Besides that, it ran great! I guess this is what they are paying me for now.

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Fortunately, I have a lot of experience taking apart and putting back together AMC V-8s.

My guy at the head shop told me they are having a lot of problems with flat cams as they no longer put enough zinc in the oil. But if that was the case here, it would be more than just one.

They sure don't make em like they used to.

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Miles? This happened 15 minutes after start up during break in. That's when I started hearing it. And yes, the lifters rotate smoothly in their bores. Nothing wrong with any of the original AMC equipment I am working with. Perhaps I didn't inspect all the cam lobes as carefully as I should have.

What I think it boils down to, is there are a lot of seconds and perhaps rejected parts that get re-boxed and put back up for sale by vendors all over the country. When it says "last one", that should be a clear indicator. This cam kit wasn't marked as such, but it was the only one I could find available without waiting another month and a half.

No worries, I'm 70% there.

All things considered, the lower end seems to be in good balance with the new flywheel and piston, the valve job second to none, clutch works great, and it ran as good as any I have built so far. For one glorious moment, I took it up the hill yesterday, and it threw me back into the seat as I opened it up. These V8 CJs can be both scary and fun if you let them.

What do we expect during a 100 year pandemic working on 40 year old junk with the latest and greatest parts, perfection?

Notice how almost the entire engine sits behind the front axle.

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At least yours runs.

Good news since I purchased that cam kit from an E-bay seller, they have already sent me a return label for a refund. And it wasn't cheap, but was what I had had success with in the past, so I ordered another.

I am learning part of the problem is zinc has been removed from most modern motor oils, so I also ordered some of this as well, hoping the end result will be better this time around.

I am only out a few gaskets and a little time that I have plenty of, so it was no real reason to get upset. Except the fact that I had meticulously assembled the engine the first time with the best parts I could find. As long as the Jeep is ready come the rainy season. I'm good.

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Sure, why not. I was hoping by now at least someone would have it down to a science.

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Camshaft 101. I found the missing part of the equation was the lobes on the camshaft have no taper. Should have been obvious to the installer?

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The dude replicating these in the far east must have not gotten the memo. Taper.

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The new camshaft is on the porch in a box right now. I'm hoping round two goes better, but I'm not holding my breath. Either what I got was a Chinese knockoff, or Edelbrock is no longer what it once was. At least I know to look this time. Not something you would expect they would fk up.

But apparently, according to my buddy at the machine shop, a lot of replacement cams are doing the same thing during break in. He won't even sell camshafts, and customers are pretty much on their own. He has informed me Melling still makes a good product, so that is what I am going with if round two is a fail.

Edit- I just broke out some delicate measuring equipment and it looks like the new cam does have aprox. .0015 to .002 taper on at least the first couple lobes I have inspected. Not obvious to the eye like I thought I remembered, but there. What's left of the other one has none.

I'll report back when I burn this one up.... or not.

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Second time's the charm. Probably had a lot to do with the oil.

This thing's got more power than I'll ever need.

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Now dealing with the fuel and oil gauges and junk aftermarket parts that are available. It's almost becoming a never ending waste of time, which fortunately I have plenty of.

No power steering or brakes. No smog, title, no insurance. Just 300+ horsepower and a new clutch. 2020 in a nutshell.

Made it to the top of the hill lickety split. And coming down, pot holes and other road damage were a breeze. A view from above somewhere.
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I always liked KYBs. Rancho at one time had it going on.

Why don't I get spring over Dana 60s front and rear, perhaps a few inches wider with Detroit lockers?

Ever since those came out in the late 90s, there have been mixed reviews about using parts in a box that use the existing carrier and pin vs a bonafide locker. I am considering an on demand electric myself or a regular Detroit. Down the road for sure. Back in the day, I just used to source limited slips from junkyards and they served the purpose cheaply.

Since I am a smog tech, the temptation has always been there to cheat, but never had I done that. Fortunately, the AMC V8 never used any kind of computer control until the end of the road in 1991. They just added more hoses and other crap as the years went on. 1977 had very little of that beyond the basics and these parts I pulled off the '88 Wagoneer 360 I used will come in handy as somebody stripped most of the emissions components off my CJ7. Gotta smog it before I can complete the transfer and get my title.

Of course there are several outlets selling shiny new versions of many of the older parts.

https://teamgrandwagoneer.com/air-injection-manifold-pipes-v8-gw-1974-1991/

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Yep, gas tank sender and all new hoses and skid plate. Someone finally made a one year only fill hose for my 77. All sealed up tight and gas gauge works perfect now. I also removed the transfer case and did a complete reseal on it and the transmission. Neither needed any bearings or hard parts. Painted them up real nice too. Then a whole new exhaust system. All mechanically good now.

The next thing is seats. Most aftermarket seats leave a lot to be desired, but I found one place that makes them as close to the original as possible. I'm waiting on them to get the color, black denim, for mine.

https://somarmotor.com/body-and-interior/interior-parts/seat-and-component/front-seat/
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Nice job sir. This may be the last time to see my tranny and transfer case look like this because they say rain is a coming and I plan on getting them muddy.

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New seats just arrived from Florida, and they look very nice indeed. About as close to original as you are gonna get. Most of the aftermarket ones just don't fit right or sit right.

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These seats were kind of a bitch to install as they have no nuts welded to the holes in the frame to attach the mounting brackets to. But the holes do line up, so all it took was cutting a hole in the fabric that covered them and fishing some washered nuts under them.

They are very firm, but comfortable. Also they sit at the right height so your knees don't hit the steering wheel, which is the case with most aftermarket seats. Also they don't have those annoying side bolsters that can make many aftermarket seats very uncomfortable to sit in if you don't have a super skinny ass. I give them 4 stars due to the lack of mounting nuts. Time will tell how they hold up, but they seem to be very well constructed as far as I can tell.

They also have the low backs for older Jeeps that are also close to original. I almost went with them, but decided on the high backs instead.
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I am about to order a Bestop Supertop for my CJ7. The only question is black denim or black crush. Probably go with black denim to go along with the seats.

Still are. I could write a whole book on the AMC V-8.

A 392 in a Jeep sounds like a lot. A lot of money that is. I suppose that's one of the reasons why I like the sound of a 401 better.

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I remember when I rebuilt the steering box on my CJ2A years ago it wasn't the best to begin with, but parts were readily available as were complete replacement units. They did get better as the years went on.

The Bestop for mine is backordered, but they say they should have more by the end of the month. No hurry on my end. In the meantime, I've got these hard doors that it came with, but they did not match, so I stripped them down, and painted them black, which should look OK with the new top. I also just received another order from Quadratec that includes all the door seals and a new windshield cowl seal, so this should keep me busy for a while.

I sold the hardtop last week for a decent price as I never used one on my last CJ, but a soft top with the hard doors worked just fine, so that is how I will roll during these long So Cal winters. Actually, we are still where no top is needed at all. Where is all that rain? lol.

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I like the fact that my house also came with a carport.

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Some of my dad's company swag that still comes in handy. He would be proud.

Mid century... but not so modern. lol. I guess if anything good has come out of this pandemic is there has been less wear and tear on my screen door. haha

Speaking of doors, I finished up the Jeep ones last week and was super impressed with the Fairchild Industries replacement seals I got from Quadratec as they all fit and worked perfect. There were other brands available, but those were as good as you are going to get. Let's just say I was pleasantly surprised with the quality.

You need to get rid of those square headlights and upgrade the grill on that thing. It can be done. Ask me how I know...

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Nice work. I rebuilt a few full size Jeeps. That is a stock photo of a 1963. The body remained basically the same until 1991. There are some differences though beyond the trim. The chassis changed in about 1974, and the AMC V-8 had already become standard. Same 360 as yours.

Have fun!

While I sit here waiting for my soft top to arrive. lol.

From Bestop-

"Thank you for shopping with us. We thought you'd like to know that we shipped the following items. Your order is on its way and can no longer be changed."

Finally! I may have to go over the install when it gets here. Or, it may be enough work as it is.

Seems like an overkill on an 80 degree day, but that's the best time to do it so the fabric can stretch.

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Now, the rear diamond plate is in the way. I quit.

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I'd like to say it was easy, but it wasn't.

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1/4 inch should do it. It wasn't that there wasn't a gap, it's just that it stuck out so the flat plastic would not go into the channel.

I figured I better quit yesterday and start fresh this morning and just remove it so I didn't do any real damage.

Good idea to do this on a sunny day, because stretching it to fit and getting all the zippers started can be real taxing. Making the doors so they will shut is also another adventure. If you think you can just follow the instructions and make it work, I've got news for you.

Indeed. Try crossing water with them then climbing a steep hill. lol.

Nice thing about the CJ-7 is it already has disc brakes. And we finally got some good rain last year.

Jeep was a little late to the party with disc brakes. I think it was 1974. Can't remember exactly but it was easy upgrading older full size using Chevy parts that junk yards were full of. Been a long time, but I think I may have had to use Scout rotors and hubs for some of them. Don't remember exactly what I used for my '68 Bronco, but know I did it and it might have been similar.

That 48 CJ-2A I had remained stock and I had to pump the heck out of them with both feet on hills while trying to work the clutch and gas with my other two feet.

My CJ2-A came equipped with the old school Borg Warner overdrive and I simplified it to just use a pull cable and a toggle switch. And then I could hit 60 on the freeway easy. Also had a power takeoff that ran a driveshaft to the old mechanical winch that exploded when trying to pull my buddy's CJ-7 out of some deep mud. Good times.