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Mickey_D · 01-30-2008, 08:08 PM

You really want that thing to fly?

Drop about 600 lbs of cement between the rear fenders and stuff a 1995 RX-7 R1 engine into it. The stock tranny probably wouldn't last a weekend in it, but you'd certainly surprise the hell out of a lot of people with it.

I know, I know. Break out The Banhammer (tm) for suggesting anything but GM components.

Oh, and as for breaking stuff, you're not going to hurt the axles with anything short of 500 ft/lbs. In my 79 4X4 I had a heavily breathed on Isuzu Impulse Turbo 2.0L that enabled me to go rather quick. I used it to deliver newspapers on Bainbridge Island in Washington for a while. 700 copies of the Thanksgiving Seattle Times stuffed in on and around it made for a pretty heavy load. The tranny gave out on me (original with almost 300,000 miles on it) but I never had a problem with the axles. And I tried, believe me.

The weakest point in the original drivetrain was the head gaskets. And as hotrod 80 said, if the carb is still working, you've got a small goldmine there. They are the Hitachi HH240D vacuum secondary 2 barrel. They are a good carb when they work, but once they start to go, there's not much you can do. Even rebuilding them doesn't help as they normally warp the throttle plate.

The front torsion bars are adjustable and can take quite a beating. Just need a 22mm socket and a hefty ratchet. Just remember to count how many turns you lift each side so they match. It's a PITA to do a front end alignment when they're at different heights.

I can tell you from experience that the rear axles will withstand 3,800 pounds driven over 75 miles in 1st, 2nd and reverse. So will the rear suspension. The weakest part on the rear end is the spring shackles. If you wrap them up too much they'll fold. But it takes a LOT to do it (like putting your truck up on the left front and right rear wheels with the truck at a 45 degree angle to the ground both front to back and side to side).

They are also absolutely fantastic in the snow if you put a bit of weight in the arse end. I was driving around Bremerton, Wa with no problem in 14 inches of snow when everything else was at a dead stop. Even full sized Chevy's were getting stuck (which I pulled out to their dismay). When we had an ice storm and everyone else was stuck, I was one of only two vehicles getting people to my ship (funnily enough, the other was a Toyota Tercel 4WD wagon).

01-30-2008, 08:08 PM	#18
Mickey_D Dirteh Kitteh Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mormon country Posts: 2,484	Re: 80 Luv fo free! You really want that thing to fly? Drop about 600 lbs of cement between the rear fenders and stuff a 1995 RX-7 R1 engine into it. The stock tranny probably wouldn't last a weekend in it, but you'd certainly surprise the hell out of a lot of people with it. I know, I know. Break out The Banhammer (tm) for suggesting anything but GM components. Oh, and as for breaking stuff, you're not going to hurt the axles with anything short of 500 ft/lbs. In my 79 4X4 I had a heavily breathed on Isuzu Impulse Turbo 2.0L that enabled me to go rather quick. I used it to deliver newspapers on Bainbridge Island in Washington for a while. 700 copies of the Thanksgiving Seattle Times stuffed in on and around it made for a pretty heavy load. The tranny gave out on me (original with almost 300,000 miles on it) but I never had a problem with the axles. And I tried, believe me. The weakest point in the original drivetrain was the head gaskets. And as hotrod 80 said, if the carb is still working, you've got a small goldmine there. They are the Hitachi HH240D vacuum secondary 2 barrel. They are a good carb when they work, but once they start to go, there's not much you can do. Even rebuilding them doesn't help as they normally warp the throttle plate. The front torsion bars are adjustable and can take quite a beating. Just need a 22mm socket and a hefty ratchet. Just remember to count how many turns you lift each side so they match. It's a PITA to do a front end alignment when they're at different heights. I can tell you from experience that the rear axles will withstand 3,800 pounds driven over 75 miles in 1st, 2nd and reverse. So will the rear suspension. The weakest part on the rear end is the spring shackles. If you wrap them up too much they'll fold. But it takes a LOT to do it (like putting your truck up on the left front and right rear wheels with the truck at a 45 degree angle to the ground both front to back and side to side). They are also absolutely fantastic in the snow if you put a bit of weight in the arse end. I was driving around Bremerton, Wa with no problem in 14 inches of snow when everything else was at a dead stop. Even full sized Chevy's were getting stuck (which I pulled out to their dismay). When we had an ice storm and everyone else was stuck, I was one of only two vehicles getting people to my ship (funnily enough, the other was a Toyota Tercel 4WD wagon). __________________ Darrin 1955 Willys CJ-5 all original and the oldest CJ-5 on the road. 2001 Dodge Neon (wife's car) 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Edition SOLD 1981 K15 Custom Deluxe 4X4, rusty but trusty wood hauler. SOLD 1993 S-10 4X4 Tahoe SOLD Sign up with the Contact List RIP ESLL Last edited by Mickey_D; 01-30-2008 at 08:24 PM.