I will add pics as I go, but I have revamped the life-path of my '79 Cherokee Chief and was going to post a few things as I go along. ( pics will be added when I can access my photobucket account)
The start is a '79 Cherokee Chief. The Chiefs were all 2-dr models with factory fender flares and 64" wms-wms D44 axles. It has a 360 v8, a t18 4-spd tranny with a 6.32:1 first gear, and a D20 cast iron transfer case. Most transfer case experts view the D20 as vastly under-rated. The wheel base is a nice 109" and they were front SUA leafs / rear SOA leafs. If you follow the Jeep mags, FSJ's are being recognized a a great full-framed off-road rig that can still be purchased cheap. They already have the wheelbase range that most of the SWB guys are stretching their rigs to reach.
I bought a D60 front end. This means the front will go SOA instead of the stock SUA. I will have to work the steering out with custom pieces. My front is a GM DRW version ( 74.5" wms-wms ). It is a pass. drop & has 4.10 gears and 35 spline inner/ 30 spline outer shafts. The locking device may wind up being a lowly Lock-rite, but that is yet to be determined.
I bought a massive D70HD DRW from under an '87 GMC K35. This thing has 4" axle tubes, 1.5" 35-spline axles, 4.10 gears, and it is 74.5" wms-wms. It is what GM used when the 14B didn't get it done. I ordered a rear disc brake kit from www.diy4x.com, one of the few places making a kit for the D70HD dually. The plan is for a Lincoln Locker.
The advantage to the DRW axles is that you can buy Humvee beadlocks cheap and you do not have to modify them. This brings the tires back in to about SRW width.
I bought 4 37x12.5x16.5 tires on 12 bolt beadlocks with run flats. The plan is 38x11x16.5 Boggers on the end product. The narrow tires are another attempt to keep the track width more manageable for the trails around me.
The SOA front yields about 6-7" of lift. To make up for this in the rear, I order a rear shackle flip kit from www.ttsfabworks.com. This is a well-respected kit in the FSJ world and provides the same amount of lift: 6-7"
The plan is to chop off the top behind the doors and bob the rear frame & body at the shackles to increase the departure angle. The doors & tailgate are going to the scrap heap, and an NHRA-legal 12 pt cage liberated from a retired bracket car is going in.
The size of the D70HD means the factory gas tank has to go. In addition, I cannot use my aux. tank with the bob. I bought a 16 gal fuel cell with a sending unit & gauge.
Most all of the parts are here, and I will begin as soon as I go pick up the 360 & complete the 258 - to - 360 swap in my '80, pictured here:
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hp?t=37650
It must be the pallet.....