Shiftin' Willys

Ok, Nearly $2000.00 into this repair, I finally received my trans. yesterday about 5:00. Installed it and the transfer case to find out the starter I planned on using wouldn't work, and the yoke you get when using a JB Conv. SYE does not alow me to use my normal straps or U-bolts. I'm not sure why it's made a little different, but it is. I finally found some U-bolts that would work in a junk pile at work. (after 6 trips to various auto parts stores). After two more trips to the auto parts stores the starter problem was fixed by building 1 from 2 different starters. Oddly enough the end product turned out to be an exact match for a '71 6cyl. Impala. After some minor stresses from cooler line fittings, TV cable issues, moving some plumbing and wires I'm finally ready for a test run up the alley. Very dissapointing. Just not cool. I played around with the cable, swapped out the governer for a dif. style, still not cool. Very pissed I called trans. rebuilder and he was stumped. Said it should be fine!? After about an hour of tryin' to fix it over the phone he finally asked the proper question, " Are you in low range?" No I told him. He said " try that dumb ass! ". Turns out he was smart enough to know what I use this for and built it accordingly! Dropped it in low and up the road I went! Actually shifted great! Very quick shifts yet no banging, Barks the gummy swampers shifting into second at 1/4 throttle (wich seems stange at about 5mph). It's like a slow motion drag race, weird. For high range I have to manual shift unless im just puttin' around, and all is well.
So in the end, For the 2 grand I ended up with a 4spd 800hp rated trans. ( I only have about 190hp), a 241c with extra wide gears and chain, a SYE, 2 new driveshafts, new sheilds, new exhaust mod.s, alot of work and more stress than one should have over a vehicle. Still workin' on some small things that dont worry me.
All of this condensed means if I can save the gas money for the tow rig, I should make the Creature Crawl!

Great to hear you've got it nearly together. Creature Crawl? The next big trip is the Crawl for the Cure on Oct 20,21. sat night there will be a bonfire you don't want to miss. sunday is more trail riding and at 10 in the morning is a practice session for those that will be competing in the Rausch Creek Rock Crawling Competition. I will be attending the practice session on sunday. I am competing in the unlimited class in Randy Woods Bronco. I will not be competing as a Maryland Rock Raider but as a member of Team Adventurous 4x4. (its an advertising thing) By the way if you need any help with the truck let me know. Not that I can add anything to your vast knowledge but an extra set of hands is sometimes nice and I can come up on tues/thurs.

First of all, thanks for the compliment about knowledge (may be somewhat undeserved). I'm gonna be pushing it to make the following weekend muck less that weekend. I took it out for a test run on some boulders this morning. Broke a u-joit. Ran over some guys sign for his business I didn't know he had on the other side. Damn urban Crawling. That'll happen. Yes, I stopped by and told him I owed him a new sign. He laughed. Guess thats why its good to walk the trail first. Everything else seems good to go. I think I'm down to just the shielding now. Thats this weeks project.