Chevy V-8 Conversion Head-achers
 

I'm responding to the NG 'cause I've got a review for the Chevy V-8
conversion headers I got from 4WD Hardware and some of the other conversion
items. This was a Chevy V-8 w/TPI conversion into a '76 Jeep CJ-7. It'll
carry over to a wide year range & some of it's no big secret but thought I'd
give opinions for both novice and pro.
First, I think the headers were the Hedman in-frame headers w/ball-style
collectors (#14300B @ $160/pr) They fit great and the ball collector made
exhaust easy. I backed 'em up with simple pipes to two ordinary mufflers
and hangers with short turn-downs somewhere around the back seat. The major
problem with 'em's the #5 & 7 primary tubes are so tight to the #5 spark
plug that it destroyed the #5 plug wire in a day. I got new wires and an
asbestos boot (6" sleeve) for that wire. Wrapping the plug with a little
reflective/asbestos under the wire would be ideal but mine hasn't burned out
yet...
The fenderwell headers look very roomy at the primary exit from the heads
but couldn't use 'em 'cause I have large, fabricated nerf bars welded to
plates on the frame. Not sure but I think any fair set of "block hugger" or
"tight tubes" headers would've been better than the "conversion" set and I
could've installed the O2 sensor closer to the heads. (Does anybody know?)
If I had to do it again, I'd've invested another $140 to get a set with
thermal coating.
I used the bolt-in motor mounts (#4300 from 4WD Hardware). Didn't want to
use the weld-in types out of concern that I'd weaken the frame
unnecessarily. What can I say? I wish everything worked as smoothly as
these mounts. Went right in using the original bolt holes in the frame and
have different hole patterns so you can lift or drop the engine and search
for the best angle for the transmission. Work great and look better.
That's it for now. Wish I could say that fabricating an intake system
wasn't a nightmare and that I don't have a three foot radiator hose in a
loop just to fit.
P.S. If anyone knows how I can make a speed sensor for my Dana300 and
opinions for a programmable speedo, I'd appreciate it.
Best Regards,
Drink
Looking good. I hope you can use those headers.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O

mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

"Jim Drinkwater, WP3JQ" wrote:

>

> Hey Bill,

> Here's the photos I promised you a way's back. I just downloaded the 'em

> off the digital and realized I forgot. The 1st one's how it all started;

> Daddy and his "little engine that could" at the junk yard. The others are

> the result. I wouldn't have done this except that the redneck junk man
> told

> me, "Boy, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about. There ain't
> no

> way in hell... no how... you're ever gonna make that damned thang work in

> Your Jeep!" My baby looked up at me and I said, "Are you gonna sell me the

> damned motor or not?"

> I really need to go back and spin my wheels (which is what I planned in

> the first place:)

>

> Thanks for all the advice, Bill. And, Happy New Year!

> Best Regards,

> Jim

Re: Chevy V-8 Conversion Head-achers
 

I once ran a radiator hose over the top of a Volvo B-18 engine, to make it
fit in a car that really wanted a B-16. It was simpler than getting the
hose fitting moved to the other side of the bottom tank. Once I got all the
air bubbles out, it worked fine.

Earle

"Drink" <drink@gnt.net> wrote in message
news:dpc0kg$6rl$1@news.utelfla.com...
> I'm responding to the NG 'cause I've got a review for the Chevy V-8
> conversion headers I got from 4WD Hardware and some of the other
conversion
> items. This was a Chevy V-8 w/TPI conversion into a '76 Jeep CJ-7. It'll
> carry over to a wide year range & some of it's no big secret but thought
I'd
> give opinions for both novice and pro.
> First, I think the headers were the Hedman in-frame headers w/ball-style
> collectors (#14300B @ $160/pr) They fit great and the ball collector made
> exhaust easy. I backed 'em up with simple pipes to two ordinary mufflers
> and hangers with short turn-downs somewhere around the back seat. The
major
> problem with 'em's the #5 & 7 primary tubes are so tight to the #5 spark
> plug that it destroyed the #5 plug wire in a day. I got new wires and an
> asbestos boot (6" sleeve) for that wire. Wrapping the plug with a little
> reflective/asbestos under the wire would be ideal but mine hasn't burned
out
> yet...
> The fenderwell headers look very roomy at the primary exit from the
heads
> but couldn't use 'em 'cause I have large, fabricated nerf bars welded to
> plates on the frame. Not sure but I think any fair set of "block hugger"
or
> "tight tubes" headers would've been better than the "conversion" set and I
> could've installed the O2 sensor closer to the heads. (Does anybody
know?)
> If I had to do it again, I'd've invested another $140 to get a set with
> thermal coating.
> I used the bolt-in motor mounts (#4300 from 4WD Hardware). Didn't want
to
> use the weld-in types out of concern that I'd weaken the frame
> unnecessarily. What can I say? I wish everything worked as smoothly as
> these mounts. Went right in using the original bolt holes in the frame
and
> have different hole patterns so you can lift or drop the engine and search
> for the best angle for the transmission. Work great and look better.
> That's it for now. Wish I could say that fabricating an intake system
> wasn't a nightmare and that I don't have a three foot radiator hose in a
> loop just to fit.
> P.S. If anyone knows how I can make a speed sensor for my Dana300 and
> opinions for a programmable speedo, I'd appreciate it.
> Best Regards,
> Drink
> Looking good. I hope you can use those headers.
>
> Thanks, and Happy New Year!
>
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
>
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> "Jim Drinkwater, WP3JQ" wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Hey Bill,
>
> > Here's the photos I promised you a way's back. I just downloaded the 'em
>
> > off the digital and realized I forgot. The 1st one's how it all started;
>
> > Daddy and his "little engine that could" at the junk yard. The others
are
>
> > the result. I wouldn't have done this except that the redneck junk man
> > told
>
> > me, "Boy, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about. There ain't
> > no
>
> > way in hell... no how... you're ever gonna make that damned thang work
in
>
> > Your Jeep!" My baby looked up at me and I said, "Are you gonna sell me
the
>
> > damned motor or not?"
>
> > I really need to go back and spin my wheels (which is what I planned in
>
> > the first place:)
>
> >
>
> > Thanks for all the advice, Bill. And, Happy New Year!
>
> > Best Regards,
>
> > Jim
>
>

Re: Chevy V-8 Conversion Head-achers
 

I once ran a radiator hose over the top of a Volvo B-18 engine, to make it
fit in a car that really wanted a B-16. It was simpler than getting the
hose fitting moved to the other side of the bottom tank. Once I got all the
air bubbles out, it worked fine.

Earle

"Drink" <drink@gnt.net> wrote in message
news:dpc0kg$6rl$1@news.utelfla.com...
> I'm responding to the NG 'cause I've got a review for the Chevy V-8
> conversion headers I got from 4WD Hardware and some of the other
conversion
> items. This was a Chevy V-8 w/TPI conversion into a '76 Jeep CJ-7. It'll
> carry over to a wide year range & some of it's no big secret but thought
I'd
> give opinions for both novice and pro.
> First, I think the headers were the Hedman in-frame headers w/ball-style
> collectors (#14300B @ $160/pr) They fit great and the ball collector made
> exhaust easy. I backed 'em up with simple pipes to two ordinary mufflers
> and hangers with short turn-downs somewhere around the back seat. The
major
> problem with 'em's the #5 & 7 primary tubes are so tight to the #5 spark
> plug that it destroyed the #5 plug wire in a day. I got new wires and an
> asbestos boot (6" sleeve) for that wire. Wrapping the plug with a little
> reflective/asbestos under the wire would be ideal but mine hasn't burned
out
> yet...
> The fenderwell headers look very roomy at the primary exit from the
heads
> but couldn't use 'em 'cause I have large, fabricated nerf bars welded to
> plates on the frame. Not sure but I think any fair set of "block hugger"
or
> "tight tubes" headers would've been better than the "conversion" set and I
> could've installed the O2 sensor closer to the heads. (Does anybody
know?)
> If I had to do it again, I'd've invested another $140 to get a set with
> thermal coating.
> I used the bolt-in motor mounts (#4300 from 4WD Hardware). Didn't want
to
> use the weld-in types out of concern that I'd weaken the frame
> unnecessarily. What can I say? I wish everything worked as smoothly as
> these mounts. Went right in using the original bolt holes in the frame
and
> have different hole patterns so you can lift or drop the engine and search
> for the best angle for the transmission. Work great and look better.
> That's it for now. Wish I could say that fabricating an intake system
> wasn't a nightmare and that I don't have a three foot radiator hose in a
> loop just to fit.
> P.S. If anyone knows how I can make a speed sensor for my Dana300 and
> opinions for a programmable speedo, I'd appreciate it.
> Best Regards,
> Drink
> Looking good. I hope you can use those headers.
>
> Thanks, and Happy New Year!
>
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
>
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> "Jim Drinkwater, WP3JQ" wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Hey Bill,
>
> > Here's the photos I promised you a way's back. I just downloaded the 'em
>
> > off the digital and realized I forgot. The 1st one's how it all started;
>
> > Daddy and his "little engine that could" at the junk yard. The others
are
>
> > the result. I wouldn't have done this except that the redneck junk man
> > told
>
> > me, "Boy, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about. There ain't
> > no
>
> > way in hell... no how... you're ever gonna make that damned thang work
in
>
> > Your Jeep!" My baby looked up at me and I said, "Are you gonna sell me
the
>
> > damned motor or not?"
>
> > I really need to go back and spin my wheels (which is what I planned in
>
> > the first place:)
>
> >
>
> > Thanks for all the advice, Bill. And, Happy New Year!
>
> > Best Regards,
>
> > Jim
>
>

Re: Chevy V-8 Conversion Head-achers
 

I once ran a radiator hose over the top of a Volvo B-18 engine, to make it
fit in a car that really wanted a B-16. It was simpler than getting the
hose fitting moved to the other side of the bottom tank. Once I got all the
air bubbles out, it worked fine.

Earle

"Drink" <drink@gnt.net> wrote in message
news:dpc0kg$6rl$1@news.utelfla.com...
> I'm responding to the NG 'cause I've got a review for the Chevy V-8
> conversion headers I got from 4WD Hardware and some of the other
conversion
> items. This was a Chevy V-8 w/TPI conversion into a '76 Jeep CJ-7. It'll
> carry over to a wide year range & some of it's no big secret but thought
I'd
> give opinions for both novice and pro.
> First, I think the headers were the Hedman in-frame headers w/ball-style
> collectors (#14300B @ $160/pr) They fit great and the ball collector made
> exhaust easy. I backed 'em up with simple pipes to two ordinary mufflers
> and hangers with short turn-downs somewhere around the back seat. The
major
> problem with 'em's the #5 & 7 primary tubes are so tight to the #5 spark
> plug that it destroyed the #5 plug wire in a day. I got new wires and an
> asbestos boot (6" sleeve) for that wire. Wrapping the plug with a little
> reflective/asbestos under the wire would be ideal but mine hasn't burned
out
> yet...
> The fenderwell headers look very roomy at the primary exit from the
heads
> but couldn't use 'em 'cause I have large, fabricated nerf bars welded to
> plates on the frame. Not sure but I think any fair set of "block hugger"
or
> "tight tubes" headers would've been better than the "conversion" set and I
> could've installed the O2 sensor closer to the heads. (Does anybody
know?)
> If I had to do it again, I'd've invested another $140 to get a set with
> thermal coating.
> I used the bolt-in motor mounts (#4300 from 4WD Hardware). Didn't want
to
> use the weld-in types out of concern that I'd weaken the frame
> unnecessarily. What can I say? I wish everything worked as smoothly as
> these mounts. Went right in using the original bolt holes in the frame
and
> have different hole patterns so you can lift or drop the engine and search
> for the best angle for the transmission. Work great and look better.
> That's it for now. Wish I could say that fabricating an intake system
> wasn't a nightmare and that I don't have a three foot radiator hose in a
> loop just to fit.
> P.S. If anyone knows how I can make a speed sensor for my Dana300 and
> opinions for a programmable speedo, I'd appreciate it.
> Best Regards,
> Drink
> Looking good. I hope you can use those headers.
>
> Thanks, and Happy New Year!
>
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
>
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> "Jim Drinkwater, WP3JQ" wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Hey Bill,
>
> > Here's the photos I promised you a way's back. I just downloaded the 'em
>
> > off the digital and realized I forgot. The 1st one's how it all started;
>
> > Daddy and his "little engine that could" at the junk yard. The others
are
>
> > the result. I wouldn't have done this except that the redneck junk man
> > told
>
> > me, "Boy, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about. There ain't
> > no
>
> > way in hell... no how... you're ever gonna make that damned thang work
in
>
> > Your Jeep!" My baby looked up at me and I said, "Are you gonna sell me
the
>
> > damned motor or not?"
>
> > I really need to go back and spin my wheels (which is what I planned in
>
> > the first place:)
>
> >
>
> > Thanks for all the advice, Bill. And, Happy New Year!
>
> > Best Regards,
>
> > Jim
>
>