Diesel Wrangler in 2010!

[AmericaOverland]

So, Stephanie, I must apologize first to you. Second, my advice would be this; Find a COMPETENT shop for your Scout II, then seek out or have them provide references. By that I mean customers that have had major or similar work you are seeking that has been completed by said shop. I would engage them about the quality of work, timeliness as well as cost.

So, in short, sorry if I mislead, I was projecting my own pain onto Stephanie's good idea. -- Hey, Scouts have dana 44 axles front and rear

Well, the way my build has gone was I went to what was then www.binderbulletin.com which shut down for some reason and came back as www.binderplanet.com a few weeks later with just about all the tech threads and photos restored. I met a few people online there and met some in person in public gatherings and even went to a couple of wrench days once I got to know the people wouldn't sawsall me and put me in the freezer. Early on, I met someone from Dallas who is currently my truck builder.

In March 2009, I talked with the builder about what I wanted (stock, except for different wheels, seats, borgeson steering joint, bedlining instead of carpet, no sliding windows in the hardtop, engine work, transmission work, differential work, springs, rust damage repair on body and top, seals for windows, basically everything - a bit of custom work), and we had a time table of completion. We did the original agreement on paper, notarized and signed for each payment, and when I realized it was going to take more work as time went on, I then started using Pay Pal to pay for the extra work beyond the contract, specifying exactly what each payment was for.

I then learned as a newbie that restorations seem to take twice as long and cost twice as much as I would think, and that's probably because I had an unrealistic expectation of costs. I thought that I would have a decent-looking, mechanically solid truck for about $5,000. It ended up being around $9,500 so far and nearly 5 months late. Next time, I would budget tentatively for $10-15 grand, and go from there. Delivery is supposed to be around Feb. 9th.

What is helping me on my side is the Gulf Coast Binders people here in SE Texas have been watching my build very closely on the binder web site and advising the builder on certain things.

I am thinking that when it's time to do another restoration on the Scout, I will talk with an actual, real shop. And I know of several in town plus those reputable ones around the country that specialize in IH vehicle/tractor restorations. Hopefully by then, my income and credit history will be more established. An upgrade would be something like a diesel engine/manual transmission/t-case combo (if it hasn't been outlawed by then) with whatever rust work becomes evident by then. I'm much more familiar with the Scout than anything else out there, since I've been researching it along with problem areas to watch out for.

This Scout is one of not too many out there that came out with a hollow tube front axle, so it is 2WD. If it turns out that I'm able to afford getting further and further off the road, then I may look into the driveline changeout or simply replace my car with another Scout.

Stephanie

 

[Root Moose]

Yep, restoration work is not cheap. Or rather, good restoration work is not cheap. At ~$10k I think you got a hell of a bargain if you are happy with the result. IIRC there was a guy somewhere in/near the Carolinas that was doing CJ8s for $15k-$20 depending on what you wanted.

Thanks for the tip about binderbulletin. I was wondering what happened to them.

 

[1937Scott]

Stephanie,

Good luck, I understand your diesel engine desires......

I looked into putting a Jeep CRD 4 cyl. into mine. Used, from a totalled Liberty they were going for $8k-$10k when mine was being built. Kinda pricey.

On a related note, that's why I ended up going through TWO engines. Not because of diesel, but because of fit. The builder pushed me to put a very late model 2.4 liter Jeep 4 cyl. under the hood. So I caved in, and after it was mounted on the frame, the hood wouldn't go down. See, it's a dual overhead cam engine, so it took a 4" body lift, then there was only 1/4" clearance!

That's not the worst. If the front axle moved up more than 1", it contacted the oil pan!! So, I had him take it out and put in an old model 2.5 liter 4 cyl. It turns out the 2.4 liter engine is almost EIGHT inches taller than the 2.5.

So....... what does this have to do with a Scout II?? Make darn sure you pick an engine that fits, or maybe even one that someone has installed before. Good thing about the Scout II, there's a lot of room under the hood.

Keep us posted.

Scott

 

[Desert Dan]

Time is Money and Money is Time.

That is why I boughty a new TJ Rubicon when they came out.

 

[Redline]

And and that was a very good decision. Though I don't currently own one, I think Jeep Rubicons are a great off-highway value.

Time is Money and Money is Time.

That is why I boughty a new TJ Rubicon when they came out.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Good thing about the Scout II, there's a lot of room under the hood.

Keep us posted.

Scott

True...I installed a Caddy 500 Big Block in my old ScoutII and there was still room to change the spark plugs :victory:

 

[Bill Beers]

...People ought to band together to tell the EPA to back off and repeal some of the pollution laws on the books...

My lungs hope this doesn't happen.

 

[korisu56]

********. lot of smog problems in OR?

 

[alosix]

My lungs hope this doesn't happen.

I think the EPA once served a useful purpose. They have strayed from that, and strayed far.

 

[Bill Beers]

I think the EPA once served a useful purpose. They have strayed from that, and strayed far.

********. lot of smog problems in OR?

I just don't get the anti-emissions regulation bent of this message board.

What is wrong with having vehicles put out cleaner exhaust?

Thanks to the EPA's heavy truck standards, it takes 60, 2010 model year trucks to put out the same NOx and particulate emmissions as one 1984 model.

I agree that the EPA goes overboard on many things, and that CARB is even worse, but this thread is about diesel engines, not carbon emissions and paint specs.

We don't have much of a smog problem here, and I'd like to keep it that way.

-Bill

 

[Root Moose]

I just don't get the anti-emissions regulation bent of this message board.

Indeed, maybe its just what the cool kids have been doing since the '70s.

Every once in a while I'll end up behind some old restored car on my commute and the stench that comes off them is absolutely amazing. It's a wonder how anyone put up with the smell of cars back in the day.

 

[pygmyowl]

I agree 100% Bill. I read where the much maligned PSD 6.0L puts out 1/100th the emissions of the old 7.3L diesels - I mean who wants to breath that filth.

Scott MacButch

 

[alosix]

Thanks to the EPA's heavy truck standards, it takes 60, 2010 model year trucks to put out the same NOx and particulate emmissions as one 1984 model.

It also adds a significant cost to the truck. They've been attempting to enforce these for the port of oakland for the last few weeks (truck gets a $10k to $60k or is 2010 spec or it doesn't get into the port). Lines of trucks there without enough $$ around to put the filters in.

I believe that the EPA went very nuts on particulate matter by the urging of CARB based on their bad science from a guy with a faked Phd.

Once the EPA decided CO2 was a pollutant I think they went too far.

I don't believe we should pull back and go to the regs of the 70s, but at some point these vehicles have to be 'good enough' don't they?

 

[BIGdaddy]

It also adds a significant cost to the truck. They've been attempting to enforce these for the port of oakland for the last few weeks (truck gets a $10k to $60k or is 2010 spec or it doesn't get into the port). Lines of trucks there without enough $$ around to put the filters in.

I believe that the EPA went very nuts on particulate matter by the urging of CARB based on their bad science from a guy with a faked Phd.

Once the EPA decided CO2 was a pollutant I think they went too far.

I don't believe we should pull back and go to the regs of the 70s, but at some point these vehicles have to be 'good enough' don't they?

I'm all for re-using cars that are on the road until they can't be used anymore, but I think all new cars should be meeting a very high emissions standard. I have no problem with carb at the moment, as I still have my one non-carb fuel can, and can still buy a snorkel for my rig, that is 17 years young this year.

I like diesels, but man they put out a crapload of particulate into city air. I LOVE the gas mileage, but I'll stick with my honest 19mpg XJ for now.

 

[korisu56]

I just don't get the anti-emissions regulation bent of this message board.

What is wrong with having vehicles put out cleaner exhaust?

Thanks to the EPA's heavy truck standards, it takes 60, 2010 model year trucks to put out the same NOx and particulate emmissions as one 1984 model.

I agree that the EPA goes overboard on many things, and that CARB is even worse, but this thread is about diesel engines, not carbon emissions and paint specs.

We don't have much of a smog problem here, and I'd like to keep it that way.

-Bill

I should've placed my behind my statement. Just yanking your chain.

I have an '84 CJ and the smell can get to me after a little bit. I'm just not as used to it. I'd like either throw a 4bt (I will have a lot of weight on it) or a newer 4.0 in it with the computer and fuel injection.