1973 Wagoneer - Full Size Camping Goodness
- Thread starter Dr. Marneaus
- Start date
cheapthrills
New member
My last two waggies have been very reliable and in Stock form will surprise you in capability
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cheapthrills
New member
What are you talking about? These things are very reliable (if repaired and taken care of propperly). Also with appropriate driving skills they are very capable, I've taken all my waggies places your jaw would be on the ground.
I'm 6'5" and I've slept in mine comfortably. Second I'm assuming you own and drive one. since your avatar shows one I'd assume you love yours and I don't blame you it's a nice looking rig.
If some one wants to explore classic rides encourage him and teach him or at least point him to someone with the knowledge and patience to teach him...
Ok I'm dropping an alluminum 5.3 in one of mine to 'modernize' it let's think about this monetarily, 5.3 engine completed with wiring harness and computer 900 all day long on CL do homework and mod wiring harness your self free or have it done 500. Tune computer max 200 (06 and earlier) fuel system mods can be done for as little as 250 total. The mounts as little as 100 . Stick with original transmission 500 for adapter or 4l60e 300 used 700r4 200 used. Used tcase from chevy 100, use original not quadratrack tcase 500 for adapter. radiator is all over the board can be done as little as 200 to modify stock brass radiator, or buy new for 350 500 pluss fluids
Let's add it up with 1000 for Miscellaneous crap and beer to recruit your friends 3250
DIY and that's going some more expensive routs . Or you buy a beat down Toyota for 3500
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The key (like any Jeep) is that they have to be stone stock. Once they're modified (and let's face it, most Jeeps are, especially older ones) or poorly repaired, the reliability is usually crap. I'm still correcting the PO's sins on my GW (and there were MANY), but it's slowly coming around. As to capability, they are quite capable in stock form, especially if you find one with the trac-lok rear.
cheapthrills
New member
I agree with you on the po's mods thing. But most things are dumb short cuts easily fixed and track lock in jeep is rare these days with open difficult are still fairly capable as mine where with appropriate choice of lines and airing down helps emensly
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Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Well, considering I am the author anf this is an 800 post long build thread about the 1973 Wagoneer in my avatar, yes I own one, lol.
Love isn't really the word I'd use to describe it these days, maybe 7 years ago when I got it, but not these days.
Nor is reliable the word, nor is capable. Its a 40 year old tank with a poor turning radius, poor ground clearance, and an archaic engine that I am now running EFI on which has been a major help but it still runs like an old truck. At least with the EFI I can go up hills without flooding. It has little to no articulation, but it suits me fine for driving to the mall and grocery store.
Kind of at a point in my life where I just want to be able to get into something and go wherever I want, not have to worry about it breaking down, stranding me, getting 9mpg, but after 7 years of labor, 17 stitches, at least $10,000-$12,000 dumped in above what I paid for it, I'll be buried in it, because I'm too broke to get anything else any time in the next several years.
I'll have this thing for the foreseeable future, so, might as well keep dumping time and money into it!! Lol, it is what it is. This is jeep life.
3 weeks from now I will be attempting the 600 mile round trip to and From Boonville, CA. Last year this trip was the straw that broke the camels back. It fought me the entire way both directions, and took me over 8 hours to get home when it should be less than a 6 hour drive. that was the point in time where I realized I no longer had the same feelings for it. It probably would have been gone had a member here not offered me a great trade for an EFI system in exchange for a spare 1974 wagoneer I had acquired. As much as the EFI has helped with things, I don't know if i'll ever get back to feeling the way i used to about it.
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cheapthrills
New member
Well I forgot you where the author I've benn just quick reading posts as they popped up.... that's unfortunate you feel the way you do about it. Sounds like chasing bad money with good money at this point.... too bad I'm sorry man, either way I didn't intend to piss anyone off and I do hope you the best on your build. I've been semi following this. Hope your feelings for the jeep become positive again somday....
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AgentOrange76
Adventurer
Agent Orange, I have a FSJ Cherokee and I can fit in the rear to sleep just fine. I'm 6'1. I completely removed the rear seat, built a small platform to extend the floor forward to the back of the front seats (seats all the way back). I can fit in the back with a few inches to spare. I upgraded my rear window to remote control (vendor on another site) so I can close the rear gate and window, yet easily open them with the remote from inside. A Wagoneer would be a better option for sleeping since it has the rear doors.
Here is a pic of the rear before I added my refrigerator. The fridge mounts longways in the center of the vehicle, I still have room to sleep with it there.
Curly
This thing is so cool......that's basically what I was imagining for the rear of it. I'm right at 6' so I should fit without the back seat. Love the Cherokees with the vent windows, but I think I would want to keep the crank window. Would love to find one with a 4 speed......the 2 doors are so hard to find around here though, Waggys are much more common. And they look pretty cush too, something I'm not accustomed to. I've rolled up to so many late night spots with the rain pouring down and wished so much I could just crawl in back and go to sleep. There's a guy on campus that drives a mint Cherokee Golden Eagle and I about poop myself every time I see it. I've also thought about J10s, I think its sacrilege to put a camper cover on a pickup though. A truck is a truck. Would be a pretty sweet setup though.
Some other comments from y'all, I wont bother quoting them all. Thanks for the support, I love old cars and its cool to see people that have them actually using them. I'm going into this knowing that its gonna drive and behave like an old truck, and that's what I want. I had my brother's El Camino out here at school, 4+ hours from home for a couple months, and I knew that as long as I treated it like an old car it would be fine. As soon as I expected it to start every time I turned the key or not derp around, as soon as I expected it to be like a new car it would become junk. As long as I treated it like it wasn't it was the greatest thing ever. Its broken on me several times before college, and one minor breakdown while I was here, but man, I love that car. Same with our CJ, its left me stranded a couple times but always gotten me home. Old stuff just has so much character. I'm pretty excited, regardless of what I end up with.
Cheapthrills- I have no intention of messing with the original stuff (the goal is to have something old after all) but now you've totally got me thinking about a manual swap.....reminds me of the time we ghetto swapped a 5 speed in my buddy's 78 Ford.......good times....
bobzdar- I didn't know they came with a posi. Knew I preferred to find one with the optional low range though.
Dr. Marneaus - Sorry to hear you've lost some love with the 'ole girl, here's to hoping you get it back!
I'd love to keep hearing your thoughts on Wagoneers both as a platform and as a classic. Maybe I'll start a thread (or dig up an old one) where we can talk about full size jeeps so we don't clog up the good doctor's thread?
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
I hope so too, because its no fun having it sit in the garage while I'm completely uninterested in it.
Getting a few minor mods done successfully without any problems was nice this past weekend, and gave me some minor renewal, but we'll see how it fares on "the trip"
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Check out fsjnetwork.com or ifsja.org or join "full size jeep enthusiasts" on facebook, tons of info in those spots.
These things do fill a niche. they say "jeep" on them, they are bigger than an early bronco, cj, or FJ40, but wayyyyy smaller than a blazer or burban. They arte 4x4, and have a mess of different options. they are plentiful for parts, and depending on the part stuff from the 60's can still work on stuff from the late 80's. There are alot of nuances between years however, and thats all stuff you'll have to learn to find what parts will and wont cross over.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Digging the updates. :beer:
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Me too. Small changes, but both very useful changes.
I have a few more small items to take care of before "the big test" trip to Boonville, but that is fast approaching.
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Well, I'm almost finished with the cargo area. I put on a tire cover which cleaned thing sup greatly, then went ahead and consolidated all the junk I normally carry. I didn't part with much, but I rearranged everything and eliminated a few items to get everything to fit in the one toolbox, and behind the tire.
I also went ahead and repainted my toolbox. I last painted it when I got my TJ in 2006 and it was getting pretty rough.
I ordered a set of cargo tie downs from an XJ to mount in the back to secure the toolbox so it doesnt kill me in an accident. And i need to drill a hole in my ammpo can speakers to bolt them down for the same reason.
So here's what I carry in the jeep. Behind the tire there is:
-tire iron
-jumper cables
-a blanket
-a tarp
-and a cheap 130 piece tool set from harbor freight.
It all tucks beautifully behind.
In the toolbox is the following:
- 1qt. ATF
- 1qt 10w30
- 1qt power steering fluid, which I will likely swap for another quart of ATF since that seems to be the bane of my existance
- hand crank LED lantern
- work gloves
- hatchet
- recovery strap
- duct tape
- jerry can pour nozzle
- bag of various electrical bits
- bag of various vacuum bits and caps
- c-clamp (for u joints)
- zip ties
- black RTV
- "quick steel" putty
- rubber gloves
- d ring hitch thingy
- roll of TP (saved me more than once)
- 3 u joints (one of each type) and a set of u-joint u bolts or straps or whatever they are called
- bits of fuel hose
- spare belts
- spare starter solenoid
- a knife
- a little 4x4 trail repairs/get unstuck ideas book
- a hank of 550 paracord
- machete
- multi meter
- hack saw blade
- a few trash bags
Which all fits easily inside the box:
Aside from that, the only loose items in the truck are a fire extinguisher under the front seat which needs replaced and mounted, and then a spare jacket/pullover that I keep in the cooler months.
Much better solution than everything bouncing around under the cargo cover, and way more efficient use of space.
I also learned that I can lay down in the back of the jeep with the seat folded forward. There isnt MUCH room but there are a few inches above my head if I lay diagonal, so, thats good to know as well.
so, shes just about ready for camping season!
I also went ahead and repainted my toolbox. I last painted it when I got my TJ in 2006 and it was getting pretty rough.
I ordered a set of cargo tie downs from an XJ to mount in the back to secure the toolbox so it doesnt kill me in an accident. And i need to drill a hole in my ammpo can speakers to bolt them down for the same reason.
So here's what I carry in the jeep. Behind the tire there is:
-tire iron
-jumper cables
-a blanket
-a tarp
-and a cheap 130 piece tool set from harbor freight.
It all tucks beautifully behind.
In the toolbox is the following:
- 1qt. ATF
- 1qt 10w30
- 1qt power steering fluid, which I will likely swap for another quart of ATF since that seems to be the bane of my existance
- hand crank LED lantern
- work gloves
- hatchet
- recovery strap
- duct tape
- jerry can pour nozzle
- bag of various electrical bits
- bag of various vacuum bits and caps
- c-clamp (for u joints)
- zip ties
- black RTV
- "quick steel" putty
- rubber gloves
- d ring hitch thingy
- roll of TP (saved me more than once)
- 3 u joints (one of each type) and a set of u-joint u bolts or straps or whatever they are called
- bits of fuel hose
- spare belts
- spare starter solenoid
- a knife
- a little 4x4 trail repairs/get unstuck ideas book
- a hank of 550 paracord
- machete
- multi meter
- hack saw blade
- a few trash bags
Which all fits easily inside the box:
Aside from that, the only loose items in the truck are a fire extinguisher under the front seat which needs replaced and mounted, and then a spare jacket/pullover that I keep in the cooler months.
Much better solution than everything bouncing around under the cargo cover, and way more efficient use of space.
I also learned that I can lay down in the back of the jeep with the seat folded forward. There isnt MUCH room but there are a few inches above my head if I lay diagonal, so, thats good to know as well.
so, shes just about ready for camping season!
Zeiderman
Adventurer
So, I've always enjoyed this thread, and it motivates me ridiculously. The 89 GW is my third Jeep (none even close to the same of each other) in the stall at the moment, and I have plenty of moments just like you. Here's how I get through the BS, I always try to balance what needs to be done (stupid repairs), vs. something I want to do, that doesn't require any further work to accomplish, or a may as well. I keep it fairly simple with a one and done rule. Such as you just did with your back. Nothing to go wrong, and everything went perfect. That's the balance. I recently did the same with my XJ, had a rash of stupid repairs that I had been doing, so one I said F it, grabbed a couple of laying arounds, vacuumed out the back, put the laying arounds in, strapped them down. Gave me more energy for stupid repairs. Balance the cycle brother, and drink some of those fine beers you enjoy, and tell that FSJ to F off....."I'll be back you *****, and this time you're gonna pay"
Give or take.
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Give or take.
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