UJOR Build Thread

fm3fm3

New member
]This thread is giving me sooo many ideas! I just picked up a 1978 Chinook on a Dodge B300 chassis, 360ci (wish it was a 440) with 66k original miles. It's just begging for a 4x4 conversion but $ is tight right now. Is it worth doing a build like this in stages? I'd love to get it up in the air a bit before desert season hits here in Southern CA. It's currently sitting on 8.75R16.5LT but I'd love to get it up on at least a set of 33s if not 35s. Thoughts? Chinook.JPG Chinook2.JPG
 

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r_w

Adventurer
They're good about giving the info as long as you have a VIN#. But, there are times when guys may need parts and they can't get them locally or can't wait to get them from Q. On this van, we had to get one drag link end that can only come from them, and the other end is a discontinued Ford part. I luckily found one on eBay.

Yeah, they are great if you can get them on the phone. That doesn't help Saturday morning stuck at a truckstop or small town parts store. Actually, a small town parts guy might be able to figure it out by looking at the part and recognizing it, but you know what I mean.

Thanks! I try! We had another Q van come by today for a wheel/tire package. We're also going to change his front unit bearings & rotors to make them 8 on 170mm again. So he doesn't have to get them specifically machined or order from Q only. Any parts store will have them.

Changing back to stock unit bearings and add rear spacers to convert to 8x170 AND fix the track width is a much better option for the user. It would suck for Q to have to sell all those new take-off wheels, so I understand why they do it that way.

Adding the rear spacers was the best single thing I did to van handling. Better than shocks.
 

Stumpalump

Expedition Leader
We'll be DeQuiglifying it And...... Pulling the body for extensive 6.0 work. Head studs, gaskets, the whole 9 yards. Stay tuned!

Ding! I'd love to see how you get at and fix that engine. I think they are supposed to be a great diesel when these mods are done before the damage has been done.
 

ujoint

Supporting Sponsor
Correct! I have a list on my website under the FAQ page of what we do. On this van we'll be doing the head gaskets & studs. We normally don't do this since the proper preventive maintenance & monitors will keep you from blowing a head gasket. This van doesn't have a blown gasket but the customer wants to do it anyway.
 

ujoint

Supporting Sponsor
]This thread is giving me sooo many ideas! I just picked up a 1978 Chinook on a Dodge B300 chassis, 360ci (wish it was a 440) with 66k original miles. It's just begging for a 4x4 conversion but $ is tight right now. Is it worth doing a build like this in stages? I'd love to get it up in the air a bit before desert season hits here in Southern CA. It's currently sitting on 8.75R16.5LT but I'd love to get it up on at least a set of 33s if not 35s. Thoughts?

Good! I don't have any answers for the 4x4 conversion, you're looking at a custom job for that rig.
 

lam396

Adventurer
Just curious, what does it mean when you DeQuiglify a van? I have located a quigley conversion for a decent price but I had been planning on doing one of your conversions the whole time so I'm curious what you recommend needs to be done to straighten one out.

Thanks
Luke
 

derjack

Adventurer
Just curious, what does it mean when you DeQuiglify a van? I have located a quigley conversion for a decent price but I had been planning on doing one of your conversions the whole time so I'm curious what you recommend needs to be done to straighten one out.

Thanks
Luke
Swap everything except the transfer case, at the front end.
 

ujoint

Supporting Sponsor
Correct! We remove the entire suspension and replace it with UJOR parts. Leave the t-case and fuel tank, thats it.
 

ujoint

Supporting Sponsor
What about the axles? Do you throw a new front under it or re work the one it has to accept leafs?

Depends on the year. If the axle started life as a 99-04 F series axle then we cut off the Q parts, add a pass side spring perch and then make new upper u-bolt plates since they remove the pass side lower unit. If the axle is older than the 99-04 we usually replace the whole thing.
 

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