This is my plan for my 1972 Scout II. I found out the brakes are shot,
and thus it's been "grounded" for some time waiting for the parts.. which
I've collected, and then some. So...
What my Scout has now:
- 304V8 w/ 63k miles
- Stock bench seat up front w/ shot springs
- 3spd that needs replaced
- Dana 20
- Dana 30 front end, 3.73, shot drum brakes
- Dana 44 rear, 3.73, needs drums turned
- Manual steering and manual brakes
- Giddum Up Scout 4-point repro factory truck (roll) bar
- Of course, a few stereo components and a CB and such..
Sitting in my garage, waiting for my Scout:
- Extra Dana 20
- Dana 44 3.73 front axle w/ AUTOMATIC hubs
- Power brake booster, disc/drum master cylinder, and proportioning
valve
- Power Steering box and pump
- Smittybilt Front Roll Cage Kit
- New Dash and dash pad (needed the pad, extra dash is just extra)
- Stock Scout II bucket seat bases and some nice buckets from an '83
Pontiac 2000 - they tip far forward (2 door), recline to lay down, and
have sliders so I can adjust 'em.
On their way (for me to still order):
- Twin Stick shifters from a Dana 18
- Close ratio T19 4spd
- SSII Mirrors
- A/C pump mounting bracket
- Left and right front body mounts
- Lockright locker for the front and rear end
- New RS5000 shocks
- New front driveline & CV Yoke for the t'case
- New rear driveline & CV Yoke for the t'case
- Warn Full Floater kit for the rear Dana 44, combined with disc
brakes
- Tera Mfg 3-1 lower gears for the transfer case.. that is, unless I
figure out something better..
- 33 gallon fuel tank(?)
- Stereo components, car alarm.. heh
Now that we have the stage set.. here's my plan:
- Remove the seats (done - 4/16/98)
- Remove the rollbar
- Remove the factory rubber matting / sound deadening floor material
- Remove fan shroud
- Disconnect the ignition harness, steering column, gas line, and
anything else that connects from the body to the frame
- Unbolt the 8 body mount bolts
- Lift the body a bit, so there's room between it and the frame
- Grind out the rusty parts of the floor and front body mounts
- Weld in replacement steel
- Remove the doors
- Lift the body off of the frame
- Flat tow the frame to a local welder to have the front reverse
shackle "towers" welded on, some mounts for a rear 4-link suspension,
drill and "sleeve" two holes on either side of the frame, near where the
old rear spring mount is.. inside diameter should be 1/2"
- Add some cargo storage compartments in the areas between the innder
bed tub and the outer rear quarter panels
- Install 3.5" or 4" mid-range speakers in the kick-panel area up
front
- Sand the entire interior of the body tub, primer it, then Durabak it
- Sand what I can of the underside of the body tub, then primer, then
Durabak
- Durabak the lower edge of the body - where the stock trim would be,
and then down - this will avoid nicking any paint in the future
- Remove engine/tranny/transfer case from the frame (skip this?)
- Remove axles, shackles, manual steering box
- Grind off stock front shock mounts, drill holes to use Jeep CJ
bolt-on higher front shock mounts - 2 per side
- Sand blast the
frame
- Clean the frame with Acetone
- Paint the frame with POR15
- Re-install the 304V8, with the T19 and Dana 20 from the garage
- Re-install the body onto the frame with new body bushings, new body
bolts, and one inch spacers (1" body lift)
- Bolt a StrateSteer and the power steering gear box onto the frame
- Attach the steering column
- Re-install the doors
- Re-fit the 4pt GUS rollbar, and add in the Smittybilt front
rollcage.
- Remove the cage, have a professional do the finish weld, then primer
and Durabak the rollcage
- Install roll-cage
- Install the rear bench seat (sand blast, paint, & Durabak the
under-side rear bench seat mounting bracket)
- Install front bucket seat bases
- Install an 8" Subwoofer in the passenger seat base
- Install 10-disc Sony CD-changer inside the driver's bucket seat base
- or, install in a Tuffy console
- Install some tweeters in the upper corners of either the rollcage, or
the windshield frame
- Install bucket seats
- Trim the glovebox edge, and relocate the headlight switch and e-brake
release to clear the front feet of the rollcage
- Install the power brake booster and disc/drum brake mastercylinder
and proportioning valve
- Remove the rear springs, and replace all bushings
- Place rear axle under the springs (springs-over-axle), and measure
amount of rotation needed for a CV rear driveshaft
- Have a professional welder move the spring perches to the top of the
axle at the appropriate angle
- Have the welder add the 4-link mounts to the axle as well
- Welder will also add 2 shock mounts per side, along the axle tube
- Install an 8" longer rear brake line
- Locate and install a Ford front Reverse Cut Dana 44 diff cover - with
a higher fill plug
- Add a bracket to the old shock upper rear shock mounts to relocate
the upper shock mounts up one inch - make accomodations for dual shocks
- Cut one extra rear spring pack in half, drill two 1/2" holes in the
ends of the main leafs. Install these springs under the frame on the
front, to be my rear buggy leaf spring mount for the reverse shackle
front end
- Install the stock front springs (with new bushings), using the front
spring "tower" and the new buggy spring rear mount
- Position front axle under the springs, and make measurements for axle
rotation for front CV-joint driveshaft
- Disassemble front axle
- Grind welds
- Rotate the axle the proper amount for the CV 'shaft, and 4 to 6
degrees of caster
- Have a professional re-weld the knuckles
- Grind a new perch into the passenger side diff webbing, at the
appropriate angle
- Have a professional relocate the driver's side spring perch to the
top of the axle tube at the appropriate angle
- Add shock mounts in an appropriate position
- Install the new front Dana 44 under the springs
- Test the suspension articulation - measure for front brake lines,
front shocks, and front driveshaft - along with rear shocks and 'shaft
- Order 4 shocks, and the rear driveshaft
- Order the front driveshaft(when $$$ allows)
At this point, the truck will be in a perfectly driveable condition.
Other items I plan to do by or at this point, would be:
- On-board air, with one or 2 6"x24" air tanks mounted between the
frame rails under the cargo area
- 33gal gas tank
- Extra batteries - one under the hood (passenger inner fender - stock
jack location), and two or three under the bed (Optimas)
- Tera Mfg 3:1 low for the Dana 20, along with a rebuild
- MSD Ignition upgrade
- Stereo update - new headunit, and a 400w amp
- Car alarm w/ remote pager
- 33x12.5" BFG MTs
- Warn Dana 44 Full Floater rear kit, with disc brakes
- Lockright lockers front and rear
Tell me if I've overlooked something!
-Tom
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