The "trophy husband" pro mod buggy build

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
Ha really it was because I was researching 3800 engines as a potential power plant for my upcoming willys project and thought you had used a 3800...come to find out yours is a 3.9 and now I have to do even more research to figure things out. I do know that the trans will be an AX15 and the tcase a D300 because I already have both...

Anyway, yeah, I started my Jeep yesterday. Soooo remind me why you aren't done yet? You couldn't build a buggy in the time it took me to do a simple motor swap? :rofl:
Yup, 3.9 is the ticket. I'm not sure about mating it to a manual trans (because why would anyone ever want a manual trans?) but yeah. They're newer, lighter and quite plentiful online or buy a whole impala at a gov auction.

I also just remembered that I need to fix my Jeep now too. I loaned it to a buddy who didn't finish his rig in time for the first WERock event last weekend. With my Jeep he was able to stay in series points but he also broke something in the front axle. Yay.
 

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
Yup, 3.9 is the ticket. I'm not sure about mating it to a manual trans (because why would anyone ever want a manual trans?) but yeah. They're newer, lighter and quite plentiful online or buy a whole impala at a gov auction.

I also just remembered that I need to fix my Jeep now too. I loaned it to a buddy who didn't finish his rig in time for the first WERock event last weekend. With my Jeep he was able to stay in series points but he also broke something in the front axle. Yay.
Haha. Isn't it some sort of sin to build a flatty with an auto trans? I don't miss wheelin' a manual on the tough stuff, but do miss driving around with one. This will fit the bill. Did the 3.9 ever come in a RWD application?
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
Haha. Isn't it some sort of sin to build a flatty with an auto trans? I don't miss wheelin' a manual on the tough stuff, but do miss driving around with one. This will fit the bill. Did the 3.9 ever come in a RWD application?
I can certainly see the appeal for cruising around and even mild wheeling. My first XJ DD turned juggy was a 4 cyl manual.

It didn't come in a RWD application. My engine is the LZ9 which has become quite popular in buggies but honestly any of the "High Value" engines would be killer in a flatty. The wiki page is a good resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Value_engine
 

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
I can certainly see the appeal for cruising around and even mild wheeling. My first XJ DD turned juggy was a 4 cyl manual.

It didn't come in a RWD application. My engine is the LZ9 which has become quite popular in buggies but honestly any of the "High Value" engines would be killer in a flatty. The wiki page is a good resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Value_engine
I've had my eye on the 3.6 for while. Would be a ripper. The high value engines are pretty slick.
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
Soooo why Hp rear, and LP front....seems like most do the opposite?
HP rear to keep the driveshaft out of the rocks. LP front because I decided to use a fabricated 9" housing and the extra $2500 for HP is too much right now. I will upgrade the front diff to a Mega Hi9 in the future.

There's some concern about the CRD60 holding up to what I need. I know of a few people that have really beat on them in rear applications and never had an issue... but if I do have an issue I will go to a fabricated 9 with a Mega Hi9 diff in the rear as well. It would actually be way easier to make brackets for.
 
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