[Wes Henderson]

Hey Dave, I tried emailing you. Never heard back.

On another note, I sanded down some rust spots on the body and put primer on them, finished rebuilding the head, rebuilt the HVAC housing, removed the entire AC system, fixed the gauges not working, removed the fuel vapor system, replaced the wheel bearings and painted the knuckles, coated the exhaust manifold, painted the camshaft sprocket and some more that I can't recall. I will post pictures once I really make some headway on installing it all. I came across an odd problem when I was replacing the LCAs though... Apparently the Moog LCAs are oversized by .075" to compensate for worn knuckles? And some other manufacturers are as well. Made me pretty upset when I went to install them and they clearly werent going to fit without reaming out the knuckle. So I returned them and ordered Rare Parts ball joints that I'll be pressing into the original arms after I paint them as well.

Parts awaiting installation: water pump and timing belt, rear brake lines, front brake lines, caliper rebuild kits, brembo brakes, all new engine sensors, full engine gasket set, EGR block off plate, heater core, thermostat, ignition coil, spark plugs and wires, radiator hoses, brake pedal pad, cat delete pipe, Mopar performance head gasket, new head bolts, and I am sure I am missing some other things.

Kind of sad that I am doing all of this work on parts that I'll be stripping from the it here in a couple years.

 

[jeff84]

Before I touched it...

The head. I've never seen a roller rocker get ejected like that. It beat the hell out of everything else inside. Oh, it's also got a 1986 2.5 from a Dodge Aries swapped into it.

The back end. It's in alright shape I suppose.
[IMGhttp://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah165/anchorconstitutioneagle/20170602_135119_zpstxvpjqio.jpg[/IMG]

Haven't looked all these up yet. But I will on a rainy day.

The VIN tag. I'm going to have to see about the proper course of action if I wanted to build my own dash and put this tag on it.

My buddy helping and learning as we get into the front end. Rebuilding the suspension and brakes. Already pulled the motor and all the interior minus the seats and electrical harness. Left that in so I can t/s some electrical issues.

Some side notes... I know I already said this, but is there anything desirable from the factory AC that I should keep in case anyone else wants them? I literally just want heat. Any other parts period that people want me to save?

Any parts that people would kill to have? I've read through this whole thread and door seals seem to be a big deal. Would you guys be interested in me making some from EPDM? It would take a while to make a proper first set, but I could definitely do it. Also, any other parts that are "unobtainable" like rear window trim clips?

if you can make door seals, sign me up for a set! mine are absolutely shot.

 

[Wes Henderson]

if you can make door seals, sign me up for a set! mine are absolutely shot.

I'll need to play around with some different EPDMs but I have done it before. The hard part will be making a proper mould. I'll update as I go.

 

[corelokt]

If you make seals, I'm in. PM me when you do.

 

[Wes Henderson]

So the PO de idea to remove the nozzles and lines for the windshield washer fluid. I can tell where they are supposed to be, but have no idea what the original nozzles looked like. If someone could post some clear photos of them, I would greatly appreciate it.

Random hilarity: I have been scratching my head trying to figure out what these two brackets were on the frame. Well, I stumbled upon it in the fsm. It turns out the original dealership must have forgotten to remove them as they are the original tie down brackets used for transporting the vehicle.

Irt the seals, I'll probably make smaller test pieces first, like from the doors by the mirrors. But full sets may be a while before I can do them. I just made it back fromy a deployment but I am being redeployed.

 

[83scamp]

Random hilarity: I have been scratching my head trying to figure out what these two brackets were on the frame. Well, I stumbled upon it in the fsm. It turns out the original dealership must have forgotten to remove them as they are the original tie down brackets used for transporting the vehicle.

That must have been fairly common. My Scamp still had those bracket on when I bought it (28 years ago). I too discovered what they were for from the FSM, and promptly removed them...

The washer nozzles are a simple piece of metal tubing with the end mostly squeezed shut. They stick through the vent in the hood. Looking at the spray end, it kind of looks like a 8. The center is just about sqeezed shut. I'll have to see if I can get a decent picture of mine...

 

[Wildwest]

Wes, I want to thank you for your service helping to defend and protect our country. ??

 

[toothless25]

Wes, I have emailed you back a couple of days ago about the bumper and gave a price. I still need the bumper!!!

dlewis

 

[Wes Henderson]

Wes, I want to thank you for your service helping to defend and protect our country. ����

I am honored to do so. Thank you for your support.

Dave, I apologize. My Lincoln Navigator fried it's fuse box, associated PCBs and another module. I had to replace components, test circuits, and rebuild parts of the cards. Meanwhile I am on leave, at home with my three children while my wife is taking a vacation. I had to balance a lot. I'm pulling it off tomorrow though and getting a shipping quote.

 

[Wes Henderson]

The head is rebuilt, in and almost good to go.

Made my EGR block off plates and painted them.

More photos to come.

 

[Wes Henderson]

I could use a huge favor. I'm a bit lost... Probably because I am having a hard time telling what all was swapped over from the Aries with the engine. My gauge cluster isn't exactly like any of the options listed in the service manual. But it has the pins for three connectors. Yet my harness only seems to have two. I just put the dash and everything back inside today, so I could have possibly missed a connector. I still tried pulling the HVAC controls and following the wires, yet nothing. My cluster has three parts, the tac/fuel, speedo/odo, voltage/oil/one other. I have the round indexed plug in the center and the long blue row on the right, but there is a row just behind the tach that I need to figure out. I'll try to post more pictures if need be. I bought the car with the dash already half disassembled, so it's not like I can recall if there ever was one.

The board:

 

[83scamp]

I could use a huge favor. I'm a bit lost... Probably because I am having a hard time telling what all was swapped over from the Aries with the engine. My gauge cluster isn't exactly like any of the options listed in the service manual. But it has the pins for three connectors. Yet my harness only seems to have two. I just put the dash and everything back inside today, so I could have possibly missed a connector. I still tried pulling the HVAC controls and following the wires, yet nothing. My cluster has three parts, the tac/fuel, speedo/odo, voltage/oil/one other. I have the round indexed plug in the center and the long blue row on the right, but there is a row just behind the tach that I need to figure out. I'll try to post more pictures if need be. I bought the car with the dash already half disassembled, so it's not like I can recall if there ever was one.

The board:

Wes, I went back in your posts looking, but didn't find it. I'm assuming your Rampage is an 84? With the round connector it has to be. Unfortunately, work blocks any "online storage", so I can't see your picture until I get home tonight... The 82-83 dash used two rectangular connectors. I know on the older dashes, there were two identical looking rectangular plugs, and a 3 prong plug with one end pointed for the tach. Not sure on the 84 stuff, because Chrysler changed a bunch of the wiring in 84.

 

[Wes Henderson]

It's actually an 83. But I don't think the gauges are original. Perhaps they are from the 86 Aries the engine came out of? It's the three connectors that are confusing me.

 

[83scamp]

It's actually an 83. But I don't think the gauges are original. Perhaps they are from the 86 Aries the engine came out of? It's the three connectors that are confusing me.

Yikes!

OK, that means somebody has re-wired the truck. So hard telling what you have. I'll look at the picture this evening when I get home and see if I can help.

 

[Wes Henderson]

The first axle nut damn near killed me with frustration. I broke a 3/4 breaker bar and used 900ft/lbs of torque trying to remove it before I resorted to drilling the edges and then chiseling it open. Without damaging the threads on the axle.

Then stripped and painted the knuckles. I like pretty, non-oxidizing parts.

 

[83scamp]

It's actually an 83. But I don't think the gauges are original. Perhaps they are from the 86 Aries the engine came out of? It's the three connectors that are confusing me.

Wes, I got a chance to look at the picture. It's definitely not an L-body cluster, but I'm not sure what it is. I only have 83 & 89 FSM's. I'll look through them to see if it matches anything, but it could be another year, and something not shown in my manuals...

 

[Wes Henderson]

Wes, I got a chance to look at the picture. It's definitely not an L-body cluster, but I'm not sure what it is. I only have 83 & 89 FSM's. I'll look through them to see if it matches anything, but it could be another year, and something not shown in my manuals...

I appreciate you taking the time to look. I haven't been able to figure it out either, but many of the wires are similar to the fsm as are the connections to some extent, making me believe it's athe least closely related. I just wish I knew what I'm losing from that connector. I may have to map the board :'( then build my own plug and run wires.

I'm surprised anyone else is awake this late. I'm just finishing my last bit of paint for the last parts to go on tomorrow. She should be driving tomorrow evening (relative to me not sleeping yet) or Friday.

 

[83scamp]

I appreciate you taking the time to look. I haven't been able to figure it out either, but many of the wires are similar to the fsm as are the connections to some extent, making me believe it's athe least closely related. I just wish I knew what I'm losing from that connector. I may have to map the board :'( then build my own plug and run wires.

I'm surprised anyone else is awake this late. I'm just finishing my last bit of paint for the last parts to go on tomorrow. She should be driving tomorrow evening (relative to me not sleeping yet) or Friday.

Still awake??? Shoot I had just gotten up to go to work. I usually check for overnight posts while I'm eating breakfast in the morning...

I did look at the electrical diagrams in my 83 FSM, and it didn't match any K-derived clusters for 83. I didn't have time to look in my 89 FSM.

The stock 83 L-body used two rectangular connectors, one was a 10 pin, the other 6 I believe, plus the 3 pin for the tach. Both the standard cluster and rallye cluster use the same connectors, BUT, the pin-out is COMPLETELY different... Ask me how I know...

I converted my Scamp from a base cluster to a rallye cluster, and I had to re-pin both connectors... Nothing matches up...

 

[EvilcowRoland]

Wes, I think your gauge cluster is for a later L body, like an 88 or 89 Omni/Horizon. Here is a picture of the 90 cluster back. If you notice, the contour of the board, the light locations, and the space for the tach and speedo match up with yours. I can't find an image for the SMEC era L body boards, but I strongly suspect that's what you have.

*Note: Image grabbed off this forum

 

[Wes Henderson]

Wes, I think your gauge cluster is for a later L body, like an 88 or 89 Omni/Horizon. Here is a picture of the 90 cluster back. If you notice, the contour of the board, the light locations, and the space for the tach and speedo match up with yours. I can't find an image for the SMEC era L body boards, but I strongly suspect that's what you have.

*Note: Image grabbed off this forum

After searching a combination of the years and models, 89 horizon gauges showed a couple identical to my cluster. I wouldn't mind swapping to a different cluster if it meant being able to see what's important. I saw an oldschool digital one someone swapped that I would love to figure out.

Random issue... my radio blinks after reinstalling the dash. Anyone able to speculate as to why? The fsm doesn't cover that under troubleshooting.

I've got the engine bay all put back together! I hate that I can't run the car until the rtv for the valve cover gasket cures though... -__-

Most of these are before I washed the grime out of the engine bay, reconnected some final thing and touched up final details as well.

Pcv breather, egr block off plate and other miscellaneous things.

Pain in the butt pre heater pipe... Pain to get on, pain tof stretch without tearing, and a pain to fit around everything else without crushing it. Also mounted the coil up on the fender with foam wrapped around it to dampen vibration.