V8 conversion for CJ7

seajay7

Well-Known Member
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Mar 23, 2005
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Cary
I want a V8 in my CJ7.

1) Can I simply bolt a 360 out of a older 70's or 80's Wagoneer into the Jeep? I know the radiator and etc. would have to be upgraded.

2) Does anyone sell a complete kit for a Chevy SB conversion? All the Jeep supply magazines I have sell the individual pieces and parts but not a complete kit.

3) My brother has a 67' Wagoneer out in the woods with a OEM Buick 327. Would that work? Parts would be hard to find though!

Thanks for any help!!!

Ben
 
This web page has some pretty good information.
<http://www.swbbbs.freeservers.com/360swap.htm>
The main things to consider with an AMC V-8 swap are that you must have CJ V-8 motor mounts, and the flywheel must be for the proper size engine.
What transmission do you have ?
The older rambler 327 is a bad choice, if it is a buick 350 also hard to do.
I perfer AMC's to Chevy's in Jeeps.
JB
 
Well the amc V8 should fit if you have all of the mounts and correct trans since they came with them stock.

A chev conversion will be a lot Cheaper to maintain. Chev 350's are cheap to rebuild and are everywhere. a good combination would be a Chev 350 TBI with a sm420 4sp and the your coice of transfercases. the SM420 never had attached transfercase but there are adaptors that will work. I use a complete 350 TBI with the 4l60e automatic in my J10 And love IT.

I am Not a AMC engine fan they are big and heavy and parts are expensive and they leak oil
 
Ridgerunner said:
I am Not a AMC engine fan they are big and heavy and parts are expensive and they leak oil
Click to expand...

They are just doing their natural thing...marking their territory!
 
Advanced Adaptors has got to have something for you. Order a catalogue. They have brackets, mounts, etc. for normal swaps to crazy swaps- like a 302 in a windstar. I wish I had mine w/ me but i cannot find it. Sorry man.
 
Ridgerunner said:
I am Not a AMC engine fan they are big and heavy and parts are expensive and they leak oil
Click to expand...

This is a common misconception due to lack of actual knowledge about AMC/Jeep engines.
They are slightly more expensive to rebuild than a SBC as is every other engine known to man, but far less than the cost of adaptors & motor mounts ,ect.
They are not "big & heavy" being about the same size as an SBC, and mine don't leak oil, well not much anyway.
Typical AMC V8 540 lbs
Typical SBC V8 575 lbs
 
Weight? Ford 302. That's the lightest of the Iron-engine V-8's (well, maybe short of that Rover/Buick 262 thing) that I know of.
 
I get 15 MPG hwy in my J10 with 4.56 and 35's and 180k miles and no oil leaks
Im not sure on the AMC milage I had a stock GW with a 360 and it got around 14 MPG
Just A FYI
 
I'd go AMC, built and put the 360 in mine way back in '85. They hold up and if you go with fenderwell headers on it their at least a $100 cheaper than the Chevy's. All you need is the mounts and a CJ 304 radiator. Put electronic ignition on it and you're done. Carb or FI your choice. Yes, the Chevy's cheaper to build if thats your deciding point but do price the adapters. Stay away from that oddball AMC, stick with the AMC 360/390/401 family. The AMC guru guy in Charlotte is "Benji" but I think he mainly does the drag engines.

I ain't brand biased either, I own 3 Chevys, 1 Ford & 1 AMC. And my smallest engine is a 5.7 :) .

Also, I have an AMC 360, Chevy 396 and 4 bolt 350 laying around I might sell?
 
Thanks for all the information. Its sounds like my best bet may be to go with a AMC 360 for my situation. I own a 68' harley so oil leaks are nothing new at my house ;-)

I'm only gathering information now. It will be a couple of months before I do anything. I have a fiberglass body to swap and I figure I will do the engine swap at the same time. I ran out of time this winter and I want to get in a few trips to URE before I tear the old body off.
 
My 360 was pretty easy. Had to find V-8 CJ to get mounts, was $20. Used throttle cable from waggy. Used same radiator, pilot bushing was a little harder, but it can be had. I used same flywheel from the old 258, lengthen some wires and it was done. all in all, a weekend job. Mine don't leak enough oil to keep if from rusting! Waggys are everywhere, why rebuild one??? my .02
 
I agree, go with the AMC 360. I am currently in the middle of that swap in my 81 cj7 and everything's going smoothly (and reasonably cheaply) so far
 
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