[tfpets]

Day 4 Wednesday:





Day 5 Thursday (tonight)

out with the s10...

in with the XJ...

[tfpets]

WHEW!! Just got done with the engine switch...pulled the bad one from the new blazer last night, pulled the good one from the red blazer this morning and installed the good one in the new blazer this afternoon...due to the heat (about 102 in my driveway) we didnt start stabbing it until about 7:30 when it started to cool off a bit...fired it up at about 11:00 and it runs great (of course)! Also managed to get all of the IFS brackets cut off throughout the day so the frame is MUCH cleaner now...also got rid of the ABS and switched a lot of the brake lines from the old one to the new one...so if we can keep up the momentum the rear should be in the air tommorow and all of the brake plumbing should be done...its nice to have a whole day to work instead of 3-4 hours a night!

[radardog]

tfpets, on May 17 2008, 11:58 PM, said:

3-4 hours a night!

i hear ya. ill be up tomorrow.

hopefully you guys installed the drunk repellant so that i can get a hand with my junk piles

[tfpets]

We decided not to do the rear today and instead button up everything in the front...we got the brakes plumbed and working...built the front shock mounts...retro-fitted the a/c and got it working...buttoned up everything on the engine including finding out the radiator had split the header from the pressure of the blown head gasket on the other motor, so that set us back a little while going to town to get one...but anyway we took it for a ride earlier and it drives like a dream, except that we can only see blue sky! With a little luck we will have the axle out the red blazer tommorow night and putting the 4:11 gears in another housing, just crossing my fingers that we can set it up and get a good pattern without to much trouble and have the new blazer all buttoned up by the end of the week...I really want to shoot for a shakedown run over memorial weekend!! Keith would really like to take it to sac. on saturday to get some new tires from 4wheel supply, and then make a run on either sunday or monday (memorial day)...any takers??

[yota8]

8| Dang you guys are fast, looks good

[tfpets]

Got the rear end setup tonight...came out perfect, and it was easy...the only hard part was getting the bent axle out of the housing...it took a few creative cuts in the tube and taking the bearing caps loose but we finally got it...and in the end we found out both of the axles got bent...the carrier and the lock right seemed to have survived so we now have a usable rear end...now the axles are off to get re-drilled for the 5x4.5 wheels and it should be ready to roll! Until we get the axles back we will be doing the SOA and figuring out what to do for a rear driveline...we have a few choices laying around in my yard and a whole lot of choices at the junkyard so something should turn up!

[tfpets]

We got the SOA on the rear done tonight...it went pretty easy and things lined up well...realized a minor problem in the axles we sent to be drilled...it looks like the ABS axles are slightly longer than non ABS, to make more room for the sensor ring it seems...so we will have to go to the junkyard tommorow and get some of the proper axles to be drilled...we also managed to get a driveline together, it is actually the original from my truck and it is perfect!!...shooting for having it driving tommorow night so he can take it to the muffler shop on thursday morning for a new exaust system (it BARELY has one now!)...then we will be waiting for some parts and buttoning up some of the details...he has some new 33x13.50 swampers on the way and a new hi-lift...they MIGHT be in on friday but I wont hold my breath...we are still shooting for a run on sunday or monday but it will probably be with only 2wd...but its only a shakedown run so it should do fine, besides thats what tow straps and winches are for!

[tfpets]

Well its driving now...it is on temporary tires and a temporary rear end until parts come in...Keith is going to drive it home tonight (from forest ranch to chico) and it is going in for exaust in the morning and should be ready for a run over the holiday weekend!! It will look a little goofy until it is all finished but oh well! So if anyone is up to a run this weekend let me know!!

[tfpets]

It got the exaust on it yesterday and its running and driving great...the re-drilled axles MIGHT be ready today or tommorow along with the front driveline...the only hickup in the whole operation is we were notified last night that the tires are on backorder...hopefully it wont take long to get them but we should be able to come up with a backup plan for a run...also we have decided it is going to need some 2" blocks in the rear to level it out but that will happen when the permanent axle goes in...when we get the other axle under it we will put my tires on it and get some pics, it looks kinda funny right now...We realized last night that it was 2 weeks since the drunken collision...it feels like its been at least a month!!

[tfpets]

I would say that it is officially finished as of last night! :headbanger: It has a hybrid front bumper (stock but custom), a hi-lift mounted, cb, stereo with subs, cd, and mp3, mud flaps, tons of black paint, oh and TIRES!! They finally came in yesterday afternoon...the swampers were on back order for a couple weeks so we switched the order to some pro-comp xterrains since they were on sale (buy 3 get 1 free) so they ended up the same price...the only thing I can think still needs to be done is the fender trimming which will happen today...I will post some pics after the Memorial run so there will be some action pics...oh yeah it WILL be there!!