Project: Grocery Getter

[blackax]

I'm building up a 1986 Trooper II 2 door.

I want this truck to be able to go almost any ware , basically i want to go to the Grocery Store if the shit hits the fan. I also want to keep it street legal for the time being.
My planed phase 1 is to do a SAS with a Dana 44 front and a Dana 60 rear, run 37" bead locks. Then flat bed the back, and build a cage. then to end phase 1 install some power adders to the little 2.3 (webber and header) And i want this project to be done for Glamis this year.

Here is the little beast




One more for good luck




Yes the snorkel does work.





Here is a photo of the in side of the cab




I have tons more photos that i will post later, Shouldn't really be ding like at work

[SSSRodeo]

If your dead set on 37's on the D44 and 12 bolt, then you've got the wrong engine. No matter how much money you throw at it for more ponies, it just won't have enough. Why don't you go get another Trooper that came with a GM V6 and get crazy with it. Stuff it with a 3.4L and you'll have the power you need to turn those 37. I'm afraid the 2.3 L is not going to do what you want with 37's and those big axles. You are going to be very dissapointed.

Believe me, we've built several like what your wanting to do.
Although they will go, their performance was lackluster.

And besides, your little TrooperII is rather unique as it is.
It will be a shame to destroy that. And what your proposing to do is not cheap.

Option 2:
IIRC 4x4 Toy has his up for sale a lot cheaper than what your going to spend on yours and his 4 door has a 4.3l and it has dana trannys. Not to mention the big axles you wanted. He has even chopped it to an SUT. He got tired of it just he got it finished. And there is very little left to finish. 2 year projects will do that to you.
.
I've got Air Trooper in my shop and it has 37's, a dana 44 front with a 12 bolt rear. The little 2.2 TD, even pumped up, with that old stock tranny can barely get it down the road, much less do any good on the good trails. No crawling anything bigger than a termite mound with it. There just isn't enough poop to turn the 37's over any obstacles bigger than a city titty. It looks good in pictures though!

I will be swapping it's TD into my other stock 86 Trooper II with a MUA5 (including Tera Lows) 4:77 with LSD's and 32's which should make a it decent trail truck and grocery getter. (and before anyone asks, the MUA5 is not a bolt on for the 2.2L Turbo Diesel.) (It takes a special bell housing front case to match up.)(which I have)
My little Trooper will look totally stock on the outside. It will be set up to run on WVO in case of the Revolution.

Like I said, before you start cutting your Trooper up anymore. think about your options.
You can pickup the old Troopers for next to nothing. I know some guys who would love to have your truck for a Pheasant Hunting truck should you be short on cash for a new build.

And jsut so you know!
I have a 3.4L trooper with Tera lows in the automatic with 5:38's in the ARB'ed 10 and 12 bolts. It will go anywhere my Tricked out Marlin Crawler SAS Rodeo will go with a lot less aggrivation and money.

It's your truck, do what you want, but you have been warned.
I love the Troopers, so don't take this as a negative on them. I've got 4 of them and enough parts to build 2 more. You just have too much planned for that little engine to turn. And yours is already very cool as it is.

[blackax]

The axles i got (the D44 and D60) are both locked and have 4.88's in them, the front has chrome molly shafts. I know the 2.3 will be low on the power, thats why phase 2 will include a sbc( im thinking LT1) The webber and header should bring the 2.3 close to 180 hp ish. ( could always install the turbo from my 1988 impulse if i need even more ) Oh we have already cut a little bit off. You will see when get a chance to post some more pics

[SSSRodeo]

I have a 2.3L with the Impulse Turbo and although it runs good, it isn't a high torque motor. We put it in the Wifes Trooper and it doesn't make any horses until the rev's come up. Not exackley a crawler engine. It puts aout about 240 reliable hroses to the ground, but only if the engine is turning and burning.

I suggest you go ahead with the SBC for the torque you'll need to do back woods trails and Moab type trails.

What part of the Country are you in, and what type of terrain are you going to be doing. I ask because we have built Isuzus for Moab and Tellico. Both have different needs. I find my 20 forward gears useless in the Telleco woods. A 4 speed and Tera Lows and plenty of revs are plenty. For Moab it's a whole different game. Low gears and lots of grunt are the ticket there.

It's still a shame to chop up such a unique Trooper. It looks like something from the Jurassic Park movie. Especially since it apparently runs and all.

My Air Trooper has 4:88's too. The little 2.3L engine struggles.
I'd go ahead and built the Chevy for it and save yourself the cash you'd throw at the 2.3L.


Anyway, best of luck with it.

[blackax]

Ya the 2.3 will be low on the power, But right now i wont have the cash to do the SBC/tranny/transfer case install as the same time as the running gear Im from socal so Its gonna be an all around rig. Little bit of sand, Little bit of trail, Little bit of rock.

[SSSRodeo]

Good Luck with that!

[blackax]

Here is a Few more Photos of My friends and i taking off the Back of the Trooper







(this was all done before we decided to flatbed it)


Now we are getting ready to take out some of the front Suspension






Now we finally decided to flatbed the thing

[blackax]

(Stupid 10 Images limit!!!!!!)



Then Later that in the day we went to Pick-A-Part and got some leaf springs

Here we are taking the rear leaf from a 96 Ford Bronco 55" long by 3" wide


We also got some Chevy suburban 63" by 2.5"


Here They are next to the Truck




We also found these mount thing on the suburban that fit a shock perfect

[Pooslinger900]

john... you duplicated a picture there buddy

[Sabre 07]

That is a Red Dawn truck right there. It needs Wolverine painted somewhere on it.

[SSSRodeo]

Too bad you cut up the front corners of the bed.
That would have made a cool trailer body.
If you've seen the jeep tub trailers you'd know what I am talking about.

[carlw]

god damn that thing is ugly

[Pooslinger900]

it'll look better when it's done

[Team Ramrod]

Look at that solid frame...

[blackax]

Lol, Just finished do alot of project buying. Got shock hoops, Shocks. Carb, Header, U-joins. stuff like that, I'll post a full List later with prices and pic's

[blackax]

I have a question, What do you guys suggest for steering and breaks? I was planing on getting a chevy steering box and break booster. will those work are they too big, do i even need to replace them?

[Sabre 07]

16 days and no updates??

[blackax]

I know i know, We havent worked on the truck much. We should be working on it this week. Got all my brackets for the front springs so we should mount that on the truck this week. oh i do have wheels mounted on my axle just to show how wide its gonna sit, Still need tires but now we can roll the axle around.

[blackax]

Here are a few of the parts that i have.

[blackax]

Here is a little bit of work that we have done to the truck this week. I have to get the Threds on the ubolts i have extended because i have a gap of about 2 inches so i cant mount the springs till i get that done.


Passenger side frame has a really clean cut.


Drivers Side frame was the side we started with so thats why it looks all messed up


This the front cross member that we are going to mount the suspension on


Here a side shot of the cross member


These are the brackets that we are gonna use to mount the axle to the springs. There home made cuz im a cheap ass


Here is a side shot of the bracket. It a 6x6 and 1/4 inch thick


Here are the GOD DAMN lower control arms. There are such a bitch to get off!!!!!

[hglumac]

any progress?

[Pooslinger900]

waiting on new front U bolts