New Upgrades
May 12th, 2016, 09:00 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seneca Falls, NY
Posts: 5,266
New Upgrades
It's been a busy spring. New Centerforce Clutch, JGC steering box, rear air bags, oil change, tune up, faux core top plate, and chrome 15x7's up front and 15x8's in back.
The JGC box has to be the single best bang for the buck upgrade you can do for a 68-69 a-body. Dumping that sloppy 48 year old 4+ turn box was the best thing I've done. The clutch was just one of those projects that seemed like a good idea. The old clutch was really fine and as it turned out I had to fabricate a new clutch rod because the original was too short. I was going to have the clutch done by a shop that my friend owns. I'm glad I did it myself because it would have turned into a cluster. The air bags are a nice cheap upgrade. It stiffens up the rear end and lifts it slightly. Stock 68-69's have a tendency to look like they're taking a dump and this picks the rear up nicely.
Thanks to Brett for making the wheels happen. He picked the 15x7's up in MI and delivered them to Carlisle for me.
The JGC box has to be the single best bang for the buck upgrade you can do for a 68-69 a-body. Dumping that sloppy 48 year old 4+ turn box was the best thing I've done. The clutch was just one of those projects that seemed like a good idea. The old clutch was really fine and as it turned out I had to fabricate a new clutch rod because the original was too short. I was going to have the clutch done by a shop that my friend owns. I'm glad I did it myself because it would have turned into a cluster. The air bags are a nice cheap upgrade. It stiffens up the rear end and lifts it slightly. Stock 68-69's have a tendency to look like they're taking a dump and this picks the rear up nicely.
Thanks to Brett for making the wheels happen. He picked the 15x7's up in MI and delivered them to Carlisle for me.
Last edited by allyolds68; May 12th, 2016 at 09:03 AM.
May 12th, 2016, 12:02 PM
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 2,807
Just to confirm, JGC steering box is Jeep Grand Cherokee? Did you go new or the salvage yard route? When I had my convertible I did a Parts Place quicker ratio. It was 100% bolt in & the best $$ I ever put into it, nut obviously cost more than if you can find a good used one.
Last edited by droptopron; May 12th, 2016 at 12:10 PM.
May 13th, 2016, 09:34 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seneca Falls, NY
Posts: 5,266
I took about a 60 mile RT ride to see my daughter's softball game last night. Beautiful ride down the West side of Seneca Lake to Penn Yan on a nice warm evening. It's like driving a new car. The air bags difference is very noticeable. When I used to hit a bumpy corner the rear end used to walk out. Now it sticks right to the road. I'm sure springs and good shocks would have made a similar difference but you couldn't beat the price on the air bags. I bought them used on ROP for like $40 four or five years ago.
Next is the pointless ignition with REV limiter from Crane
http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/20...4-750-1725.jpg
Ron,
Yes. I checked the local salvage yard that I frequent and they had a bunch of them. None were easily accessible but in an hour or two I could have had the box out. Then I checked Craigslist and found one about an hour away for $25 that I bought. I ended up using that one as a core because it was pretty ragged looking. If I were you, for the $56 steering box cost and the $50 core charge, I would just pay the $106 and skip the trip to the junkyard. I'm not sure how much of an improvement you'd get on a 70. It's my understanding that the 70's already have the 3 1/4 turn boxes. I think the performance ones are 2 1/2 turns. Either is a vast improvement over the 4 1/4 turns the 68 has.
Next is the pointless ignition with REV limiter from Crane
http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/20...4-750-1725.jpg
Just to confirm, JGC steering box is Jeep Grand Cherokee? Did you go new or the salvage yard route? When I had my convertible I did a Parts Place quicker ratio. It was 100% bolt in & the best $$ I ever put into it, nut obviously cost more than if you can find a good used one.
Ron,
Yes. I checked the local salvage yard that I frequent and they had a bunch of them. None were easily accessible but in an hour or two I could have had the box out. Then I checked Craigslist and found one about an hour away for $25 that I bought. I ended up using that one as a core because it was pretty ragged looking. If I were you, for the $56 steering box cost and the $50 core charge, I would just pay the $106 and skip the trip to the junkyard. I'm not sure how much of an improvement you'd get on a 70. It's my understanding that the 70's already have the 3 1/4 turn boxes. I think the performance ones are 2 1/2 turns. Either is a vast improvement over the 4 1/4 turns the 68 has.
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