The "Golden Eagle" projects

[txjeeptx]

A short history: A year ago, I bought 'Nest-member blondedriver's super-clean 92Kmi '82 SX/4. I planned on trailering it back home to central TX, but on the way back the trailer toasted a bearing just north of Mason, and I got to drive the car home. It made the rest of the trip on its own power without a problem. This is it, as it landed in the drive.


Since then, I have polished, cleaned and made some minor repairs. I have added some 16" alloy wheels from an '05 Ford Ranger Edge and some Kumho Ecsta 245/50 R-16 street-car tires. Here it is with the tires and a good polish.


I have not had to do much work on the car aside from change the oil and adjust the timing, but I haven't driven it much, either. I added mostly cosmetic stuff, like a rear spoiler from an AMX-Spirit(same as the factory Eagle spoiler), replaced the door glass, tinted the rear windows, and switched the amber turn signals out for AMX-Spirit clear ones. I replaced the front swaybar with an Addco 1.25" heavy duty unit, and still need to install the rear Addco swaybar. This car is supposed to be a street-performance machine, along the lines of Populat Hot Rodding's "G-machine" movement, where the car is not just intended to go fast in a straight line, but also has to handle well at the autocross track. I didn't want to build a typical 'Stang or a Camaro. I've been a Jeep owner since I began driving, so the SX/4 is perfect for my performance car platform. I am not going to just hack up the car and drop in a V-8. It is staying six-powered, and as much Jeep/AMC as it can be.

My Eagle work ceased when I took on a major remodel of the back yard, including a new multi-level cedar deck and several terrace gardens. The deck is now being built by a pro-carpenter, so I'm back in the shop, finally.

I just replaced the broken lower driver side door hinge today, so the door doesn't close itself as I work inside the car, anymore. It was a mother to get to. I had to take off the entire driver side fender and lining, as well as the headlight bucket, and the grill. I get to put it all back together tomorrow, but it was nice to get to wash out the fender lining and door hinge area, and do some rust prevention with a little semi-flat black Krylon.

The next minor cosmetic project is a pair of MasterCraft Baja RS reclining 5-point harness seats. I will have to zap some brackets together in order to mount the seats to the factory Eagle seat gliders. The seats recline and fold forward just like the factory Eagle seats do. I decided to get the MC seats after considering re-upholstering the Eagle's factroy seats and reparing the stripped out passenger side recliner ratchet. I will probably offer the factory seats here on the 'Nest once I'm sure I like the MC seats(be patient, I won't throw them out). They're not in bad shape, and could really just stand to have the cloth replaced, re-using the vinyl. I will still have to re-upholster the rear seat to match the MC material.

I have hade the time to amass a ton of parts for future Eagle mods. I have almost everything for the 5-speed swap, including the external slave 4.0 Jeep bellhousing, a freshly rebuilt AX-15, and an NP 242 Selec-Trac transfer case. I will have to fab a crossmember and trans mount. Not sure when I'll start this swap, but the factory auto's mount is in bad shape, and the four wheel drive does not engage. . . just need to trace the vacuum lines, I know, but why not use it as an excuse to start Frankensteining?

I also have a 4.0L HO Jeep head that has had the extra water jacket holes furnace-welded shut and machined back flat for use on the 4.2 block. I obtained a set of Yellaterra roller-tip rocker arms and a Comp Cam to accompany this swap. The v-belts will be replaced with the front drive accessories(serpentine) of a '96 Jeep ZJ Grand Cherokee, which has been kind enough to give up its disk-braked 3.55:1 geared Dana 35 rear axle, as well. The D-35 will get a True-Trac limited slip, and the front D-30 will get a matching gearset. The fuel injection will probably still be the Renix-Jeep MPI system I've had in a box for over 10 years, especially since it has a knock sensor and an EGR. The ZJ's HO EFI is for an automatic, and may not be what I'm looking for. I'm most familiar with the quirky old Renix EFI, but it is pre-OBD, and offers little in the way of self-diagnostic ability. Again, not sure when I'll start this swap, either. I should probably start with the rear axle swap after the seats are in, since the factory rear axle is noisy, gearwise.

Down the line, the car may see a turbocharger setup with some help from 505Performance. Their Garrett-based system is mounted in the passenger side engine bay of a Jeep XJ, where the turbocharger is fed by a crossover pipe from the header, and boosts low to only 6-or-so psi. A turbocharger and intercooler would not be too much of a challenge after getting the EFI sorted out, especially if I throw in an MSD boost timing controller, too.

Can we say four-wheel burnouts? Not sure I'd want to give up being able to run on regular unleaded, though.

I'll try to remember to take some pics tomorrow before I put the fender back on, and while I build the seat brackets. Time to get this project cranked up again. The Red Jeep is getting a fresh engine back from the machine shop in a month, so the Eagle projects need to be kind-of quick ones. The RJ is also getting an AX-15 in place of the weaker AX-5 it came with. Hopefully the Comanche can just keep on truckin, although i have a hitch and ladder rack for it. Too many projects, as always.

[Gil-SX4]

I say its time we talk you in to doing some bigger modifications.

No not really we all have our own taste on how to fix up our vehicles from a Green Monster AMC Eagle SX/4 Heavy Duty Rock Crawler to some Daily drivers in desperate need of major work.

[txjeeptx]

I absolutely love Mick's Eagle creations, and want to do a wagon as a solid axle machine, only "El Camino"-ized like the Eaglemino idea. I doubt I'll ever get around to it, but I dreamed about it last night. It had new Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK?) tail lights and a custom tailgate with Eagle scripted into it in the original AMC lettering, with the fuel filler relocated to the driver side rear quarter, and a pair of Subi Brat-style seats in the bed, hiding the spare tire beneath them, sunk into the floor. Detailed dream.

I have considered building the GE with a set of Dodge Magnum 18's with BFG TA/KOs like they put on the new Yotota Tundra, not sure of the tire size and lift needed for clearance. Maybe I should keep the street car tires and wheels as track day tires, since track day favors a smaller tire for better acceleration out of corners, while everyday use favors a larger diameter tire for economy, although all-terrains are hardly an economy tire. Bigger looks better, by far, and I wish the tires I have were bigger every time I stare at the car for a while.

I need air suspension for an adjustable ride height, it sounds like.

[IowaEagle]

Nice projects!  Need I say more?

[txjeeptx]

Pics, finally! MasterCraft Baja RS seat install. First, comparison of factory with new.


Next, the challenge: making the factory seat gliders work for the new seats.


The solution to mounting aftermarket(or any other kind) of seats in an Eagle - Chop 'em 'n' Zap 'em. Lift the outter track roughly 2.5", drop the inner about 1.75", and pound down the floorboard about an inch over the t-case hump for the front inner mount. Oh, and re-drill the outter mounting holes in the floor, since the MC seats are a little over 1" wider than the Eagle seats are at the mounting points.




The driver's side outter bracket, "lifted" , painted, and installed.


The final product:




Note, the final product pics have the driver's side seat a notch or two further back on the gliders than the passenger side. I wish I didn't have to cut up actual Eagle seat gliders to do this project, and I apologise for having to pound on an otherwise perfect floor, and drill six 3/8 inch new holes in it! Everything has been carefully measured, cut, welded, and painted for preservation.

I'll offer up the factory seats soon as I feel like the MC seats are here to stay. I still have to pull the seats one more time and weld in some gusset tubes spanning between the stumpy little legs I added to the outside brackets, parallel to the floor. . . but I did weld the heck out of what I already installed.  I don't want the seats to even think about moving in the event of a . . . you know. Maybe I can remember to grab the camera and take some pics of the finished inner brackets, since I got on a roll and forgot to do that.

Also, I'll only go for a 5-point harness if I actually ever get to "race" this thing - they're a pita for a daily driver.

[83Eagle!]

Wow nice work with the seats.  THey look like they should have been there all along.

[IowaEagle]

Wow nice work with the seats.  THey look like they should have been there all along.

I agree!

[68AMXGOPAC]

Awesome job! Really like those seats,think they would work well in my Eagle Wagon......as the old ones are kinda tired.Where did you locate them?
The welding work looks great and well thought out.

[txjeeptx]

Thanks, y'all. Sorry, I forgot to post a link to the manufacturer and the Jeep parts place I bought them through. WARNING of sticker shock, they're over $500 each, but really nice seats make-the-car as much as the right wheels/tires combo. I do think the original seats have that great "AMC-Eagle-Jeep" design profile to them that no other aftermarket seat comes close to sharing, not even the "factory match" replacement Jeep seats that are available for MUCH less than the MCs. Its a tough call when making such drastic design changes, but the MCs do look like they belong to the car. Just wait and see what ideas I have for the bumpers. . . back to the seats.

Manufactured by:
http://www.mastercraftseats.com/bajars.php
Purchased through:
http://www.quadratec.com/products/24232_104.htm

They were not a regularly stocked color(tan/brown . . I don't understand why not regular stock), so they were drop shipped directly to me from the manufacturer after about three weeks for them to be made. There is a seat glider bracket set for Jeep CJ/YJ installation(about $25 per seat), but I figured I'd just butcher my good functioning Eagle gliders.

I did have to redrill the location of the hole(1/8" hole, offset about 1/2" from original hole) for the adjustment lever tie wire to take into account the MC seats are wider than the Eagle seats at the mounts.

[rmedon]

They look great.

[sx4brosco]

everythings looking real good, man. been looking forward to our resident engineer putting up a project thread

love that picture of it with the paint all buffed out. can't believe it still had that kind of shine in it. sweet ride

[blondedriver]

Its nice to see the old Girl getting fixed up!!!!

[txjeeptx]

I'm a little less "engineer" than I am a mechanic/fabricator with a solid backround in weird science like thermodynamics. I need to get my nose back in the books this fall and see if I can't actually get that engineering degree.

[68AMXGOPAC]

YIkes Sticker shock for sure,LOL, a pair would set me back 3x what I paid for the old bird.But then again they do look great! I haven't decided on my interior yet,I do have an excellent set of high back buckets out of a PacerX that spent a few months in my AMX while the originals were getting worked on.
  I pulled them from the Pacer in like 1980,and kept them wrapped and stored inside since.Tough to get read of them because of size and weight for shipping.
 Thanks for the seat info.  R

[txjeeptx]

Tryin to decide what's next . . . Stereo/speakers, tach, or hood release cable. . . maybe hatch release solenoid & wire, so I can get rid of the little string that allows me to open the hatch. . . you know. . .

Who needs to get to the engine, anyway?

Small stuff for now. The car runs great, and I don't want to do anything to take it off the road while the YJ is laid up waiting for an engine/drivetrain full crazy rebuild. . . but I have so many cool parts lined up for the car! They have to wait . . . maybe what will feel like an eternity -  maybe until after June(I hope not, but I'm going to be really busy soon with an official wedding/honeymoon in May/June and a Jeep trip to CO planned for late June/early July if I get 'er back together by then.)

Tell me to get my A$$ under the car and swap that trans this week. Do the EFI, you bug-eye'd slacker! The Jeep can wait. . .