Big, badass and beautiful
We don’t often take on someone else’s project, but when Mark and Matt Rutland had to sell their father/son CJ project, we were first in line. I have a soft spot for the 84 Jeep CJ7 since it was my first Jeep AND the first vehicle I ever bought brand new.
Bring it home
Mark had already take the time to separate the frame and body, fix spots and put on a coat of new paint. Meaning, this Jeep was already looking good when we got it. Mark informed me that the paint was still untouched so we went ahead and finished the cut and buff to get the most out of it.
Parts and pieces
As with most father/son projects, there are lots of pieces and parts still in boxes (and in my son’s case, usually unlabeled). So we went about assembling everything we had so we could determine was was left to order.
Wiring is the longest journey
Fortunately, it’s also one of the parts I like most in a build. Mark had already dropped in a Painless wiring kit. Keep in mind, there are two types of Painless kits for CJs: One is pre-1984 and one post-1984, I believe. The differences are small, but they include two different types of wiper motor connectors, rear side turn-signal wiring (not available in the 1984 CJ) and a couple others. In the case of this Jeep, I would normally build our own because of the amazing engine in it. We’ll explain more later.
Loud and proud.
It goes without saying that Mark and his son have the same affinity for building a Jeep motor as I do. If it doesn’t scare women and small children, it probably doesn’t have enough power—and this Jeep is no exception. It has a custom-built AMC 401 with a COMP Cam Magnum Hydraulic Cam and Flat Tappet Lifters. Along with Wiseco pistons, and this thing is street/strip tuned. To finish it out, I had to add a custom set of zoomies for the sides, because, why not?
Power to the pavement
If you put a 401 in a Jeep, you’d better have the right Dana in the rear. In this case, we have a solid, one-year-only, wide track Dana 44 with 3:54 gears. It also includes a T-177 4-speed transmission and classic Dana 300 transfer case. When I say I don’t usually take other peoples projects, its because they usually can’t get the combination right. In this case, Mark did.
Any one that’s ever built or restored a vehicle knows that the longest stage is the finishing details, and this one is no exception. When I build something to enjoy, I want to be sure that everything works and its a pleasure to drive.
Look good doing it
We’ve been in and out of dozens of Jeeps and frankly, the only thing I get tired of is the seats. That being said, we decided to see if “seat cover replacements” sold on the internet were any good. We purchased a set of diamond stitch seat covers with the dream that they would go right over the foam and fit like they were made for them—nope.
Cut, sew and re-apply
The covers looked good, but they didn’t fit like they were made for it. We figured out that if you cut the sections apart, sew in gaping fabric, add a little more foam in all the right places, you can put it all back together and it actually works. Sure, it cost more than than the seat covers themselves, but it cost about $2000 less than custom building all the seat covers.
A custom stereo that does the job
If you follow our builds, then you know I love a sound system that works. For the Black Mamba, we didn’t want to cut the iconic dash, so we found a retro blue tooth radio that fit the dash like stock, but allowed us all the features of a modern radio, like access to apps. We then added new speakers to the dash, roll bar speaker boxes with a set of 6 x 9’s, and a small but powerful base with built in amp to round out the sound.
Details, details…
If you’re going to put a 401 in it, you’ll need some sound deadening. We opted to cover the entire floor front to back. This helps with road noise, undercarriage heat, and exhaust noise.
details.
The center console is a lockbox with a combination volt reader and USB chargers, it holds a knob control for the rear base, and a push button to power the train horn.
With everything assembled, its time to torque check and double check that everything is functioning. The new tires and rims are now balanced and its time to road test! Watch the video below to see a full walk-around!
Chicken Creek Customs 