Is this a good buy? (Learn me wagoneers!)

I really hate CL sometimes.

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/2648283381.html

I'm not really in the market for anything, but I have always liked those trucks. I find the fact that it comes with an AOD transmission, and SBF mounts odd. Is that the hot ticket for these things? It looks pretty straight and rust free.

I'm having bad thoughts about 35s and a big stroker.

SBF and AOD? Strange combo for a FSJ. These were all 360s, if I remember correctly. The next logical step, it'd seem, would be a bolt in 401.

Edit: because I'm dumb. The price seems ok provided that the body and frame are solid, $500 or less would be better. If it's too much bother to undo the SBFing, this'd probably still be fun with a 351.

it all depends on rust

I like the pickup versions of those.

If that was around here and solid it would already be home.

I'd be fabbing brackets for the 4x4 Mopar stuff I have sitting here though...

IIRC they should have the same drivetrain as my CJ, just with a bigger engine - Quadratrac (ie permanent 4WD) with Turbo 400 and an AMC 360. Earlier ones you could get with the 4.2L but I don't think you could get the later ones with that.

The transmission and engine conversion suggests that someone might have been slightly unhappy with the fuel consumption , as do the lock hubs as those are normally part of a part-time conversion for the Quadratrac transfer case.

There is tons of room between the frame rails and beneath the hood. We put a 400 big block mopar in our J-300 pickup. Ours had rust in the floor boards and on the rocker panels, but I don't know anything specific for the 4 door Wangoneers' rusty spots.

you just never know how they'll rust. i had one that the body was great, the frame was great, but most any small child could have escaped through the holes in the floor.

and i've seen them just the opposite.

Wagoneer's that vintage could be had with either the AMC 360 or 401. There's no real reason to bolt in an SBF as either motor is more powerful and the factory transmissions are great (TF727, TH400, or a variety of manuals depending on year).

They rust in odd places or not at all. The same body was used from 63-91 though, so replacements are easy. Honestly you're probably better off buying a $1000 runner than that particular one.

belteshazzar wrote: you just never know how they'll rust. i had one that the body was great, the frame was great, but most any small child could have escaped through the holes in the floor. and i've seen them just the opposite.

I once had my reciprocating saw dissappear through the passengers side floor of my J20 when the left rear tire ran over the cord...

If it's rust free I'd buy it and remove the AOD stuff and put in a modern 5.7 hemi and T-56. Or at least a modern 360 and manual trans.
The lock-out hubs were standard on non full-time AWD trucks.