Is the project I started Insane? Impossible? Just Stupid?  Tell me what you think.
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I want to do something with this 1984 Jeep J-10 pickup I have.  It's less rusty than most I have seen.  It had a cap on the bed when I bought it so the bed is not rotted out.  I think not a bad base for a restoration.

It has the 258 ci inline six and a four speed manual trans.  I like inline sixes a lot.  It also has a '80 vintage computer controlled carb which is garbage.

I already replaced the worst two body panels with better used replacements I got for free. The left fender and the panel behind the grill/radiator support.
I replaced the ugly plastic grill with a '70s "razor" grill and the bumper with a '70s three piece bumper.

It runs, but not well.  and the ride is super hard with leaf springs all around and huge overload leafs in the back.

I also have this 1997 Grand Cherokee.  4.0 inline six.  It runs great, but the body is trashed.
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I want to put everything from the ZJ into the J10.  Engine, Trans, Transfer case, EFI, fuel tank and pump, AC, ABS, seats, power windows, overhead console (lights and trip computer), as much of the wire harness as needed to make it work.  I have a rear Dana 44 (from a Honda Passport) it is the right width right bolt pattern, disk brakes, 4.10 gears and ABS sensors.  
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Here's where it gets really nutty; I want to convert the J truck to 4 link all around.  The Dana 44 is already set up for it and I have all the links from the Honda.   All the chassis mounts would have to be custom made.  The front dana 44 from the J10 can be regeared to 4.09 (close enough).  The axle 4 link brackets can be had from various Jeep shops.  The YJ uses the same front suspension design and the ZJ.  The ABS sensors I think can be from a newer D44 TJ.

In the end I want a daily driver-able pickup for general use.  I want it to look mostly like a stock late 70's J truck and drive like a 90's ZJ.    Am I out of my mind?  What will it all cost in the end? Will it be worth it?

Should I do it?
Get it running with a different carb and unload it?
Do the engine but not the suspension?
Haul it all the scrapper and write it off as a loss?

Looks like a lot of time and money for nothing. You'll lose what little value that truck has as a collectible to build some sort of underpowered abortion that will never ride like a newer vehicle. If you want the creature comforts of a newer vehicle, buy the kit(s). Grafting the newer stuff into an older vehicle is a royal PITA that rarely works properly or looks decent.

I don't believe it will ever have any value as a "collectable".  They are not rare enough to be rare and not as popular as the big three.  Only weirdos like me are into J-trucks.   This one as an 84 is especially unloved.  It has the wrong cab (no brow) and wrong bed to build a Tremors "V&E Odd Jobs" replica.

I would put any other companies brand of engine in the truck before throwing 90's dodge EFI in it. I mean, 80's dodge computer carb is bad enough... 


Smart money would be to spend the 1000 to 1500 for the Holley EFI self contained kit and slap that on.

eta- looking it up I'm seeing references to the 90's 4.0 head fitting the 258 in your truck and being a popular cheap mod, so that's a thing to look up. 

Chrysler bought AMC in 1987.  Anything before then had nothing to do with Dodge.  1987 was the last year for Jeep trucks.  Grand Wagoneers carried on until 1991.  Post 1987 GWs do start to show some Chrysler influence in some parts.

The current carb in my J10 is a Carter BD.  It is terrible.  It's covered in solenoids  and stepper motors and is run by an analog computer.  Garbage

The early 4.0 efi was a collaboration between Renault and Bendix.  It could make more power in its day than the Chevy Ford and Dodge small V-8s.  Still, the later Chrysler MPI system (post 1991) is better and the head was improved to match.  

I want fuel injection.  I have a block to match the EFI head.  The 4.0 block has improvements over the 258 block.  It has better oiling and is quieter and stronger due to more webbing and stud girdle.    The engine mounts are the same.  Eventually I could build a 4.6 stroker motor with the crank from the 258.

I've done a lot of research for this project.  

You can't just throw and EFI 4.0 head on a 258 block and run EFI.  Where does the knock sensor go? etc.  You can run a 4.0 head on a 258 block with a carb.  The 4.0 head flows a lot better.  Some of the cooling ports need to be blocked off and other relatively simple mods done.

The Dodge 42RE trans in the ZJ might not be up to the task of the heavier J-truck.  But, I don't plan to do a lot of towing or offroading.  The Dodge 46RE was installed in V8 powered ZJs.  The 46RE has the same case, but different bellhousing and internals.  A 42RE can be build with 46RE internals and is a common mod for 4.0 jeeps making big power with forced induction or big stroke.

I'm sure most everything I want to do is possible.  I just don't know if I should.

Yes.  Out of your mind.

 It's a monumentally stupid undertaking, for no good reason.

But the worse part is, it ain't gonna work.    Good luck though.   I'd love to be proved wrong.

Put an LSx motor and Trans in it and a suspension kit. Cheaper, better, less headaches. There are all kinds of wire harness kits for LSx swaps out there and LS motors are a dime a dozen. I don't know anything about suspension kits but I bet there is something out there.

engine and efi swap are very doable if you have the tools and can read electrical wiring diagrams. but your not going to be using the zj gauges or anything like that, just the nessesary computer wiring to run the engine.

Your not going to swap a bunch of interior from the zj to truck it's just not going to work sorry, same with stuff like abs, ac, and the fuel tank.

The 4 link brackets will all need to be custom on both the axles and frame end, you can't reuse the Honda stuff. 4 link geometry is complex and it matters. But yes it's all doable in your garage with a welder.

This would be a project I would take on myself, but I would lose the idea of daily driver  "restomod pickup" and swap in some d60 axles and build it up for 37-40" tires. 4 link the front with coil springs and keep the leafs in the rear. I would do a 4.0 efi conversion but keep it with the stock manual trans or find an nv4500 manual. Bigger brakes front and rear. Atlas 4 spd t case

I'm a fan of older trucks.  Keep the J-10 stock.  As Stasher1 mentioned above by swapping all of those parts your going to have an abortion on your hands providing you even see the project through to the end.  Even if you do it will be all but worthless to anyone but you.

This.

The way OP wants to go about this seems ludicrous to me. Can it be done? Sure.........anything can be done with enough time or money tossed at it. Should it be done? No.

I would just leave it as is and drive it. If the carb is an issue either learn how to fix it or swap it.

New bushings in the springs, maybe new springs (with less leaves) with new quality shocks will do wonders for the ride quality.

I vote to convert the J truck to propane.

Or, LS swap.

Put the body on an old F 150 long arm prerunner. 4X4 is over rated.