225 Build

I have been building a D90 clone (sort of) using a galvy Richards chassis. I bought a new (rest of world, not NAS) bulkhead, and the rest of the body components are D90.
I shoehorned in an AMC 360/TH400/BW1339. I had major interference with the firewall recess not being wide enough to fit the engine tight to the firewall. The stock Rover engine has an extremely deep bellhousing, pushing the engine foreward.
I ended up cutting about 3" out of the inner side of the passenger toeboard to allow the passenger cylinder head and exhaust manifold to clear the corner, about the same area you have marked out in red. I cut up and old oil pan for a smooth rounded insert for the piece cut out. This effectively widened that side of the center recessed of the firewall. After everything was finally fit, I sent the bulkhead out to the galvanizer.
I am still trying to fit a short 88" hood with the grill set back behind the fenders as done on the Series, but that might not happen.
-Donny

 

Would love to see pics.
That’s currently where I am...
Whack the foot well and hopefully everything else falls into place

 

So cool. And you can never have too many pictures... never!!!

 

Looks like it almost belongs.

 

Looks so great!

 

Cute puppy.

 

Looks like there will be a bit of a clearance issue with the lower radiator hose and oil filter? With the same issue on the V6 Jeeps, not sure why more people don’t use a remote oil filter kit. Just my pondering. Your engine placement looks spot on now. Great looking project.

 

I have some different size filters to fool around with... not overly concerned yet. Can Always get a remote filter down the road..

Frame went to the shop to get un tweaked..




Welded the patch panel in place so I have a solid footwell to work with..
Going to try and keep the trans tunnel as narrow as posssible.

 

Hopefully this is the beginning of final assembly...
Engine mounts are burned in, transmission mount fabricated and welded to removable crossmember.. Notched the front crossmember for good measure...

going to clean up again before using some zinc it on the exposed metal..

 

Really nice

 

With that welding on the galvy frame, it takes on new meaning to "burned in"! That white sooty smoke is bad news to breathe. I hope your wearing protection.
My D90 frame has a tubular crossmember that needs the same "clearancing" for the front driveshaft too
Looking good!
-Donny

 

I’m here to brag about it safety first!!!

Goal is to get the drivetrain all buttoned up this weekend.. check angles and order driveshafts..

 

Nice job,good going on the "safety first"

 

Motor locked down in the chassis...
still left the slides on the motor mounts un welded if there are any last min off set changes..
Need to dial in drivetrain angle, despite the fact I see a super expensive driveshaft in my future..

Passenger car driver side manifold just saved me a full 1" in steering clearance.. unfortunately or fortunately the matching passenger side has a turbo outlet, so I'm sticking with the stock Jeep unit.

 

got happy with primer and seam sealer this weekend..
only thing really holding up some faster paced assembly is the lack of a finished bulkhead..
amazingly the Duplicolor Self etch primer I used matches very nicely with the original patina im trying to save...
Engine compartment is getting dynamat and bed liner in the footwells...







2 coats of bed armor on the lower bulkhead last night.. cranked up head in the garage to let everything cure for a while..

 

Three coats and this is what I’m going with.
Taking a bit longer to dry than the directions indicate..
Cranked up the heat on the shop and just letting it all cure for a day or so.

 

Bulkhead all buttoned up..
Gave it a good scrubbing with Spray 9 and a hot water.
Finished the engine compartment with sound deadening on footwells and and heat shielding.
Very pleased with the way it came out. All seams gone over with aluminum tape.

Also ran into my first assembly issue.. driver motor mount needed to be trimmed for fuel pump fitment.

 

Did you use a different material on the foot boxes than you used around the engine?
I am thinking about taking the tub off my jeep and lining my firewall, transmission cover and floorboards to the rear riser.

 

Yes I did...
Asphalt paper on foot boxes and heat shield surrounding engine..

Take a peek at my CJ6 build thread.. very happy with the stick on heat shielding with one exception... add a healthy 360 you get high underhood temps and the worst drawback is it works too well reflecting heat. (Heat soak at low speed.. ignition module issues, vapor lock, etc)

 

Hard to leave good enough alone