Finally got the June '10 issue of Jp out the door and am happily back where I'd rather be: in the garage spinning wrenches. Parts are finally rolling in and now I'm backlogged on my installs.
Finally got some time to assemble the new front axle for the XJ. Before most of it was in the boxes behind the nitrous cylinders in the photo, but now it's all in one piece on the workbench so awaiting a trip up to Poly Performance where I'll install it in my '99 along with some new front coils and other odds-and-ends. I even freed up my shed of some Warn Premium hubs that've been rattling around with me for nearly 10 years. It's nice to put some of these parts I've had hanging around to good use.
Advance Adapters finally got its AX-15-to-2.5L conversion parts finished and they arrived a few days ago. I've got everything I need to swap out my AX-5 with the exception of a new 6-pinion planetary for the NP231. I could just install the 23-spline input into my existing 3-pinion planetary with no worries, but I eventually want to install a fire-breathing 500hp LS3 into this Jeep. Granted I'll rarely if ever hit full-throttle in Low range, but it would be good peace of mind to know the T-case is as strong as it can be. And there's that Nitrous system I took off my '99 XJ. Maybe I'll just install that on the 2.5L to have some fun! Wonder how much juice it'll take to make the 4-banger go boom.
Also have the Dana 20 from the Comman D'oh sitting on the bench awaiting teardown and rebuild. I'll get to that eventually, but the parts I ordered from B&M for the TH400 almost two months ago STILL haven't shown, so I may wind up scrapping that plan. Now I'm considering skipping the interim step of running the Dana 20 behind the AMC TH400 and just looking for a GM TH400 from a junkyard pickup or car. I'll install it behind the AMC 304 with an adapter kit from Advance Adapters. I've already got a 32-spline Dana 300 adapter for a GM TH400 that will allow me to run my Stak 3-speed Monster Box. I think the Monster Box may be too wide for the Commando frame rails, but I can get creative. Dunno - I'll see.
At least now I'm happy to have some of the boxes of parts cleared off my work bench. Couple more installs and I'll be able to see countertop again!