Living and wheeling in Arizona requires an engine that runs cool, because the air temperature usually isn’t. While we don’t wheel in triple-digit temperatures—usually, that is—we do four-wheel in the 80s and 90s so it behooves us to try everything we can to keep our engine and transmission temps under control.

With this is mind, when Precision Auto in Kingman installed the Chevy 350 V8 and GM TH350 automatic transmission in my ’82 CJ7, they separated the tranny cooling from the radiator with its own trans-cooler and installed a large mechanical fan on the water pump pulley. Precision also installed the largest aluminum radiator I could afford, even though it wasn’t a cross-flow (which is a more efficient design), and I hit the trails just out of town.

To fill in its background, perhaps now is a good time to give a brief outline of the 30-year-old CJ7. In addition to the GM engine and transmission the Jeep has a set of Advance Adapters exhaust headers, a Dana 300 transfer case with a TerraFlex 4:1 low range, OEM differentials with 4.56:1 gears and ARB lockers (Dana 30 front end has RCV axles; AMC 20 rear end has Warn full-floating axles), Superwinch free-wheeling hubs, Skyjacker 4-inch lift, Goodyear 12.50x15x35 MT/R with Kevlar tires, Alcoa aluminum wheels, Ramsey winch, VDO gauges, and Bestop seats and luggage rack.