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Mira's Jeep Cherokee Sport

91K views 349 replies 96 participants last post by  1x1_Speed_Craig 
#1 · (Edited)
This is my jeep cherokee - thanks to our friend Don Briney-aka-BOBCAT. Were still trying to figure out what its going to look like when its done... :bdr2: I'm going to work on it a lot with my dad,.....but you never know...dads a talker-he might do more explaining than doing... :blah:

-Mira :rock:




EDIT (from dad):

Mira will only be posting in this build thread and her "Intro" thread, with me by her side when she does. I'm very proud that she wants to build up a Jeep with me; it'll be her car when she gets her driver's permit/license. Please keep any posts in this thread "Rated-PG" (I have already turned off Avatars/signatures for her).

EDIT: See two (2) posts down for project sponsors...
 

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#3 · (Edited)
We have 5+ years...plenty of time. Besides, Mira's going to (mostly) be calling the shots on this one. :sonicjay:


Here are the specs so far on Mira's Jeep:

  • 1993 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2-Door
  • '99 XJ interior swap, including all wiring/gauges/dash
  • 4-wheel disc brakes
  • 2" TeraFlex BB spacers (front) OR 4" TJ springs (which should net 3" lift on the XJ)...unsure at this point.
  • TeraFlex front lower control arms
  • '05 LJ OEM Jeep Ravine wheels
  • 31" x 10.5" BF Goodrich KM2 Mud-Terrain tires
  • H.D. Offroad Engineering Shackle Relocation Kit (rear)
  • JCR Offroad DIY front bumper, Rear Bumper TBD
  • JCR Offroad Transfer Case skid plate
  • (planned) Iceland Offroad high-clearance flares (no suspension lift planned for vehicle)
  • (planned) Rock sliders (probably custom-built by RockSolid Performance)
  • (hopefully) Custom-built RockSolid Performance interior or hybrid roll cage
  • (planned) Synergy Green exterior paint (OEM color on the new Camaros)



EDIT: As the project has progressed, we have gotten some sponsors that Mira & I would like to recognize.


Company Sponsors :d::


Mira & I would like to thank BJ at RockSolid Performance here in Cedar Springs, Michigan for the pro bono custom machine work on her rear Dana 44 truss, some new Dana 44 U-bolts and the braided stainless rear soft brake line kit. Much appreciated, guys! :thumb:




Thanks for the caliper paint, seam sealer, internal frame coating, PRE cleaner, and cleaning discs, Matt. Much appreciated.



Thanks for the sweet Ballistic kid-sized skull t-shirt, Dave!




Thanks for the new TeraFlex adjustable lower control arms, Sterling!




Thanks to the great guys at JCR Offroad for the AWESOME deal on the XJ Ultimate Sliders!



Individual Sponsors:
  • BOBCAT (Don): The whole project is a reality because our friend Don hooked us up with a fairly clean, '93 XJ 2-dr. "carcass". Thank you so much, Don!
  • Brewmenn (Bruce): Thank you for hooking us up with a clean set of FREE doors. Much appreciated. :thumb:
  • mrclean (Travis): Transport of parts, and donation of some Hummer D-rings/mounts.
  • JeepMann (Steve): A set of Dana 30 knuckles. Thanks Steve! :gotsand:
  • big_ol_bronco78 (Dave): Free parts transfer/delivery. Thanks man!
  • Shane Rugg: SCREAMIN'-good deal on a low-mileage 1999 XJ parts vehicle. Thanks again, Shane. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
  • Ron Peterson (cj8ron): NEW late-model XJ header panel for a "facelift" front clip swap (WOOT!), fan shroud, and several other XJ parts we can use. Thank you so much, Ron. :thumb:
  • Aaron Smuda (Porscheguy): Adjustable lower control arms & some TJ 4" lift springs. Thanks for your generosity, Aaron. We hope to return the favor someday!
  • TJontherox (Ryan): New XJ grill insert. Thanks Ryan!
  • alix4d (Alix): FREE transport of donated parts.
  • Mitch Ware: Cash Donation. Thanks for your generosity, Mitch!
  • Andy Stock (MKR5150 on NAXJA). '98 ZJ disc/disc brake proportioning valve. Thanks again, Andy!

Project Coverage
  • Check out this Eastwood Blog covering Mira's Jeep project.
  • Featured on Page 56 of the January 2012 edition of "Jp Magazine". Thanks guys!




Craig
 

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#7 · (Edited)
Well, Mira's XJ is safely at home now. Here's a pic after we got it hooked up in Kentucky this weekend (check out that beautiful landscape!). It was 100 degrees down there WITHOUT the heat index, though, so we went through some serious water getting the tow brackets figured out & hooked up.

We utilized some of JCR Offroad Unibody Tie-In Brackets (Eric @ JCR helped me out with an after-hours pick-up on the way to Kentucky), which worked great for attaching the makeshift tow brackets to the XJ. They weren't notched for the fender support brackets like the illustration in the installation instructions (not sure why), so we just unbolted the support brackets, and pulled them out enough to slip the brackets in-between.

The only real "excitement" with the trip was a blowout on the Cherokee on the way home (happened near Indianapolis). It shredded the tire really well! The spare from my Unlimited saved me, but it made me nervous about another flat/blowout during the balance of the trip. All went well, though, and it's tucked away in its new home.

I'll get Mira acquainted with her soon-to-be new best friend - my beloved Milwaukee grinder with a wire wheel - real soon. :thumb:

Craig



 

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#12 · (Edited)
She's just 10 yrs. old. :rock:

BTW, I picked up a very inexpensive parts vehicle tonight...a '96 XJ Classic. It runs & drives, but needs a tune-up. The interior is gray, and will end up in the '93 2-door. The good news, too, is that it has an airbag - something the '93 didn't have.

The front clip will be a good donor, although there is a small crack in the header panel. I'll see if it can be repaired.

We'll end up parting out anything we don't end up using.

Craig
 

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#17 ·
sweet build! i'm running the budget lift on my xj with 31's. it has a nice stance, the tires and wheels you got going are way cooler than mine so you two are already way ahead of me haha. can't wait to see this come together.

i know how much i enjoyed working on the CJ with my dad. i came home from a weekend with my grandfather and saw it sitting in the barn. couldn't wait to tear into it! the knowledge she'll learn from this is invaluable not to mention the quality time spent with her dad :thumb:
 
#18 ·
Here's parts rig #2...a '94 base-model 2-door currently in the process of tear-down & part-out. It'll be the donor for our passenger fender, a bunch of glass, the 4.0L motor, and many other little items. The plan is to get it stripped down and scrapped out before the snow flies (translation = need garage space back).

Grill, fenders & hood are also now stripped off of Mira's XJ.

More to come soon...

Craig
 

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#19 ·
:thumb:

Also, I see what you're doing to curb your bad habit of buying and parting everything out - you'll end up buying & parting out 30 Cherokees (at the rate you're going) before the XJ's title is safely in Mira's fist. :sonicjay:

"Dad, I think the A/C compressor is bad on the new engine";

"ORLY?!! I've had my eye on one parked just off 28th street...";

"DA-AAD!!! We ONLY need the COMPRESSOR!";

"Oh, you never know, I saw you were missing two trim screws - one in the hatch area and one down by the kick panel on the passenger side. You know how much those things run at the stealership?!";

"Dad, they're just a couple of screws - I've already replaced them with a couple I found in a coffee can in the garage...";

"WHAT!!!??? - Which coffee can!? The one labeled 'Misc LJ Screws', 'Misc CJ5 Screws', 'Misc CJ6 Screws', 'Misc CJ8 Screws', 'Misc FSJ Screws', or 'Misc TJ Screws'??? I know for sure there are no trim screws in the 'Misc XJ Screws' can - I've checked myself! Look, Honey, I'm just looking out for your best interests."


I'm going to PM Mira my phone number so she has someone to call to help her set up an intervention, Craig.

:d:
 
#20 ·
Sounds about accurate. :sonicjay: :sonicjay: :sonicjay: Mira will keep me on-track with this one. I'm going to wrap up the '94 XJ (red) part-out, and just park the white one until spring.

First on the To-Do list for Mira's black XJ is replacing some select sections of the floor pan. The exterior is all rust-free, but because the vehicle sat for 4+ years with the windows broken out of it, the carpet held moisture and caused a couple spots on the floorpan to rust. It'll be a straightforward fix, though, and we'll have Mira do some of the welding (good teaching moment).

Craig
 
#21 ·
And with that...




Parts Jeep #3 fell in my lap tonight. :teehee: It's a '92 2-door, 4.0L/AX-15 manual trans, some lift (which will end up on Mira's Jeep), 31" tires, and 157K miles on the ticker. It runs GREAT, and was very inexpensive. The Jeep is unmolested, and even still has the factory Jeep AM/FM/Cassette player. :sonicjay: I just wish the doors were in better shape...I'm still looking for a set of straight doors from a '96-down 2-dr. XJ.

Craig
 

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#22 ·
:rock:

Can't wait to watch this!!:woot:
 
#24 ·
No problem at all Mira :thumb:
By the time I get you the doors, I think I'll have some other good parts for you as well :thumb:.
Just like some of the others, I met you once before when I bought a white truck off of your dad and helped him bring home his 2nd Military Tug. You where nice enough to play with my son Tyler on your play set (he was 1-2 yrs old then, he's 5 now). I don't mind helping you in any way with your new project.
 
#27 ·
Thanks once again to mrclean, who tipped me off to a set of used Ravine aluminum wheels listed on craigslist over in the metro-Detroit area. He then further helped me out by picking them up for me. We'll be meeting up this week so I can get all of these great parts for Mira's XJ. Of course, I haven't gotten the parts storage bill yet. :teehee:

SO, Mira doesn't even know this yet, but the tentative plan is to move the set of mint-condition Ravine wheels and 31" BFG KM2s from my LJ over to her XJ (since the tires are already mounted/balanced), and get a new set of 33" KM2s for my LJ in the spring (on the set of Ravines that mrclean found for me), providing my tax return allows for buying the bigger tires.

I can't thank you enough for the parts help, Travis. Mira is going to be very excited when she finds out about the wheels & tires. :thumb:

Craig
 
#30 ·
Mira got workin' with the Dremel tool this weekend, cutting out one of the small sections of the floor that'll need replacing. She did well, and only let out one squeal when the Dremel cutting disc shattered unexpectedly :teehee: (I explained that it has happened to me a few times, too). Some of the dented body panels from the parts vehicles will be repurposed as floor panel patches, where needed.

Craig





Afterward, we enjoyed a little Halloween craziness. Here's Mira's "Death by Zombie" pose. :sonicjay:

 

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#32 ·
Mira got workin' with the Dremel tool this weekend, cutting out one of the small sections of the floor that'll need replacing. She did well, and only let out one squeal when the Dremel cutting disc shattered unexpectedly :teehee: (I explained that it has happened to me a few times, too).
LOL, first time I saw cut off discs for a dremel, I thought to myself: "Why do I need a sleeve of 50 cut-off discs!?"

:d:

I let out a squeal the first time and everytime one of those suckers go ballistic. :sonicjay: Props for the glasses and gloves, but I have one more suggestion, Mira: Pull your hair back when you work with *ANY* power tool that you could get too close to.
A dremel spinning at 10,000 rpm will zip itself up in your hair right quick!

Good job on the Jeep! :thumb:

Also, was the zombie in the yard your idea? That looks awesome!
 
#36 ·
These also arrived this week...a Blair spot weld cutter kit and rotabroach kit. They'll help with cutting out the small sections of floorpan that we'll be replacing with new sheet metal. Floorpan replacement pics will come shortly. First, we have to focus on pulling some more parts from the two XJ part-outs we're working on, as those parts/funds are helping to replenish the bank account after the parts Jeep purchases.

Craig



 

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#39 ·
Good to know. I didn't realize they were based out of Flint, but it makes me feel that much better supporting a Michigan company. :thumb:


Nice progress so far! Was the red 2-door for sale just south of Allendale by any chance? I saw 1 just like it this summer/fall and completely forgot to stop out and take a peek at it for myself once I had time... Great find!

I can't wait to see more progress pics- keep them coming!!!!
Thanks Tim. No, one of the red 2-doors came from Hesperia, and one from Sparta. Both were great finds...rusty, but with some very good parts, and both good-running vehicles.


Craig
 
#38 ·
Nice progress so far! Was the red 2-door for sale just south of Allendale by any chance? I saw 1 just like it this summer/fall and completely forgot to stop out and take a peek at it for myself once I had time... Great find!

I can't wait to see more progress pics- keep them coming!!!!
 
#40 ·
While the build is somewhat slow-going (as they always are in my household), the collection of neccesary parts is going pretty well. :teehee:

I drove down to JCR last week and picked up Mira's Stage 2 rear bumper. Some of the finish grinding is a little uneven, but a little time with a grinder and sander should correct that pretty easily. Overall, it's a pretty nice piece (especially for the sale price at which I bought it), and will work very well for her XJ. We just need to give it a quick coat of primer to keep it from surface-rusting prior to install; it may be a great job for Mira over the upcoming long Thanksgiving weekend.




I also picked up a set of like-new Rubicon front coil springs (and misc. other parts) on craigslist. They have been listed for several months, but were grossly overpriced. After several price drops, they became a very good deal, and I got them. There were several other OEM Rubicon suspension parts included (sway bar links, etc.), along with a TJ bottle jack/handle, which we'll also use for Mira's XJ.

I'm hoping the Rubicon springs give us an additional 1/2" - 1" of lift in the front (combined with 2" Teraflex BB spacers).



We also broke even on one of the '94 XJ 2-dr. parts rig, so it's just a matter of pulling a few last misc. parts, and breaking out the sawzall to cut it up and take it in for scrap. Mira (and her little sister) should enjoy helping with the demolition/sawing, too.



More to come after Thanksgiving weekend (the next solid block of time that I'll have my girls).

Craig
 

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#42 ·
While the build is somewhat slow-going (as they always are in my household), the collection of neccesary parts is going pretty well. :teehee:

I drove down to JCR last week and picked up Mira's Stage 2 rear bumper. Some of the finish grinding is a little uneven, but a little time with a grinder and sander should correct that pretty easily. Overall, it's a pretty nice piece (especially for the sale price at which I bought it), and will work very well for her XJ. We just need to give it a quick coat of primer to keep it from surface-rusting prior to install; it may be a great job for Mira over the upcoming long Thanksgiving weekend.



I also picked up a set of like-new Rubicon front coil springs (and misc. other parts) on craigslist. They have been listed for several months, but were grossly overpriced. After several price drops, they became a very good deal, and I got them. There were several other OEM Rubicon suspension parts included (sway bar links, etc.), along with a TJ bottle jack/handle, which we'll also use for Mira's XJ.

I'm hoping the Rubicon springs give us an additional 1/2" - 1" of lift in the front (combined with 2" Teraflex BB spacers).



We also broke even on one of the '94 XJ 2-dr. parts rig, so it's just a matter of pulling a few last misc. parts, and breaking out the sawzall to cut it up and take it in for scrap. Mira (and her little sister) should enjoy helping with the demolition/sawing, too.



More to come after Thanksgiving weekend (the next solid block of time that I'll have my girls).

Craig
Everything I have read on these springs says you might get a 1" drop out of them. If that happens I do have a set of up country springs I'll sell ya. They're just sitting around because I stepped up to a 3" coil.
 
#41 ·
Congrats on having your girls interested in hanging out with Daddy in the garage. Mine is now 13 and we still have a lot of fun time hanging out together. She fights all the time with her younger brother for who gets my CJ. We are going to start working on her truck this winter. She is starting with a 86 dodge 3/4 ton. It will be a good time I'm sure.
 
#43 ·
Very cool. :thumb:

Everything I have read on these springs says you might get a 1" drop out of them. If that happens I do have a set of up country springs I'll sell ya. They're just sitting around because I stepped up to a 3" coil.
I have never heard about a 1" drop with Rubicon springs; only that, depending on the part #, they may not give the lift anticipated. Either way, we don't really need the additional lift. These are the same exact springs that are on my '05 Unlimited, and have yet to sag in the least (I assume to the higher spring rate)...not like many of the sagging-front TJs I see.

Craig
 
#45 ·
Keeping an eye on this one. Good catching up with you Mira and Craig in TC!

And you gave me a great idea. Maybe by the time my daughter is ten (four short years?!), I will have a driveway. And a garage. And I will have room to wrench on extra vehicles, like I used to.

And, since you are such the parts finder... keep your eyes out for a white TJ hood. :) Finders fee.

Look forward to some more updates you two!
 
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