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The XJ Daily Jeeper Beater

9K views 44 replies 12 participants last post by  Jrgunn5150 
#1 ·
I bitch about forums dying, but I don't contribute much. So let me try to change that.

BTW, this is for my niece as a first vehicle, so it won't be too wild.

1999 XJ, 4.0, AW4, 231 blah blah.

Random 2" Budget Boost type lift, TJ Rubicon wheels, garbage mismatched tires, rusty rockers and fenders, good unitbody, 180,000 miles.

Kid I bought it from changed the CPS, says it runs worse now than it did before. I have another on the way.

Manifold is thoroughly, completely cracked. Will buy another after the CPS if it runs ok.

1 time out of 5 it starts and runs fine, 4 times out of 5 it won't move itself, bucks, surges, stalls, literally undriveable. Doesn't matter if it's hot or cold, day or night.

Here it is the day I bought it and drove it home, which was like last Monday I think.
 

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#2 ·
Over the weekend I tore the rear carpet out and started on trimming the rust off.

The lower rear quarters were way to far gone for a cut and fold, but that's ok. I'm also aware I cut the pinch seam out, that's ok too, I have a welder, it'll be fine.

When I found out it has a lift, I also found out it has no back brakes lol, like, no wheel cylinders, so I'll be disc swapping that.

4
 

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#3 ·
So, that's pretty much it for now. New cranks sensor should be here today, I'll throw it in and keep working at the trimming. Plan on picking up the steel for the rockers and new wheel tubs this weekend.

I also have a crappy 6.0 I'm building for my wifes Olds, so my time is kind of balanced between the 2.
 
#13 ·
Drove it back to my little storage lot yesterday, pulled up, threw it in reverse to back in next to my C10 and the driveshaft let go...



Found this little fix from the previous owner lol.



Which is why I'm driving it before my niece does..


Did they try to weld the strap on after they broke the bolt??
 
#19 ·
Ok, so today I got the yoke swaped, new straps, new ujoint, even wire wheeled and painted the driveshaft for her.

Also, was able to confirm 4x4 works, since I shifted it into 4x4 to drive it back home on the front axle lol.

Looked into why there was a jumper wire running from the drivers to the passengers tail light. Because the rust hole in the quarter panel sprayed salt water onto the tail light connection and corroded it beyond all repair.

I'd like to do the JCR corners with built in tail light boxes, but I think I've trimmed too high for them, we'll see.

I also was able to rob a KJ of all it's disc brake gear for 40 bucks, which should be a nice upgrade over a vice grip pinched line and no rear wheel cylinders.
 

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#21 ·
Installed header from 1A Auto, flange matches the intake so no fooling with half washers and crap. Rest of the exhaust is pretty hacked, cat was gutted for White Claw money, splices welded halfway around, not a single hanger or donut gasket lol.


After I got at least the manifold sorted, I got the rockers tacked on and the wheel wells tacked in. I picked up some 1/4 round stock for the flare if I decide to keep it, or I'll just cut it flush, no big deal either way.

Ran out of wire at 11am on Thanksgiving, so that kinda put a damper on things, intended to move on to the bastard pack and rear discs tomorrow, but I guess it'll wait.
 

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#23 ·
I'm on the fence on LED tails.

I'm giving it to my niece. She doesn't care, won't use them, won't notice, will never break a stock one, and I don't want to spend the money.

However... The harness is completely pooched and so was everyone I looked at in three junkyards. They all seem to rot the lower corner out, then spray goes up there and soaks the unsealed connector and they corrode to death.

So making a box is easy enough, I just don't want to get into buying the converters and everything else.

We'll see how I feel as actual drive time get's closer in the next month or so.
 
#29 ·
Saturday was my company Christmas party, so I had to go fly the departmental flag.

Sunday I dug into the wiring, got that squared away, and got the final patch made for the passenger side lower 1/4.

This week I need to work on squaring away my garage now that I've evicted my wifes crap and hopefully I'll be able to do both the other side patch, seam seal everything, and do the rear bastard pack next weekend.
 

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#36 ·
Thanks guy's!

Tires are supposed to be in today, Cooper AT's, 265/70r16.

It's difficult to constantly pull myself back from what I would do, like 4.56's and lockers lol. I have to remind myself Melanie just want's to get A to B safely, she's never going to climb a rock ledge lol.

I am going to do a Dirtbound Offroad bumper, and that will pretty much wrap this project besides whatever comes up driving it.
 
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