It’s been a while since I updated, but I have McSquizzie back on the road! On the list of damage was:
1) The radio, amp, and pod had been taken
2) Three windows had been broken out
3) The spare had been stolen
4) Plug wires, Spectre intake, Optima, ARB compressor, and the winch had all also been relieved of my ownership
5) The rear main seal was badly leaking
I bought it back because it still had four wheels and tires, ran good, it shifted, my complete OME/JKS lift, the bumper, and most of the interior was still there.
I met the insurance adjuster at the body shop where it was with a battery, plug wires, some battery harness terminal repair pieces, and drove it home with a badly leaking rear main seal. It was pretty sad...
I started by thoroughly cleaning, as the thief had scattered trash all around the interior and it was littered with broken glass. I made a grocery list and went to the u pull n pay and relieved many Cherokees of their parts.
I built a new overhead console over a couple days using parts from a minivan and grand Cherokee again, but this time I epoxied my Contura switch bezels in. I decided since I would be replacing the gauge trim bezel, I would use the OHC to house the compressor and locker switches.
Over thanksgiving break I installed all of the glass and did the rear main seal, ARB compressor, and mounted an ebay special CB with an antenna tuner. I also relocated the antenna to the front bumper and use a new short fire stick. I was tired of it hitting the roof in parking garages. I do have to say that "super fast drying" urethane window adhesive drys super slow when its cold. It snowed and then dropped below freezing for a while, and the adhesive was still tacky three days later. According to the 3M data sheet I pulled up, it was going to take 240 hours to cure to 50% at 40 degrees, so I just left it alone for a while.
I get a nice long 9 day break from my company for the Christmas break, so I got busy and installed an alarm, installed the new radio, a new shiny 9.5XP (I had to trim the ARB bumper), and wired in a kill switch.
I dont suggest such a large winch, after drastic trimming, it barely fit.
I also had to cut into the grill to fit the solenoid, which was no big issue, because whoever stole the winch broke my grill while removing the winch so I didn't have much to loose.
I am pretty proud of how it all turned out!
My wife got me some Mamabas for Christmas, I got those mounted up today. It looks pretty dang sharp!
While at the yard looking for plastic and glass, I found a Liberty and proceeded to relieve it of its disc brakes, so look forward to that. I need just a couple more pieces and I should be able to install those for less then $200.
I have to say it has been a TON of work getting it back on the road but because I did all my own work it was inexpensive, and I really learned a lot about installing glass.
Up next is lockers and a swing bumper!