Mira's '93 XJ 2-dr. build (11-year-old's first Jeep)

[xcm]

good work Mira, that dash isnt fun, but sometimes its gotta come out!

keep on wrenchin on!

 

[jeeperjohn]

You gonna make a custom dash?

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

You gonna make a custom dash?

Custom dash - no. Custom firewall - most likely. We'll be installing all the dash/wiring/steering column from the later-model 1999 XJ parts vehicle we bought. I have read that some of the holes are located differently than the earlier-model XJs, such as Mira's '93. We have the whole donor vehicle, so it shouldn't be a problem. Worst case is that we'll have to section part of the later-model firewall into Mira's '93. I like the look of the later-model dashes better anyway, and she'll also have driver & passenger air bags going this route.

Craig

 

[Logans91XJ]

AWESOME!!!

 

[fsj-earl]

Very, very cool. My 14 year old daughter and I are currently rebuilding my 89 Jeep Grand Wagoneer for her for when she turns 16. 6" lift w/ 35's, front and rear E-lockers, Holley Truck Avenger, so on and so forth. Great project and major quality time with my daughter.

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

AWESOME!!!

Thanks!

Very, very cool. My 14 year old daughter and I are currently rebuilding my 89 Jeep Grand Wagoneer for her for when she turns 16. 6" lift w/ 35's, front and rear E-lockers, Holley Truck Avenger, so on and so forth. Great project and major quality time with my daughter.

Excellent. I hope you're both enjoying your project as much as we are with ours. I'm a fan of FSJs, too...I daily-drove a '76 Cherokee Chief for a while. I loved everything except the mileage from the tired 360.

Craig

 

[RAHS93]

This is awesome. My daughter and me are already planing her first car (shes 5). But she wants a classic Beetle. Keep it up Mira

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

This is awesome. My daughter and me are already planing her first car (shes 5). But she wants a classic Beetle. Keep it up Mira

The classic beetle sounds very much like my younger daughter (8 1/2 yrs.). It's cool that yours is already thinking about that. :yelclap:

Craig

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Here's the LJ-turned-XJ Dana 44 mocked up under an XJ. I got the (higher-clearance) M.O.R.E. shock mounts tack-welded on, and everything looks great. I'm just waiting for the soft brake line kit so I can weld the mounting tabs on the axle tubes before pulling the axle out, finish-welding, and getting the truss ready to weld on.

 

[Ghost]

Here's the LJ-turned-XJ Dana 44 mocked up under an XJ. I got the (higher-clearance) M.O.R.E. shock mounts tack-welded on, and everything looks great. I'm just waiting for the soft brake line kit so I can weld the mounting tabs on the axle tubes before pulling the axle out, finish-welding, and getting the truss ready to weld on.

Raise the shock mounts?

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Raise the shock mounts?

Raise them to where? These are shorter (lower-profile) than the stock ones, but yes, they still do hang down a bit.

Craig

 

[Ghost]

Raise them to where? These are shorter (lower-profile) than the stock ones, but yes, they still do hang down a bit.

Craig

Up flush with the axle center line. That is what I did with all my axles. You just have to hole saw the mount is all. Or if you have a plasma cut an arch.

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

It's not Cherokee-related, but Mira had her first big welding lesson today. She has a school project where she had to build a catapult that will fire a marble at least 10 feet (study of potential & kinetic energy). We found an old spring-loaded faux cabinet drawer hinge in one of my parts bins, some 1 1/2" square tubing, some aluminum siding pieces, and a teaspoon measuring cup. Mira did a GREAT job welding.

Here's a shot of me helping Mira with the MIG welder.

Mira solo welding on some scrap steel.

Here's Mira testing her final catapult design - a hand-held unit that can fling a rock about 20-25 feet. Since we bought a "bulk" purchase of weld-on skulls for her Jeep project, she welded one of them on her catapult to add a little "hardcore". She also learned to tape off and spray paint...waiting for the paint to dry now. She learned how to tape off parts, and also did most of the spray painting...good practice for her pending Cherokee work.

 

[old_man]

Persoanlly, I think she should enter the Rig of the Month. I'd vote for her.

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Persoanlly, I think she should enter the Rig of the Month. I'd vote for her.

Thanks for the kind words, Tom. It's definitely a work-in-progress. :eeks1: Is ROTM even active? I just found a post (HERE) from back in January mentioning that it is "suspended until further notice". Is that still the case?

Craig

 

[jeeperjohn]

It would be cool to see a vid of that catapult in action. You have yourself a future engineer in the family!

 

[brianglawson]

awesome build thread!

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Thanks all. jeeperjohn - I'll see if we can get a catapult video soon.


Project update...

I got Mira's front axle & control arms pulled tonight. I have to say that I really, REALLY like work on this clean Jeep. The control arm bolts came out like butt-ahhh. It's not what I'm used to when dealing with when working on old Jeeps. Next on the docket...finish removing the dash & firewall bits, and drop the gas tank (it'll be getting the newer poly tank from the '99 XJ driveline donor).

Craig

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

I got the remainder of Mira's dash items removed tonight...naked firewall. It'll make doing the rest of the floor pan patches considerably easier, and will allow me to make a template for the firewall holes to compare against that of the '99 XJ (dash/wiring/engine donor).

 

[brianglawson]

That dash swap is a mighty big undertaking!! However, being only 23, I can remember how crappy it is to have some fugly dash designed in the 1980's in my first ride... haha The newer interiors were so utilitarian and soft featured, its a good timeless design without giving off that "god, this is old feeling"

good work!!