Introduction of Project Stuart Little

Hello all! Just want to throw out an intro here. Names Bryce from Fort Wayne and recently got my first XJ. 2000 Cherokee that I have deemed Stuart Little. The jeep had been sitting for 8 years! It’s pretty solid but had an intense mouse/ rodent urine smell. Took me all day to tear it out and pressure wash it last weekend. I have big and quick plans to get this thing built. If any of you went to winterfest this past year, I was the guy running the lifted Subaru. That subie is for sale if anyone is interested! Haha. Anyway, got the new engine cleared out and ready to be put back together yesterday. Just waiting and researching on what rings and bearings to get.



My buddy’s truck all loaded up.


You can really see here all the gunk on the driveway.

Awesome! Can't wait to see it built.

We should get together sometimes...

mac 'Fort Wayne near New Haven' gyvr

Hey look, something with ground clearance! Looking forward to seeing this built as well.

6 months til Moab...

This weekends endeavors on Stuart Little. First up was the floor. While I got a fairly rust free body, there was still some cancer at the floor boards. No surprise there. Cleaned it up, made a plate, welded it in, and sprayed it with rust reformer and some black paint. Will fill all the holes with some seam sealer before putting the interior back in.

Yes I plugged that drain hole.

Moving on!

Getting the old engine out. Seems easy. It wasn’t. Whoever owned this previously decided to break the head of the inverted torx heads that hold the engine and trans together. So instead of fixing it with new bolts, it looked to be torched and spread out so it was just...there. Smh. BUT, I ground them out and got them off without too much issue.