Finally back in the saddle!

F

Freshmeat4x

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Geismar, LA, USA
I haven't seen the trails in a year and a half. Haven't had an XJ in three years. Today I picked up a 1988 4.0/auto 4dr. Needs a fuel pump but he included one in the sale. Also has rotted out rockers but for $300 who can argue??

I'll post pictures ASAP.

Very anxious to get started!!
 
Here are the wheels I want to run. I just like the look a whole lot and this XJ has two (maybe a third hidden away) so I'm hoping to find another two or three (I want a total of five.)

1224977747-10.jpg


Here's an extra set of wheels/tires he gave me with the rig- I'm hoping to trade these either for the 10-spoke wheels I'm looking for or a set of decent tires. These are 16" and I'd rather stick to 15s since that's the more common tire...

1224977747-2.jpg


Loaded up and heading home... we towed it backwards because the hatch wouldn't close and I didn't trust the roof rack to hold the strap in place and I didn't want all the junk to fall out on the five mile journey home...

1224977747-3.jpg


Like I said, the rockers are wasted. I've read about the 2x6 tube replacement, but I currently don't weld and it'd probably be reallly expensive to pay someone to do that much welding, so we'll see what happens with them...

1224977747-4.jpg


1224977747-5.jpg


Here's the basis of it... you can see it's not much to look at right now, but again, for the price... it's hard to beat. Even if I do nothing more than throw on some 31s and beat the tar out of it, it'll have been worth the money.

1224977747-6.jpg


1224977747.jpg


1224977747-9.jpg


Auto, power option, no cruise, window cranks, almost impossible to shift t-case lever, and vent windows.

1224977747-7.jpg


This is the crap that's hiding the extra tire/wheel. I don't know what kind of tread it has or what kind of wheel is used- I was honestly intimidated to start moving stuff without gloves. I've seen cars with less stuff piled up and some NASTY discoveries underneath.

1224977747-8.jpg
 
Plans:

A buddy has a 3" front suspension with adjustable lowers and adjustable track bar on which we've worked a deal.
For the rear I'll probably opt for a S-10 bastard pack (still haven't done the actual reading on this, but I'm confident the information will be easy to find here.)
Research and build some quick disconnects or just ditch the front swaybar (anyone who knows me can testify that I drive slow anyway- must still be a habit from when I had my Samurai.)
I'm still entirely lost on what shocks I'll want to run, but I'll be looking to get the most flex I can out of the 3" lift since I plan to stay there for a long time. Street manners don't matter- while it will be driven on the street, I won't be trying to impress anyone. I'd rather performance over comfort.

A buddy has some 33s (they actually measure 31.5") he's going to donate... eventually. I may get impatient and order a new set.

Modify door hinges for easy removal.

Add another auxilliary electric fan (on a thermo switch) to ditch the clutch fan.

I have a possible trade lined up for TJ D30 shafts and an EZ Locker for the 30.

Not sure on bumpers or skids. If I do go with square tube steel to replace the rockers I'll add frame stiffeners and connect the tube to those, but I'm really not sure I'll go through all that trouble. I kinda want to make sure everything is stuff I can switch to another rig in the event I'd move to one in better shape from the start... at least until I make the decision on whether this will be the rig I build and wheel long-term.

More long term goals (if it proves reliable enough to get this far...)

HP30 from a 4cyl. If it's a disco unit I'll install one-piece shafts, if it's non-disco I'll rock it stock or with a lunchbox.
8.8 from an Explorer EB with 4.10s and traclock. I mostly do the mud anyway and I'm impressed with Ford traclocks. An extra clutch or two and it'd grab just fine while allowing a little slip when something binds.

Things that would be fun but I'd probably never actually bother doing...

The guy who sold me the Jeep has a NP435 and t-case he's not using. I may work a deal on it and get an AA bellhousing to put the 435 behind the 4.0. Otherwise, I have enough 302s laying around that I could build one and drop it in if I REALLY want to break stuff... but again... probably never happen.

What do you think? Am I stupid for spending $300 on it? Any direction or input on any of my ideas?
 
Maybe I can make your research on the S-10 packs a lil easier.

http://webpages.charter.net/laurajeff44/Liftwriteup/s10_pack_PDF.pdf

Oh, and here's some info on shocks, bump stops, and such:

http://members.aol.com/Stvns/XJhelp2.html (check out page 3 for info on lifting, gearing, brake lines, etc.)

I think it will be $300 well spent if you get enjoyment outta it. I know many people who spend $300 going to an amusement park like Six Flags and I think they're nuts....but they have fun with it and that's all that truly matters.

Heck, people think that those of us with our 2.8L V-6 XJ's are wasting our time and money with 'em. I like mine. I like doing something a bit different from everyone else. Anyone can buy parts of the shelf and have something that is less than special. It's those who actually put the work into making something special that truly have something special.
 
Hell I would pay some one just to clean it out for you.
 
I have a tendency to get the junk that's been sitting in someone's back yard for months or years and fix it up. So far it's been a 1989 XJ, a 1988 Samurai, a 1979 Bronco, 1989 Town Car, and now this 1988 XJ. I don't expect it to ever run the best or maneuver the best, but I do expect to have a good time fixing the mechanical problems and even more fun beating the piss out of it on the trails.

1986XJIan- thanks for those links, man- I'll dig through 'em instead of working all day. :D
 
Looks like the S-10 bastard packs will be the route I'll go on the rear.

...and I received a PM on the local board- someone's giving me some 31" MTR take-offs. :D
 
I'll be dropping the tank Tuesday night to clean it out, scrub the wiring harness, hit it with some di-electric grease, install the new tank, strainer, and fuel filter, and see if I can get this bad boy to fire up. Wednesday I'll have the rollers taken off those 16s and hopefully this weekend I'll pick up the MTRs for the ZJ wheels. I may go ahead and start piecing together the lift since the 31s could use some clearance and just try to stock shock it until I can order a new set to match the lift.
We'll see what happens. I need to get it running, first.
 
I traded the Sami to a guy in Lafayette for the '79 Bronco. The 9" on the Bronco immediately started up with problems, then when I went to do an ignition tune-up and change out simple things like heater hose, the pressed heater fitting broke off the block. Finally fixed all the problems enough to sell it and the heater core blew out, so I had to keep it another week before the sale would be final so I could swap the core.

Then the guy who bought it (buddy from high school) called me three months later to say he took it on the trails for the first time and the axles had different gears. Instead of making a big deal he said he was gonna "just one-ton it."
Okay, man.

This one will be simple... and I'll certainly at least check the gearing before I sell it. :P
 
Okay... so the rear-end it received at some point in time pushed the hitch downward, somewhat crumpling the back section of my subframe... which really isn't that big of a deal to me because I got the thing for so cheap and it's only for a trail beater anyway.

The problem created by this is that now the gas tank is suspended on the rear side by the framework of the hitch and the front side by the differential. So I'm gonna have to drag it onto concrete so I can lift it by the hitch (possibly even raising that back up into place at least a little bit) and flex the suspension so I'll have a little room to maneuver the tank out of place to clean it up and replace the pump.
 
I'd read both of those. I like A... but like I said, the rear section of framework is banged up. I'll have to snap some pictures if I can ever find my camera. I've been thinking about it and I could possibly sleeve that section with some angle or channel steel, but that's WAY down the road. I still haven't even heard it run, yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Putting the 99 back together, crank-no start
Replies
6
Views
136
sandyeggoxj
S
R
Stall/no fuel level reading
Replies
0
Views
29
redwolf698
R
D
96 4.0 Cranks, No Start, Has Fuel At Rail
Replies
10
Views
850
DirtySouthXJ
D
Z
For Sale 1999 Cherokee XJ Two Door 4x4
Replies
1
Views
457
Zyman
Z
PacificEd
Mark, Travis, Jack and Ed’s Excellent Adventure - Our Crawl Saga
Replies
4
Views
66
PacificEd
PacificEd
Back
Top