1x1_Speed_Craig
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Grand Rapids, MI
Reader's Digest version...
My (at the time) 10-year-old daughter gets her own Jeep XJ project, will be paying for 1/2 of the rebuild herself, doing much of the work with my assistance, and learning to weld in the process. She'll appreciate her XJ when she's ready to drive, as she'll have invested her own money, and sweat equity, in the Jeep.
She's now sponsored by several individuals and a few companies, for which we're both very grateful.
BTW, this is my daughter, Mira.
For the rest of you (LONG version)...
For the rest of you who want more detail, this is a lengthy post...be forewarned. :eeks1: I tried to post this in the "Jeep Picture Showcase", but didn't have access to post a thread there. I hope this is the appropriate place to do so.
With the interest shown in this H.D. Offroad Engineering install thread, I thought I'd post an official build thread on Mira's behalf here on
.
A retired friend of mine and fellow Jeep enthusiast from Kentucky bought this relatively rust-free '93 Cherokee 2-door for the transmission (to use in a Jeep Scrambler he was building). After pulling the transmission, the Jeep sat on his property for about 4 years.
I have rebuilt a couple old Jeep CJs from the ground-up in the past, and my two daughters (now ages 8 & 11) have been exposed to dad parting out roughly 50 Jeeps to get the parts I needed inexpensively, as I couldn't afford to build the Jeeps by paying "retail" for used parts. Knowing that my friend Don had this Cherokee just sitting, and that it was much cleaner rust-wise than most of the Jeeps we see here in the salty Midwest, I asked him how much he'd want for it. He replied by saying, "You come down and pick it up, and it's yours for FREE." I asked my daughter Mira if she was interested in building a Jeep with me, and her response was, "Can I weld on it?" (She has helped me do tack-welding on some military trailer modifications I recently completed.) You have to love a response like that from a then-10-year-old! Of course, the answer was "yes". We talked about her doing much of the work, and paying for half of the cost to build the Jeep. We have been tracking everything on an Excel spreadsheet.
With this project, I saw opportunity for several "teaching moments" for Mira:
Keeping in the tradition of getting resourceful for parts, we subsequently bought three (3) additional rusty parts Cherokees locally for $350-500 each to knock down the net build cost for Mira's. We parted out the Jeeps (all but the last one, which is her engine/transmission/transfer case donor). After doing so, we ended up with 95% of the parts we need, and are only in to the entire project for the minimal amount of around $1000 (not including Eastwood paint costs...I sprung for the paint so far).
Here are the specs so far on Mira's Jeep:
Company Sponsors:

Mira & I would like to thank BJ at RockSolid Performance here in Cedar Springs, Michigan for the pro bono custom machine work on her rear Dana 44 truss. Much appreciated!

Thanks for the caliper paint, seam sealer, internal frame coating, PRE cleaner, and cleaning discs, Matt. Much appreciated.
Thanks for the sweet Ballistic kid-sized skull t-shirt, Dave!
Individual Sponsors: (NOTE: Most of these guys are from GreatLakes4x4.com)
Project Coverage
So, on to the pics...
Here I am at my friend Don's house in Kentucky (April 2010) picking up Mira's XJ. We had to quick-fab some tow bar brackets...worked out great, but MAN was it hot that day (105 degree heat index).
Mira starting to cut out the front driver floor pan (foot section). The Dremel tool was under-powered. I finished off the job with my 4 1/2" grinder.
The driver floor pan cut-out.
The carefully-fitted patch panel, which I cut from the original (dented) hood.
75% done. I butt-welded in the patch panel, and ground the welds flush. Butt-welding this sheet metal is a PITB (pain in the butt).
Passenger-side replacement floor pan (test fit) from Sherman Auto Parts here in Michigan. I love supporting local business!
Here's a profile pic of the XJ with the 31" BFG KM2 tires. Have some vision...we already have a straight set of replacement doors, and a clean rust-free, dent-free front clip (not pictured).
More pics and build details to come tomorrow. It's getting late.
Thanks,
Craig
My (at the time) 10-year-old daughter gets her own Jeep XJ project, will be paying for 1/2 of the rebuild herself, doing much of the work with my assistance, and learning to weld in the process. She'll appreciate her XJ when she's ready to drive, as she'll have invested her own money, and sweat equity, in the Jeep.

She's now sponsored by several individuals and a few companies, for which we're both very grateful.
BTW, this is my daughter, Mira.

For the rest of you (LONG version)...
For the rest of you who want more detail, this is a lengthy post...be forewarned. :eeks1: I tried to post this in the "Jeep Picture Showcase", but didn't have access to post a thread there. I hope this is the appropriate place to do so.
With the interest shown in this H.D. Offroad Engineering install thread, I thought I'd post an official build thread on Mira's behalf here on

A retired friend of mine and fellow Jeep enthusiast from Kentucky bought this relatively rust-free '93 Cherokee 2-door for the transmission (to use in a Jeep Scrambler he was building). After pulling the transmission, the Jeep sat on his property for about 4 years.
I have rebuilt a couple old Jeep CJs from the ground-up in the past, and my two daughters (now ages 8 & 11) have been exposed to dad parting out roughly 50 Jeeps to get the parts I needed inexpensively, as I couldn't afford to build the Jeeps by paying "retail" for used parts. Knowing that my friend Don had this Cherokee just sitting, and that it was much cleaner rust-wise than most of the Jeeps we see here in the salty Midwest, I asked him how much he'd want for it. He replied by saying, "You come down and pick it up, and it's yours for FREE." I asked my daughter Mira if she was interested in building a Jeep with me, and her response was, "Can I weld on it?" (She has helped me do tack-welding on some military trailer modifications I recently completed.) You have to love a response like that from a then-10-year-old! Of course, the answer was "yes". We talked about her doing much of the work, and paying for half of the cost to build the Jeep. We have been tracking everything on an Excel spreadsheet.
With this project, I saw opportunity for several "teaching moments" for Mira:
- Learning about Jeeps/cars, and learning about having pride in, and respect/responsibility with her vehicle. I could get monologuing about an "entitlement attitude" that seems more common than not with kids now, but I'll refrain... My daughter was going to have a vested interest in her first car.
- Fiscal responsibility. I'm a Dave Ramsey fan (syndicated financial talk radio guy), and wanted to teach Mira about budgeting, making good financial decisions with her Jeep build choices, etc.
- Learning how to drive a stick. Mira's Jeep will have a 5-speed transmission to help a little with fuel economy. I'm also a firm believer that everyone should know how to drive a stick, yet it seems very few people actually do.
- Learning more about using Microsoft Excel...a very powerful business tool (I'm a bit of a programmer/Excel geek).
Keeping in the tradition of getting resourceful for parts, we subsequently bought three (3) additional rusty parts Cherokees locally for $350-500 each to knock down the net build cost for Mira's. We parted out the Jeeps (all but the last one, which is her engine/transmission/transfer case donor). After doing so, we ended up with 95% of the parts we need, and are only in to the entire project for the minimal amount of around $1000 (not including Eastwood paint costs...I sprung for the paint so far).
Here are the specs so far on Mira's Jeep:
- 1993 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2-Door
- 4.0L HO engine with 157K miles...runs well
- AX-15 5-speed transmission
- NP-231 transfer case
- Dana 30 front/trussed Dana 44 rear axles (3.73 gearing with limited-slip in the rear)
- 4-wheel disc brakes
- OEM Jeep Ravine wheels
- 31" BF Goodrich KM2 Mud-Terrain tires
- 2" BB spacers (front)
- H.D. Offroad Engineering Shackle Relocation Kit (rear)
- JCR Offroad rear bumper
- (planned) Iceland Offroad high-clearance flares (no suspension lift planned for vehicle)
- (planned) Custom-built front bumper (built by Mira and dad)
- (planned) Rock sliders (TBD)
- (planned) Transmission skid plate (TBD)
- (planned) Later-model seats
- (planned) Synergy Green exterior paint (OEM color on the new Camaros)
Company Sponsors:

Mira & I would like to thank BJ at RockSolid Performance here in Cedar Springs, Michigan for the pro bono custom machine work on her rear Dana 44 truss. Much appreciated!
Thanks for the caliper paint, seam sealer, internal frame coating, PRE cleaner, and cleaning discs, Matt. Much appreciated.

Thanks for the sweet Ballistic kid-sized skull t-shirt, Dave!
Individual Sponsors: (NOTE: Most of these guys are from GreatLakes4x4.com)
- BOBCAT (Don): The whole project is a reality because our friend Don hooked us up with a fairly clean, '93 XJ 2-dr. "carcass". Thank you so much, Don!
- Brewmenn (Bruce): Thank you for hooking us up with a clean set of FREE doors. Much appreciated. :thumb:
- mrclean (Travis): Transport of parts, and donation of some Hummer D-rings/mounts.
- JeepMann (Steve): A set of Dana 30 knuckles. Thanks Steve! :gotsand:
- big_ol_bronco78 (Dave): Free parts transfer/delivery. Thanks man!
Project Coverage
- Check out this Eastwood Blog covering Mira's Jeep project.
So, on to the pics...
Here I am at my friend Don's house in Kentucky (April 2010) picking up Mira's XJ. We had to quick-fab some tow bar brackets...worked out great, but MAN was it hot that day (105 degree heat index).

Mira starting to cut out the front driver floor pan (foot section). The Dremel tool was under-powered. I finished off the job with my 4 1/2" grinder.

The driver floor pan cut-out.

The carefully-fitted patch panel, which I cut from the original (dented) hood.

75% done. I butt-welded in the patch panel, and ground the welds flush. Butt-welding this sheet metal is a PITB (pain in the butt).

Passenger-side replacement floor pan (test fit) from Sherman Auto Parts here in Michigan. I love supporting local business!

Here's a profile pic of the XJ with the 31" BFG KM2 tires. Have some vision...we already have a straight set of replacement doors, and a clean rust-free, dent-free front clip (not pictured).

More pics and build details to come tomorrow. It's getting late.
Thanks,
Craig