thebaconator

Here is the Craigslist photos before I got my Jeep on Father's Day from my wife and Daughter.
1996 Jeep Cherokee Country
4.0L AW4 Chrysler NP231 8.25 D30HP 209,000 3.55

Wrecked front end. Story is that the kid driving rear ended a bigger truck punching a through the front grill, radiator, aux fan. I went to try to by the Jeep and she started up enough to move onto the trailer.

thebaconator

First thing I did was take a picture of the rear axle and upload to forum asking what rear end. Thanks to you guys i knew in about 5 minutes


I then went to work. Pulled off all the bad pieces of the jeep's wrecked front end and hit up my local Junk Yard to look for new (used) parts to get this soon to be "trail rig" going.

You can see pictures of the front end being taken apart, the red donor jeep that i pulled the aux fan, front clip, and radiator from.

thebaconator

Next decided one day to take it down to a dirt pile at father in laws work to test out the 4x4.


After the dirt hill we went over to port authority to drive through some water puddles and test out flex on a old ramp.

thebaconator

Also tested the flex of my father in laws bronco.



Put all of these on my youtube channel which i will post on my signature so please check out and rate.

After puddles i pulled the jeep back into my parking garage at work.
BTW I HATE THAT GOLD IN BOTTOM FRONT. Gotta pull that off.

thebaconator

So after 4th of July came I went to the junk yard on lunch break....

Mind you this is in my work slacks and polo shirt with 105* outside to find some tires to replace my crappy tires with less crappy Goodyear Wrangler 235/75/15

Found 4 and loaded up in my Saturn Vue

thebaconator

So realized that my broken front bumper that was bent around the brackets would need to come off to securely place my radiator and new grill (this is out of order I just realized) so it was time to get to work with the sawaza cutting off the front bumper

thebaconator

Next is a pic of engine bay before placement of new grill.


Then placing new front clip.


Then Tightening new clip


Then Money Shot!

thebaconator

These were a couple pics of the bad parts graveyard.



Starting changing shocks with ones i had in garage but only got to do the front driver side as time is a constraint right now.

no rdplz

Keep up the good work!

Bowbowman

Its good to see jeep being revived that might have otherwise gone to waste, and may I ask why is it called the Baconator? lol

thebaconator

Last name is Ham and friends call me Bacon. Friends call my daughter Bacon Bit

thebaconator

Ok so really ready for the Flat Black rattle can. Going to paint those gold fenders flat black. Once i scratch up the rest of the Baconator on the trails then i will sand down and flat black the rest.



So far the list of installed parts since I bought it.
Radiator
Electric Fan <----now on a switch
Thermostat
Thermostat Housing
Radiator Fluid....kinda a must
1 Gabriel Ultra Shock <----3 more in garage needing to be installed
2 JY Tires in back <----Still need front Passenger replaced
Oil and Oil Filter

Things to do <----Have Parts but Just need TIME!
Replace Spark plugs
Replace Air Filter
Install 3 Gabriel Shocks
Install Rear Hitch
Find place to install fog light switch to Aux Fan

thebaconator

So this is the after pics of the rattle can fender painting. Thoughts?

2kcherokee

Way better, why did chrysler even put gold trim on xj's anyways? It never looks good

Power73

yeah that looks alot better!