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Hi, I found this forum through an internet search.
Even though they've been around for over 30 years the Cherokee/XJ is a new experience for me. I have been an AMC guy for many years and needed something to replace an AMC Eagle claimed by the tinworm and a bad transmission. Looking for a somewhat similar vehicle (small 4WD wagon) and preferring an AMC pedigree, I recently purchased a '99 Cherokee with 4.0, automatic, and part-time 4WD. I'm still just learning my way around it.
Main use is as a secondary vehicle, some light hauling, and having something that can get us out of our long driveway after a deep snow. This thing certainly looks the part!
I'm looking forward to learning more about this great vehicle!
Thanks guys! This one is a basic model, has crank windows and manual locks. I'm fine with that, less things to go wrong! (Though strangely it does have power mirrors.) It does have AC, which blows nice and cold, and the factory AM/FM cassette stereo.
This one was relatively cheap ($2K) and is basically solid, no rust underneath, though there is a little on the body. Worst is the front passenger door which is rusty on the bottom and has already had some fiberglass work done. Also there are a couple of small holes in the outer rockers. Everything underneath is very solid, though, which is pretty good for a 17-year-old vehicle in the rust belt. I plan to seal up the rust areas with POR-15, though long term I may replace that rusty door.
It's a pretty high-mileage vehicle, 220K, though that doesn't really faze me. I've had very good service from high-miles cars that have been well-maintained. (In fact my "Brand X" daily driver has over 325K on it and still runs strong.) This Cherokee has new tires, exhaust, CV joints, head gasket, and cooling system. Everything works except the rear wiper, previous owner says motor needs replacing. The only thing I really don't care much for is that there is no temperature gauge, just an idiot light. Adding a temperature gauge is on the "to do" list.
I have to get used to the part-time 4WD system, on the Eagle I always just left it in 4WD all the time. There's no owners manual so I'll probably pick one up on eBay. Also it did not come with a jack so I'll need to scrounge one up.
Haven't had time yet to take a lot of photos, here's one of it just parked in front of the garage as I got it. A previous owner painted the fender flares but didn't use plastic paint so they're peeling and rough-looking, I'll take care of that, Krylon "Fusion" plastic paint looks like it is the ticket for this. They also used lousy/cheap paint on the bumpers which is flaking off but that is easily rectified as well.
Also I've started spraying the underside of my vehicles with "Fluid Film" before the start of winter to help ward off the tinworm and will do so with this one to hopefully keep the chassis solid.
Thanks! Were these made in right-hand drive versions? (I know AMC made right-hand-drive Ramblers back in the day for sale in the UK and Australia.)
Today I had a little time to play around with refinishing the plastic fender flares. The main problem I found is getting off the crappy old paint - some has peeled off but some is adhering strongly. (I did some sanding but don't want to use more aggressive methods that will damage the plastic.)
This leaves uneven areas that show through the Krylon paint, as I found when testing on a small area. So based on a suggestion in a youtube video I gave some spray bedliner a try. This is thicker and after a few coats the uneven parts are barely visible. It also leaves a nice textured finish, so that's what I'll probably use on the rest of the plastic. (It doesn't have to be perfect, this is not a show car by any stretch of the imagination!)
Here's what it looks like after a little work sanding down the fender flares and spraying with bedliner. (The black overspray was already there from a previous owner painting the flares with cheapo paint. Not sure if I can clean that up without damaging the factory paint.) Looks much less disreputable now.
I also took care of the small rust areas on the outer rockers, though decided it looked better if I painted the entire rocker black rather than just the affected spot. Rust is also sealed up on the bottom edge of the passenger door, so that's black. Maybe I can find some of the lower door moldings from one of the fancier Cherokee models to put on there.
09-20-2015, 05:44 PM
My first Cherokee
