Add some pics of the interior I'm curious of how it looks in the back seat area

 

As of right now the motor and tranny are out. That was a headache! It would have gone a lot better had I known I could access the tranny to t-case bolts from inside the jeep -- previous owner used so much damn bedliner all over the place the bolts were hidden. Will get some pics up soon, I'm wiped out :P

 

Keep it up, looks like your getting more done in days than I have in weeks if not months on my XJ... Can't wait to start seein' some trail shots of this thing in action

 

Hey thanks! Pics will come tomorrow, I've run out of light for the most part. It helps that I'm unemployed (by choice luckily)! 8-12 hour days in the garage means a lot can get done. For the last hour I've been trying to clean up and get organized before the engine teardown. I spilled lots of ATF, so it's kitty litter central over here right now.

I bought some shelves and a rack for the garage since the owner of the house moved his stuff out, so I'll get a shot of the work space as well. OH -- I rented a Bluebird Teardown Engine Hoist from Grand Rental Station in Loveland, CO. I would highly recommend that hoist to anyone in the market for one. Disassembles into a few pieces for easy transport. If the seats fold down, it can fit into a sedan. I also purchased a set of GearWrench flex-head ratcheting wrenches, which are probably the best purchase I've made in awhile when it comes to tools. From Advance Auto Parts w/ an online promo code, the 7 piece SAE set was about $45.

That's it for tonight, like I said, pics incoming tomorrow. Thanks for following my thread, helps keep me on track.

 

So I haven't been able to update the thread in awhile, I'm busy preparing for a trip to Costa Rica on the 3rd. However, I've made some good progress on the Jeep.



I'm trying to get the bedliner off and down to bare metal. The hood, fender, and door are done. The whole driver's side is nearly done. No bodywork right now, just sanding to bare metal and shooting primer. Anything is an improvement, and I'm not ready to spend time making panels straight. That can come later. I'm playing with the idea of removing the rear window completely. The previous welds aren't fantastic and I'm not sure the extra space in the cab is helping me at all. A longer bed might be nice. Chopping all the way to the windshield would be awesome too.



The interior is really rough, I'd like to fab up a custom dash with some diamond plate and call it a day. Something to go around the column and hold gauges. The passenger side could be empty for all I care as long as I get it looking better. Anyone have any dash ideas? Mine is all cut up and broken, it's no good.



There's a ton of filler on the rear fender flare and behind it, I'll likely be welding in patch panels when I get motivated to do bodywork. For now the filler will be sanded relatively smooth and primered. After it doesn't look like some sort of degenerate shop class project I'll focus on getting the mechanics perfect, then bodywork can happen. Function over form.

 

Shot of the back seat area, there's a box in there I need to take out. Under the bedliner who knows what it looks like. It's a pretty thin wall.



This is the reason the engine won't turn. The rest of the cylinders are nice and clean, the exhaust valve on #8 was open and the headers were loose. It let moisture in to wreak havoc. I'd like to go with a bigger bore on the rebuild.

 

This is something I wouldn't mind my Jeep ending up as. I'm definitely going to do the Rhino grille conversion.

 

Tell me, what exactly is the secret to being unemployed by choice and being able to build a Jeep and plan a trip to Costa Rica? Are you a powerball winner? Lucky bastard.

 

It's not nearly that exciting, I assure you! I moved from my beautiful home Colorado to Arizona to be closer to my family and do a bit of a "reset". After a year of working 60 hours a week and living with my parents, I was able to save enough money to support myself and have a bit of fun this summer, too! I've since moved back to Colorado, as Arizona just wasn't a great fit. I'll have to start working within a few months, but for now I'm trying to enjoy the time off and get a lot done! It definitely helps being free of the responsibilities most have, like children and spouses.

 

Heck yeah. My XJ and my Mazda (DD) are my kids...lol. Keep us posted on that engine rebuild!

 

The driver's side is now all primered, though the rear quarter area is really nasty. The flare looks pretty bad. I'll have to look into either learning how to cut and weld body panels myself or hiring somebody to do it. Anybody know good cheap body guys in northern Colorado?



I think I'd like to do that to it. Yes I've got some MS Paint skillz.

 

I think if you choose to chop the entire top, it would be a good idea, and look good, if you build a roll cage. That way you and your passengers are safe. As for a custom dash, do something simple. Some sheet metal with a new set of gauges is all you need. I really like what you've got going on so far. Keep up the good work.

 

I would definitely build a roll cage. Even now I'm not sure it's safe. Rest assured it will be before it's on the road!

 

As for the tires not being centered, and trying to decipher how to fix it, why not just open up the front of the wheel wells and push the front part of the flare forward? No mechanical work needed, just a little body work, which it sounds as though you will have to do in that area anyways.

 

That's a good idea. There is a bunch of filler between where the flare is supposed to sit and where it does. Both sides are packed with filler. It would seem to be pretty easy to knock out that filler and stretch the flare a bit, then bolt it into place. I'll have a look.