JackNY

Hey thinking I need to start a build thread for my Jeep after my latest move.

Warning PICTURE HEAVY!! NSF56K!!

FIRST! A trip down My Jeep Memory lane.

The time line of my Jeep told in pictures.

Fall 2006 Got it! 70k miles clean clean sport. (First mod cutting up the front plastic on the bumper and mounting Hellas from Wal-Mart and factory tow hooks)




Winter 2007 First lift done by me and my father in the garage with a craftsman 80 piece tool set!
3 inch OME lift from DPG Offroad





After wheeling and some TRIMMING.I had no problem slicing up this Jeep in a tasteful manner.

NY Wheeling







Then I got the parts jeep itch...




Bought and parted out 2 Jeeps, Made my money back and then some and kept things that were going to my next "Phase".


1000 dollar 89 XJ Chief, XJ d44 with 3.73s and detriot, Full RK 5.5 short arm kit, brand new MTRs 33x10.5, All the lift and axle work was done and the jeep was parked. Passed it on my way to school for 6 months called when it first was parked out in front of his house, he wanted 2000 dollars, 6 months later on whim called and offered 1000 (what i was about to spend on new wheels and tires) and he took it. Sold the lift and axle for 1000 dollars the next day. Chyeah.

Stripped it in one night before a damn blizzard moved in!









Collecting Parts: HP D30 w/ 4.11s 29 spline 8.25 4.11s and 33x10.5 BFG MTRs brand new from a jeep.






Growth Spurt 2009
Full RK 3-Link 6 inch Coils, Stainless steel brake lines





Testing out the new stuff!

Picked up all this for 230 shipped! Score!


Snorkel and Big disconnects+

Installed the new items plus a SYE.. Ditched the Nightmare known as HacknTap







Installed HD Engineering Shackle relocation bracket!- Highly Recommend it!



Aug 2009 Off I transferred into ASU for a change of scenery!



First X-Country TRIP!







One of the best years at school! Wheeling and lots of partying!











Lots of Mall Crawlers in AZ



Milestone.. 100k driven with no real engine issues!


I built this thing up for some serious road-tripping and what not!





VVegass!!!
























lol





















First trail break! Carry Spares!







Such good times in AZ! Last weekend of wheeling before I was going back to NY for the summer for an internship.

My dad flew out and we were gonna take 10 days to drive back and hit up some spots in Utah and Colorado! First Day in AZ started off really nicely and then I had a run in with a Ford Raptor.... To be continued in my next post...

JackNY

All smiles!

All Sadfaces!




Had to pull the axle shaft that was XPLODED in order for the jeep to roll. Radiator was blown and the steering did not turn left..







Getting dragged up the last hill out.



Dad calling tripple A..



Gotta love the offroad community! All these people helped me out!










Going over the Information, Guy was nice, He knew he was inexperienced and flogging it in the washes around a blind corner...



First time the Jeep has ever been on a tow truck since I owned it... Sadness!



Alright! Here is what happened! I was at Butcher Jones beach with my dad, left to go get lunch so we were exiting out the winding switch back washes to the main road. We were in the car 3 minutes and driving 10-15 miles per hour and staying right on the all the "forks" in the washes and in the blink of an eye after a corner I see the distinctive Raptor Grill. No time to react we both swerve thank god. We hit tire to tire. My airbags didnt go off his did. He was traveling much faster 30 or so getting ready to mob thru the corner. No injuries except for the guys forearm was purple from the air bag. Happened on BLM property considered private by insurance- non injury accident so no police report!

His truck was brand new, 400 miles on the odometer still had his paper plates. My jeep was totaled by Nationwide, His truck had 16,000 worth of damage and spent 3 months at the dealer.airbags+a-arm suspension twisted fiberglass fender.. He was a nice guy and admitted fault to insurance so I got my deductible back. Paid out 7gs for the Jeep. Bought it back from insurance for 600.

Jeep sat in AZ all summer while I was in NY wondering what to do, almost bought a car almost bought a Jeep. Invested the money instead, a much better decision to this day..

Came back out to AZ in August to get the jeep from the yard and start the re-build process. This school year I had work and school so the jeep took a back burner and sat in various stages of repair for the whole school year under an outdoor garage.








Picked up a new HP housing for FREE!





Check out how tweaked that poor axle is. Thank god for solid chromoly long arms!

Lemme check if the radiator is really leaking that bad...

Flood



Thats why.. nice all metal radiator down the drain!





Not too bad, The unseen damage, steering box tweaked the other frame rail and was shot!

Link was bent!




Got ambitious to clean things up!


Got the new axle back from the welder! Looks beefy!




Fresh joint to replace the exploded one.



Shinny!


Back on the ground.



Cutting off tweaked dust shiellds!


Fresher shafts and bearings





Looking fresh axle side!



Buttoning up some ****!




Here comes the fun part!

Picked up a Waggy front in excellent condition!! with 88 fenders for 100!
I could not find a non molested 97+ oem header panel that was not a million dollars.






Some trimming!

then i realized it was taking way to long to finish, dust and expired tags had me motivated!








A nice scrub and cleaning was in order!







"Hey how did you get the wiring harness and lights to work with the 2000 wiring?"



what a nightmare! but I have it wired very cleanly in a custom harness!

Time for a shop to align it and what not!


Back in its Glory, It was over a Year after its initial wreck with the Raptor. Beginning of Aug. I flew back to AZ to get it and sell my stuff cause I transfered to the University of Washington in Seattle WA!!









Had AZ "paper plates" in the rig and a Re-built title!






Crown King AZ



New Hood to add to the Rainbow of diff colors I had upfront..


Off to Sedona AZ before I went back to NY for a month..

Then I realized why I loved Jeepin again!














Put the Jeep at a buddies after this trip for the month! Had a guy lined up to Paint the front end and buff the jeep for 650! His schedule was not lining up to mine. What a god damn nightmare!! So the Jeep did not get painted while I was in NY.. Then we started my X-country trip from NY again with my two brothers and my father to AZ then up to Seattle with some stops in between!

To be continued below in my next post!

JackNY

Took the first leg of the Trip in a rental minivan! Went to the home opening Notre Dame football game and then to Colorado then to AZ.

I was disappointed to not have the Jeep painted while I was gone but oh well! Revisited Sedona with my dad and brothers tho!

It was interesting to say the least wheeling with that much weight in/on the Jeep... Notice I had a u-haul from NY to AZ? not this time! hahha











Lunch break!



Went down slide rock a few times!



Bed Rock AZ!


Grand Canyon!





It was day 3? and we have not got out of AZ yet! lol

Finally some progress..Night time arrival in...


I was so excited sleep did not come easy even after all that damn driving!



Good morning!! Moving into our Cabin and unloading the Jeep then off for some MOAB wheeling!





















Wheeled two section sway bar connected.. You know where my next stop was!!





I blame the shop in AZ did not use thick enough plate for the bracket..





All better and REALLY beef!

Moab hiking is great too!








The whole crew!


Another night in the cabin and we hit the road!







Some exploring off the Highway!

Dinosaur Colorado!


























Montana















Idaho!




Arrival in WA at my brothers apartment in bellevue!
Reminds me of when he bought that car in NY after he graduated! let me look for the picture!


Man that brings back memories! The trip was awesome, My dad had a blast and we did some stuff we wanted to do on the way home before the jeep was totaled!

Now I am up to date on the build progress. I ordered a bumper and other armor waiting for it and got some interesting plans for this rig!! Bumpe should be here next week!

taythegibs

I like how well documented your story is and waggy front clips are AWESOME!

xclusivexj

Very cool story can't wait to see the rest of the build.

99 Purple XJ

Wow came a long way keep it up

99 Purple XJ

Were in NY do you live?

JackNY

When I lived in NY I lived in near schenectady and albany area.

I lived in hoboken for a summer and worked in the city which was a lot of fun.

When I lived in AZ I lived in tempe right next to ASU.

the jeep man 94

ngreat build and nice pics