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$500 xj budget build

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Old Jan 2, 2011 | 06:58 PM
  #1  
knuckleduster271's Avatar
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
Default $500 xj budget build

Bought this 1994 country from a co-worker for $500. He bought it in 96 with 30,000 miles on it. His brother went to prison in 2006 so he ended up with his 2003 nissan maxima for a $3500 payoff. The jeep sat in his garage since 2006 until last saterday when I picked it up. The tires were flat and came off the beads, the battery was dead. I had a hell of a time getting it on the trailer due to the tires and cracked the fiberglass rear hatch using my powerstoke with a tire to push it on the trailer. This is how she looked on the trailer. Plans are- a 3" lift, 285/75/16 MT's, a rear lunchbox locker, some bumpers and eventually a gear swap
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Last edited by knuckleduster271; Jan 2, 2011 at 07:08 PM.
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Old Jan 2, 2011 | 07:24 PM
  #2  
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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Got it home, in the shop and on jacks. Removed the horrific running boards and pulled the wheels and tires. Heres a pic of the rear hatch damage also. Im gonna spend some time tomorrow trying to get it running and have the stock tires remounted and balanced just so i can move it in/out of the garage when needed for now. This thing is very solid with no body rust at all that I can find. It still had an oil change sticker in the windshield from 06 that has 2100 miles left on it. I did notice the tail pipe was rotted away from the muffler. More to come. Stay tuned
Attached Thumbnails 0 xj budget build-imag0148.jpg   0 xj budget build-imag0149.jpg   0 xj budget build-imag0150.jpg   0 xj budget build-imag0151.jpg  
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Old Jan 2, 2011 | 07:32 PM
  #3  
Texas XJeeper's Avatar
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From: TX
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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Not a bad buy. good looking rig..
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Old Jan 2, 2011 | 07:38 PM
  #4  
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From: New England
Year: 1999 XJ, 2000 WJ
Engine: 4.0 l6
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if it hasnt run for 5 years I'd change the oil bud. Even if an oil change sticker says its got 2100 miles left. Pretty nice steal for 500 bucks! How many miles are on it?
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Old Jan 2, 2011 | 07:55 PM
  #5  
knuckleduster271's Avatar
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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Originally Posted by Z400Rider
if it hasnt run for 5 years I'd change the oil bud. Even if an oil change sticker says its got 2100 miles left. Pretty nice steal for 500 bucks! How many miles are on it?
107,000 The oil is clean and full, I wouldnt drive with it in there but it will do fine for initial start up and let it get to operating temp then change it along with the xfer case, trans and both diffs. I was just impressed that it was takin care of.
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Old Jan 2, 2011 | 09:12 PM
  #6  
Bustedknuckle's Avatar
Old Skewl CF like a Sir
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,355
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From: Fort Myers, FL
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L High Output OBDII
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Cheap Jeeps are the best Jeeps! Congrats, look forward to watching the build.
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Old Jan 3, 2011 | 02:54 PM
  #7  
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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Got it running today had a junk battery in the shop that still had a couple months left on the 3 year replacement warranty so that was $80 saved. It was a little slow to start fired up quicker than I expected with 5 year old gas. The alternator is froze up, squeels louder than a stuck pig. oil pressure seemed low (no idiot lights, just moved the sweep on the guage a little) but I only let it idle for about 3 minutes. Picked up some pads for the front today ($23) and had the tires remounted and balanced ($24). Total investment so far $547
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Old Jan 7, 2011 | 03:53 PM
  #8  
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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Picked up an alternator from a 98 durango today at a local yard for $35.00 so far im at $582
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Old Jan 7, 2011 | 06:39 PM
  #9  
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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Went to put the bigger alternator in and had a clearance issue with the outer mount bracket. The alternator is physically bigger and hits the bracket before the alternator can seat into place. Did I mention it was a PITA to get in there? I got it though. My wife always told me I was good at fitting big things in small places
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Old Jan 11, 2011 | 10:49 AM
  #10  
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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Jeep runs great! Purrs like a kitten even with 5 year old gas. Had to do quite a bit of grinding to make the durango alternator work. Got some stuff to do a Wal Mart brand synthetic oil change ($21.71), Diff gaskets front and rear, gallon of DexIII,transmission gasket/filter kit, and some lucas for the diffs ($32.16) Had a 5 gallon bucket of 80/90 in the shop so that saved me some $$ Total cost $636. Cant wait to get all this mickey mouse BS out of the way so I can start on the lift. Ive been searching the yards for some nice F150 coils 66-79 with no luck. Thinking of just buying a 4.5" $459.00 rough country kit from ebay since I have two holidays coming up on future paychecks

Last edited by knuckleduster271; Jan 11, 2011 at 10:53 AM.
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 06:02 PM
  #11  
knuckleduster271's Avatar
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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Picked up some coolant for a flush & fill, an air filter and an oil pressure sending unit for $41.00-total spent $677.00
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 06:18 PM
  #12  
Kpamep's Avatar
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Posts: 43
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From: NB Canada
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L v6
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nice jeep
cant wait to see what would be next...
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Old Jan 16, 2011 | 09:35 AM
  #13  
knuckleduster271's Avatar
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From: north central ohio
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: flux capacitor
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The jeep was missing a spare, I found a wheel and tire for free so I have me a spare now.
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Old Jan 16, 2011 | 11:05 AM
  #14  
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 33
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From: Bay Area
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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Nice, that is an awesome deal on the Jeep.
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Old Jan 16, 2011 | 12:27 PM
  #15  
Jameson079's Avatar
Newbie
 
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 23
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From: Bay Area
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 EFI "Power Tech"
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Hey man thats cool! I just picked up an '89 XJ on the 2nd, right after new years for $800

I need to start a build thread lol

Good luck with the build
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