Haha... that's okay. At least you have a build thread... I haven't started mine yet, but I really don't even have much to post as far as "building" it either. That will change once I get the donor jeep for the 4wd swap.

 

So got lots of stuff done around the house today and wasn't able to start on the Black until 8pm. Luckily the sun stays up here till 11pm right now LOL.

One of the things I noticed was some noise going over bumpy roads so I took a look at my rear shocks....drivers side didn't look so hot.




No wonder it was making noise....the bushing it totally shot, but the shock is still good.

As I mentioned, I should have the RC 4.5 lift within the next couple of months, so there is no sense in buying a new shock.....Napa had my solution.



That and alittle silicone spray will work right?

There was no way that I could get the shoulder of the bushing into the shock...so...break out the Benchmade.



Now...how to force it in? First I started with a pair of channel locks...twisting all over the place...so I tried two pair at once.....uhh...no.



And my final solution.......Steering Wheel Puller.



But that wasn't the end of it....once the bushing was in I had to ream it out since it wouldn't fit on the shaft after being squeezed into the shock mount. And then I finally got it on the shaft.....and it wouldn't allow the nut to start threading.....more Benchmade time.



Finally got it done.....

Best part? No more noise......from the back....now I can hear something going clunk up front LOL....it never ends does it?

My wife took a picture in my 'working' hat. Death Mechanic....cause I fix things till they die.....LMAO....

 

lol.... nope never does... I like your hat, btw. You guys only get like 4 hours of dark during the summer, right? Must make it nice for getting things done, but hell on trying to sleep...

 

Yeah...nice to have so much daylight when the weather is nice. Right now it's about 21 hours a day and 65-75 degrees. The flip side to that is around Christmas we are only getting about 4 hours of daylight. Dawn at 1030a, sun stars setting about 2pm. But of course it's likely to be -30 so it doesn't matter that much.

Thanks on the hat, one of my buddies in the 'Tacti-cool' business make'em.

Dutch

 

I can hear you here in Colorado at 8340 above sea level. Keep going. You will have a great XJ to USE not paek.
Gary

 

Nice progress!

 

So maybe it's a little thing to some folks, but the mismatched color of my header was really bugging me. The factory paint is roached anyway, but I at least wanted everything to be the same shade.

And so we begin: HEY LOOK!! I GOT A JOOP!


Got everything cleaned and scuffed and of course...it decided to rain...fml.



But I kept at it





Seemed to turn out ok.



I can hear a whistling of vacuum leak under the hood under acceleration and my cruise control won't hold the set speed, so time to dive in and figure out where it's leaking next.

Dutch

 

that is one heck of a project you have going on, but its coming together. good job man!

 

Man after a floridian's own heart right there.... poor man's spray gun IN THE RAIN! ftw

 

Check your vacuum canister on the passenger side firewall.

 

It looks like the canister is ok and complete. I'm having a hell of a time finding it. I can jocky the throttle under acceleration and hear the whistle come and go.....not sure how to narrow it down right now.

Cruise 'almost' holds the speed, it just slowly creeps downward. Can't be too much of a leak.

Dutch

 

So I was putting my new nameplate on and I saw an irresistible photo op.

Photo shot at 8:39pm in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

 

I didn't get much done to the XJ this weekend cause I was busy getting things ready for winter. Part of that was to re-organize my garage and work space. Built some new shelves outside for all the gas can storage....look at this row of beauties! NATO jerry cans.



Then I get to work this morning and Santa had shown up......time to straighten out the frame horn.....tada! JCR Bumper Brackets:



Hopefully will get to put these on this weekend.

 

Cool build. It's fun to read these when you can tell the builder has some personality.

 

resurrection indeed! lots of work ahead of you I see. Keep it up