well my buddy Aaron is one lucky S.O.B.

...he doesn't have access to a computer and has been looking for a d/d to spend his insurance money from his totalled neon on. I found this 99 XJ for him on craigslist...but we were skeptical to go look as it seemed like it would be severely damaged and only a parts vehicle, and the CL add didn't have any pictures.

we went and looked anyways and were not disappointed;





it's a 99 cherokee, 4.0 automatic with ALL power options, working a/c, 126k miles, and an np242 (I assume 8.25 but forgot to look). The CL ad said it had a front end collision and would need a new front clip, and had a bent front axle and busted t-case...so I assumed the worst.

surprisingly...yes it needs all those things, BUT strangely enough the frame wasn't damaged at all. the front axle contacted something low while the front end contacted something high (presumably the front of a mini van) at 45mph...pushing the axle back and bending it, then collapsing the front driveshaft into the t-case and cracking it around both the front and rear housing of the t-case.

the corner of the front end is all that contacted the mini van, and so not even the inner fender was damaged.

ironically, I have a matching salvageable front left fender, and a black header panel with good markers and bezels just sitting in my parts collection. Aaron doesn't like full time so he wants my spare np231...fine with me since I had a detonated np231 laying around, so I can now build a nice sealed output np242 to go behind the ax15 and buick 3800SC in my 86 comanche.

the worst part of the "rebuild" is that it has a bent exhaust manifold from the axle contacting it. luckily, I have one of those (uncracked) as well.

the best part...the P.O. already removed the front axle for us, and it had new brakes installed 4 days before the accident...and 2 months on the wheel bearings. has 126k miles.

the plan: get it driveable by throwing a 3.55 geared hp30 in it, and passing emissions (I dont think the check engine light is on but just to be on the safe side I'm assuming it is and will need a new up stream o2 sensor). replace header and driver's side fender, and color match the header plus touch up any nics on the jeep. then lift it 2" and run 31x10.50's OR go to 3" with some trimming and run 33x12.50 A/T's on 15x10 simulated beadlocks with 3.5" backspacing.

any way we go about it though...he paid $500 for it, we have all the parts to fix it (even the gaskets left over from previous engine builds)...and it was just a damn good deal. I'm actually jealous lol

 

i think he should exo-cage this one too

 

thats a good deal even if you didnt have all the parts to fix it already

im a lil jealous also

 

Im sure aaron will find a way to make this one stick out in a crowd like his other xj.....

how soon before he chops the roof on this one??

 

wow! what a steal.

 

$500... what a steal. I wish I could come across something like that. Everything around here are grocery getters going for at least $2000.

 

Thats a damn good deal. If you come across anymore of those shoot me a message!

 

Nice find, How many Aaron's with 99 green XJ s are there? Thought I was the only one.

 

lmao...next one I find is MINE


and the guy that aaron bought it from was named aaron too :P

 

Cant wait to see what it becomes.

 

I'll update with pics tomorrow sometime...but today we picked it up at 5pm...took 2 hours to get the axle in and get it rollable. unfortunately we only brought donut tires to throw on and forgot to check air pressure...so wrecked a "good" set of donuts to get it on the dolly.

got the t-case out of it. turns out it's an np231 and I must just be blind. with that in mind, in interest of keeping the 96+ sealed output...I tore down a 231J with bad guts and good housing, then tore down the 99's 231J...which turns out to be mint other than the case. cleaned the 99 internals and the 92 case and they are drip-drying right now. will take about an hour to toss it back together and install it in the A.M.

also after Aaron went home (it's in my shop), I swapped the front end with a new header and less damaged driver's side fender.

aaron already registered it, and it will be running and driving by tomorrow...d/d'd by sunday. we need to build my other dana 30 to install in it as this one's got real bad rust on it, and is the wrong ratio anyways.

 

pics...we need to put a different bumper on it. threw on the other fender I had and black header...fender is not perfect but much less noticeable.




frame isn't crinkled or damaged at all


old t-case

put it in a new housing. it's gonna sit there for now

"new" 231 from YJ

gauges







inner fender not damaged either

newer style intake

 

Nice score!

Looks good.

 

pretty much same way i got my 4 door

 

well, this jeep got hit 5 hours after it was done getting fixed. i know it got some good damage and was hit hard enough to have the driveshaft come out of the t-case.