A build named Sue
 

Hello boys and girls, I'm new to the forum but not new to the Jeep community. A little about me… I'm a full-time fireman/paramedic in the midwest and after a pretty extensive motorcycle accident and subsequent hardware installation(see pics) I have more time on my hands than the average joe, so here it goes. I just picked up this new honey wreaked, it's nothing special and as for the spec sheet I'll give it my best go. The Jeep was owned by a college student and after he kissed another car I got it bought pretty right.

Sue:
1999 XJ 2 door, 5 speed manual with 171,000 on the clock
4.0L
AX15
NP241?
Throttle body spacer
CAI

Just tuned up and has pretty new tires, which are going bye bye.
Sue is 100% stock so it's about to get a big over haul. This will be a work truck/DD. My Commander is a great unit, I love it but I need to get back into a diesel pickup asap. I found a 2012 Cummins mega cab, so the commander and my Impala SS are off for trade and this new to me XJ will be my little beater. I'm looking for advice on lift size, tires, ect… See pics from my last YJ build.

Build plan:
4.5 or 6.5 lift, Probably RC?
Soft 8's?
33x12.50R16s
SYE + double cardan shaft
Injectors?
Front and rear custom bumpers?
Regear/ Ford 8.8 rear
Spicer joints all around
Ball joints
ZJ steering or HD aftermarket steering
Durango steering box
Rocker panels
Rear quarters eventually

So that's about what I have for a build list at this point. Let me know what you guys think and what I should add. This thing won't be flexing out everyday or hitting the trails everyday. This will primarily be a weekend warrior and work truck with the occasional hunting trip or 20 :laughing:.

This will be my first attempt at pics, here we go!

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So This is what I looked like after the frame work. Just waiting on a hood from shady vendor on Ebay. Probably get a new hood from a different local vendor this week and have it all buttoned up by this weekend. Well, any input in appreciated :cheers:

My hood finally arrived today :yes: from the shady Ebay vendor, so I hope to have this thing buttoned up by the end of the week. I'll be sure to add some pictures of it all done. If anyone has advise on the lift size or wheel size/back spacing please chime on in, it's appreciated! I'm pretty torn between the 6.5 and the 4.5 lift. Probably won't do a long arm right off the bat until my wheeling skills get a little more advanced. I'll probably start ordering stuff in the next week, so let me know what you guys recommend or any experience with brands or links to the best quality and priced stuff. I know RC is relatively taboo but the cost is on par for a novice like myself. Hope you all like the build as it progresses.

Nice jeep! You're lucky to have found a 97+ 2-door 5-speed

Btw did the build name come from Johnny Cash?

Thanks! I had to look pretty hard for a clean one around these parts! Well clean outside of the front end damage, lol. The rear rockers are a just starting to bubble, so I'm going to try and get on that asap. And yes the name came from Cash, I thought it was kind of funny and applied. Little two door XJ that some people might think is girly but after I'm done with the build it will be anything but.

So my first hood was absolute junk from a shady eBay dealer :censored:. So I went to the local parts dealer and picked up a new one, got in to the shop and unwrapped it to only find that it too had been dropped and was all out of whack. So, hopefully by wednesday I can have this dang thing looking somewhat like an XJ.

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No real progress, this hood is going back. Once it's all square and painted I'll get my lift and tire/wheels coming. Hope the lift goes smother than this dang hood situation has been!!

Nice Jeep! What department are you with?

IAFF local 11… Cedar Rapids, IA. I was a Washington D.C. fireman for two years prior to coming to Iowa and was recently hired with the Chicago FD, unfortunately this leg and collapsed lung put this off. Glad they let me differ to the next academy, provided they have one. Midwest is just a little more my speed I suppose.

Thanks for the complements on the Jeep, can't wait to really show it off with a lift, ect… Stay tuned!

Great build! I recommend 4.5 inch lift if your gonna go with 33s

That's what I was thinking brother, I think 6.5 might be a little more show that go for me at this point. Plus, axle upgrade isn't in my near future… Well that is until I grenade the current one. You have one good looking XJ! So glad to be apart of this awesome family.

Hood has come in, should be together by Sunday and painted, pictures to follow. So my neighbor is an RC dealer and cut me an awesome deal on a 6.5 lift that I couldn't pass up. So God willing, I should have this up in the air in the next week as well. Going with 33x12.50's. Anyone have a recommendation on the best (cheapest) hub centric wheel and where to order from?

Current build list:
SYE
1 ton steering
Durango Box
New joints, depending on what's bad
Injectors, 703-784… What's the difference?
Hotter thermostat
The list goes on…. built axles, long arm, snorkel, armor, lockers, ect….

Can't wait to see it lifted

703 injectors are used on 91-98 4.0's and the 784 injectors are used on 99-06 4.0's

Awesome! Thanks for the info.

Hey guys, been awhile since I updated anything on this build. Been focused on getting back to work, oh and I bought this :gun smilie:

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It's a 2005 Cummins with the NV5600, twin PPE dual fuelers, 3' lift, 35's, exhaust…. blah blah blah the list goes on to the tune of a huge chunk of change. Got a smoking deal so I couldn't pass up a rust free truck. That being said I've already dropped 2k into the truck on the Dual Disk ceramic clutch so the jeep has taken a back seat.

Anyway I finished all the body work with the jeep for the most part. Ran into a few issues, the hood was just a pita to get right. Threw it up on the alignment rack and found out the rear axle is pushed forward on the right side 1 1/2 and the transfer case is getting a new seal. So basically my plans have been a little derailed with the purchase of the Cummins. My plan for the jeep now is a modest lift, 3' and find some decent used tires or retreads. Like I said the Cummins is kinda first now, trying to gather up every thing for compound turbos, can't wait :sneaky2:

So here's the jeep for now….


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