A College Kid's 96 Classic
08-01-2011, 08:36 PM
#17
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Model: Cherokee
Engine: i6 4.0L High Output
Lift is here!!! I bit the bullet and got my 3" RC lift (shocks springs and AAL). Before any of you criticize AAL, it's a strictly on-road vehicle, and my leafs are already in great condition.
$266 shipped
Tuesday and Wednesday are final prep and paint days, then I have around 2 weeks to find time to get the lift one before I head back to school. Should be no problem!
EDIT: My other ride is in the background
$266 shipped
Tuesday and Wednesday are final prep and paint days, then I have around 2 weeks to find time to get the lift one before I head back to school. Should be no problem!EDIT: My other ride is in the background
08-01-2011, 08:50 PM
#19
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Model: Cherokee
Engine: i6 4.0L High Output
i'm already counting on every rear bolt to break -___- haha, I blasted every nut and bolt i'll be touching with WD40 once last week, and once yesterday. Hopefully that will save at least a few of them
08-01-2011, 09:04 PM
#22
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Location: Maine
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Hey, my XJ is black and I herculined my front bumper. It looks reeeeally nice and the two different blacks don't clash at all. Check out my build, there are plenty of pictures. Looks like you did a great job sanding and priming. Good luck with the paint and the lift, I'll check in often to see how it's going.
I don't have tons of time to work on mine either, but I try and do little things here and there. As long as it's not in any worse shape than the day before, things are going well
I'm sure you're going to love it when it's all done. It'll be like a whole new jeep.
I don't have tons of time to work on mine either, but I try and do little things here and there. As long as it's not in any worse shape than the day before, things are going well
I'm sure you're going to love it when it's all done. It'll be like a whole new jeep.
08-01-2011, 09:09 PM
#23
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Model: Cherokee
Engine: i6 4.0L High Output
Thanks man! Yeah even though my XJ is in total primer right now, I still feel 100x more proud driving it around. Doing all the work myself is rewarding The only obstacle in the way now is finding a set of coil spring compressors. I really don't want to tack on another $50 to this project for something so miniscule.
EDIT: Autozone rents out coil spring compressors for $40, and when you return em, you get all $40 back! No obstacles other than bolts, time, and weather
The only obstacle in the way now is finding a set of coil spring compressors. I really don't want to tack on another $50 to this project for something so miniscule.EDIT: Autozone rents out coil spring compressors for $40, and when you return em, you get all $40 back! No obstacles other than bolts, time, and weather
Last edited by chadh92; 08-01-2011 at 11:51 PM.
08-03-2011, 03:56 PM
#24
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Model: Cherokee
Engine: i6 4.0L High Output
The past 2 days (tuesday and wednesday) were the last 2 days for paint! Found a nice opening of sunshine over the 2 days, so figured it was time to do it.
Tuesday night (5pm) I went to my dad's house, and we got started on the final sanding, bondo-ing, and wetsanding. At around 9pm it began getting dark, and we left the car parked at his house. This was the only picture I had of it, as my phone's camera sucks at night (it's only bright due to the flash)
Since my car was sanded, taken apart, and taped up, this means I got to take my dad's Roush 427R back home for the night
I headed back to his house early in the morning, and we began the last touches of sanding, and plasticking the windows.
We don't have a garage at my dad's house, and my mom is too stubborn to let us use hers, so we had to build a paint booth The whole construction of this thing comes from my dad...I'm not crafty enough to pull this off.
Wiped the car down with some mineral spirits and it was time to paint! We bought 3 quarts of Duplicolor Paint Shop Finish, color was Jet Black. We plan on doing a final final paint in October, so we left out the clear coat for this time. Getting the settings perfect between the gun and the paint was a big issue. We wasted the first 1/2 quart just trying to get an even spray. So we knew 2 1/2 quarts might not turn out the greatest. An hour later, and this is what we had.
So here's the complaint about the paint. Very orange peely, and nowhere near as smooth of a final finish as car paint should be. I know we didn't have the best of conditions, and the fact that we skimped out on paint didn't help much either. But here's the only thing wrong with the car...with a glare hitting it perfectly (camera flash), and when you know it's already there, the hood had plenty of scratches to be shown. I realize that this is from the sandpaper, and that we didn't do 3 or more coats of paint, so i'm not too worried about it. I don't even understand how the scratches are there though. We used 5 grit, 60 grit, 100 grit, 180 grit, 260 grit, 400 grit, 800 grit, and 1000 grit. Oh well, it was $60 worth of paint, what can ya do! Like I said, unless you're right up on the car and looking for it, you don't notice the scratches at all.
We put the tail lights, bumper ends, headlight bezels, etc all back together and I drove it home not even 90 minutes after the paint was sprayed. Here's a few pictures from back at my mom's house.
The only real noticeable thing wrong with the XJ (other than the suspension) is the rear bumper ends. I've already worked out a deal with another user on here and I got both in like new condition for $20 shipped!
All in all, the paint looks fantastic from 5 feet away and further. If you get up to it, you can notice it's got imperfections, but hey. It's a $60 driveway paintjob! I think if I was going for the same effect again (cheap paintjob) I would definitely use the same paint. It was $19.99/quart and 4 qts would have been enough for a nice thick coat all around.
It's funny because in the beginning I couldn't decide if I wanted to do a matte black, or a gloss black. I decided on gloss because I didn't want to lose the reflectiveness entirely, but without a clear coat on this Duplicolor Paint Shop, it looks great! A nice mean flat black look!
Sunday, August the 7th will be the day my RC 3" AAL kit goes on! It's all in the back of my XJ (in every picture) and the rear end still doesn't sag!
Tuesday night (5pm) I went to my dad's house, and we got started on the final sanding, bondo-ing, and wetsanding. At around 9pm it began getting dark, and we left the car parked at his house. This was the only picture I had of it, as my phone's camera sucks at night (it's only bright due to the flash)
Since my car was sanded, taken apart, and taped up, this means I got to take my dad's Roush 427R back home for the night
I headed back to his house early in the morning, and we began the last touches of sanding, and plasticking the windows.
We don't have a garage at my dad's house, and my mom is too stubborn to let us use hers, so we had to build a paint booth
The whole construction of this thing comes from my dad...I'm not crafty enough to pull this off.
Wiped the car down with some mineral spirits and it was time to paint! We bought 3 quarts of Duplicolor Paint Shop Finish, color was Jet Black. We plan on doing a final final paint in October, so we left out the clear coat for this time. Getting the settings perfect between the gun and the paint was a big issue. We wasted the first 1/2 quart just trying to get an even spray. So we knew 2 1/2 quarts might not turn out the greatest. An hour later, and this is what we had.
So here's the complaint about the paint. Very orange peely, and nowhere near as smooth of a final finish as car paint should be. I know we didn't have the best of conditions, and the fact that we skimped out on paint didn't help much either. But here's the only thing wrong with the car...with a glare hitting it perfectly (camera flash), and when you know it's already there, the hood had plenty of scratches to be shown. I realize that this is from the sandpaper, and that we didn't do 3 or more coats of paint, so i'm not too worried about it. I don't even understand how the scratches are there though. We used 5 grit, 60 grit, 100 grit, 180 grit, 260 grit, 400 grit, 800 grit, and 1000 grit. Oh well, it was $60 worth of paint, what can ya do! Like I said, unless you're right up on the car and looking for it, you don't notice the scratches at all.
We put the tail lights, bumper ends, headlight bezels, etc all back together and I drove it home not even 90 minutes after the paint was sprayed. Here's a few pictures from back at my mom's house.
The only real noticeable thing wrong with the XJ (other than the suspension
) is the rear bumper ends. I've already worked out a deal with another user on here and I got both in like new condition for $20 shipped!All in all, the paint looks fantastic from 5 feet away and further. If you get up to it, you can notice it's got imperfections, but hey. It's a $60 driveway paintjob! I think if I was going for the same effect again (cheap paintjob) I would definitely use the same paint. It was $19.99/quart and 4 qts would have been enough for a nice thick coat all around.
It's funny because in the beginning I couldn't decide if I wanted to do a matte black, or a gloss black. I decided on gloss because I didn't want to lose the reflectiveness entirely, but without a clear coat on this Duplicolor Paint Shop, it looks great! A nice mean flat black look!
Sunday, August the 7th will be the day my RC 3" AAL kit goes on! It's all in the back of my XJ (in every picture) and the rear end still doesn't sag!
Last edited by chadh92; 08-03-2011 at 03:59 PM.
08-04-2011, 01:38 PM
#27
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Model: Cherokee
Engine: i6 4.0L High Output
Just called up Discount Tire and put in the order for my XJ's new feet!
4 BFG AT T/A KO 31x10.50
4 Black Cragar Soft 8 15x8 wheels + New lug set
4 Chrome Center Caps
And in NC this week it's TAX FREE WEEKEND!
Got all this for $1040! Saved over $70 in taxes, and he matched and even BEAT Summit Racing's price on the wheels and caps!
4 BFG AT T/A KO 31x10.50
4 Black Cragar Soft 8 15x8 wheels + New lug set
4 Chrome Center Caps
And in NC this week it's TAX FREE WEEKEND!
Got all this for $1040! Saved over $70 in taxes, and he matched and even BEAT Summit Racing's price on the wheels and caps!
Last edited by chadh92; 08-04-2011 at 11:35 PM.
