bmrrwolfe

Time for a new build thread! I will start with some boring history.. At 17 I bought a stock 00 XJ loaded 110k mint shape for $2400, and was beyond excited and started saving for mods. 3.5" RE life 32" tire surco rack, hooks, hitch, Hella lights and audio were done since I was more into looks then fuctionality at that time.
Started like this:


Looked like this when I was done:




I put it up on C-list a year and a half ago to start over and got an offer to trade for an 06 KJ..
I know most people here don't like Libertys but it only had 60k and was 6 years newer then the XJ needed some minor work, but since I drove to and from school everyday and rarely saw the trails it made sense to me and I took the trade since I saw its potential!
Image it as a plain silver Liberty then I did some minor mods to it, and was about to lift it when I realized I could get a project XJ for the price of a quality lift and started looking..



This brings me to today, in November I found a 1999 XJ 145k 4.5" RC lift 33" BFG MTs on soft 8s bushwacker flares, RCX sliders, Olympic front bumper, bedlined interior ect. The PO overheated it and was looking for offers.. It was a member on here from NC and I live in OH but my dad lives in NC so I told him the details, and bought it based on pictures and his word and got it towed to my dads shop! The best part was, it reminded me of my XJ
There they put a junkyard motor with about 100k on it and I got it shipped up here to OH
At the shop after the fresh motor:

Finally home:



Now 20, I found a way to afford a nice comfy DD Jeep and an XJ to keep me happy and take on the trails and not be afraid to scratch it up!
Only problem is my bank account nearly emptied after I bought the XJ and the motor and got it towed home, so mods will be coming slow with only a little income coming in while still in school and living on my own...

bmrrwolfe

First mod was remove the stickers from the PO and start inspecting it over.
Found a custom headliner:

Looks like he took the fabric off and just sprayed it, and looks good enough for me!
Also found a new Sony CD player, and nice speakers in the front doors, rear roof and in the hatch, as well as nice quick disconnects up front!
Then came getting the stuch hatch open, which wasn't too bad, and also put in the new rear wiper motor since the PO cut off the end of the old one...


Next I wanted to make the local PD happy by putting on my front plate, but didn't want to drill into my nice bumper..
So I decided to use the front of the unibody and tuck it up tight so its still easy to read but out of the way:
Had to get some new wipers since the old ones were scratching the already cracked windshield and decided a free mod, clean and repaint the wiper arms some extra black spray.
Before:

After:

Another free mod, tint the markers and third brake light with Niteshades:


Also bought a set of Ebay H4 headlights best $22 mod to improve the XJ headlights, will be swapping out for even better bulbs soon too.
Also am working on swapping out all the interior lights with white LEDs and painting the dome lights black to match since the light grey looks pretty bad..

Nothing too exciting done yet, but did find stock control arms on it so I figured take the little money I had left to get a set of Adjustable uppers and lowers. Ordered a set from ARC fab, $249.99 shipped for a set, can't beat that, should be here next week.
Next mod, get rid of the 1" blocks in the back for 1.5" shackles.

Also on the short term list, find a 33" spare and a place to mount it.. ZJ tie-rod then alignment, fix and finish the bedlined lowers and bumpers, new windshield, get the lock/unlock buttons to work, tint the windows myself, fix the front door speaker wiring, and install my 12" infinity sub!
Later building my own roof rack with Pro comp lights front and back, custom reverse lights in the rear bumper, custom rear storage, maybe an on board air tank, and maybe have a buddy help me build a rear bumper with a tire carrier, but thats way down the line, if and when I could afford to do it!

This summer me and my sister are buying a house for ourselves, closing April 22nd!! and once I move, I will have no money for the XJ until I can find a better job...

BHK Jeep

What a great start...could you take some pics of the bedliner interior with the seats in? It's in my futrue plans, how do you like the bedliner interior?

bmrrwolfe

Yeah I can get you some pics in the morning, but so far I do like it. People say its louder, but I don't think its that loud even with a modified exhaust (but don't have a before and after)
It was really dirty when I got it, so I had to do some scrubbing for it to look good enough for me, and its a little thin in some spots, but its nice that you can just roll or brush over to do touch up which I will do when I am redoing the lower, when the old rear bumper end caps use to be and bumpers.

bmrrwolfe

Here are some pics, but warning it looks pretty bad since its very dirty.. Still waiting for a day above 40 to get out and scrub it clean..
Also I still have the factory floor mats, just took it out for the pic:


Also got the old sub from the KJ mounted up with the free amp I got mounted under the backseat and just a cheapy ebay 8G wiring setup for $14 since I don't want or need anything real powerful and should still be good up to 1000W:

Don't mind the sh!tty wiring, I just wanted to have it in and tested before going to work!
And that black pigtail I think is from the old factory CD changer that I guess the PO cut up and took out, nothing to do with the amp.
Tuesday is usually my day off, but picked up a full shift to cover some costs of the new control arms, so won't have any updates until Wednesday, and hopefully it will warm up some!

2001XJDAVEJ

good find man. as of looks you got a good one. how does it run?

Destination XJ

Looking good! Im with you on waiting for this warm weather! I wanna get some things done!

bmrrwolfe

Thanks, and the biggest thing I loved was the perfectly spotless underside, floors and rockers were living in Alabama and NC all its life, something rust free in OH is near impossible..
She actually runs awesome! Forgot to add in the original post, it has a K&N intake (missing the heat shield so I will be making one eventually) the new motor came with a brand new exhaust manifold and the Jeep already had a magnaflow catback, with dual outlets from the muffler back.
Most people say with 33s and stock 3.55 gears its a bit slow, but I have no problem spinning them and keeping up

I know, this time we usually are atleast in the 40s or 50s unless we have that random late in the year snow storm!
I have a lot of little things well and big things I want to get done, but I don't like working outside in this weather unless its necessary.

2001XJDAVEJ

Glad to hear that, I'm putting some 33's on this week and I was a little worried I would have to re gear sooner then I wanted.

Destination XJ

HAHA yeah I trimmed my other fender yesterday! LOL

I think Im gonna go take the rear flares off now and maybe trim them too!

I need the warmer weather to paint some things.

bmrrwolfe

Yeah I was worried I would need some 4.10s right away and I can't afford them.. But city driving is fine, haven't taken it on the highway yet, but have done 50-55 on a country road and had no problems so I am sure another 10 MPH won't be too hard. Althought 4.10 would be nice eventually.

Make sure you don't trim too much in the back! The PO did on mine and left a little open spot around the wheel well open, that I have to fill in.

Also got the wiring for the fog lights to get them wired to the factory harness and hope I can get the factory switch to work. And got the bolts for my next mod which I will keep you in suspense for until wednesday!

Cloud9-XJ

Nice Jeeps!

Destination XJ

next mod!? Other then the control arms?! HAHA Nice!

I took off my flares no trimming on the wheel well, but I did cut the bottom of the rear quarters off.

bmrrwolfe

Thank you very much!

Oh gotchaa.
And yupp the PO left a brand new "thing" in the trunk for the XJ I just needed to get the hardware to mount it
Also forgot to add he left a nice Cobra CB in it too!

bmrrwolfe

Well nothing was done today, but got a set of interior kick panels (missing when I got the XJ) and a rear wiper arm coming from a fellow member parting an XJ out and I did get my control arms!
They are from ARC Fab $249.99 shipped for uppers and lowers, with lifetime warranty and adj for 0-8" of lift and look awesome!