The Never Ending Story
 

Alrighty. So this is my attempt at a build thread. Figured since I'm starting to do a lotta work on the ol' XJ, I might as well share. So I'm gonna try and gather all the pictures and such that I can from way back when i first got this thing. So here it goes:

This is what The Sheeper looked like when i picked it up for 100 dollars. Yes, that's right, 100 dollars.

I'm finishing up my degree in Automotive Technology at Utah Valley University. A guy there brought this Jeep in one day in our engine performance class to do a compression test on it. Well, I'd owned a jeep before, a YJ, and i loved jeeps. so i talked to him about it. He said he was selling it. I said i'd buy it. ... 100 dollars later, here i am. with a perfect XJ. It is in great shape and i cant complain. Body is straight, engine runs strong, and tranny runs tight. Yesss. (It passed the compression test too, haha)

This is what she looked like:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7332.jpg


the guy wasn't really into Jeeps. The only reason he owned it was because his wife had it when they got married. And the only reason she bought it was because she got it for 300 to drive to school and back. I'd say i got lucky. And that guy... is missin out :)

This Jeep was all stock. Only thing that wasn't original was basic maintenance things, and a different stereo. I figured the first thing i should do was strip the carpet out of there. Because the window seal is cracked. And that sucker fills with water. The carpet had mildew. And it smelt like death. :sick:

Pulled the carpet out
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...114_212757.jpg

It was freezin *** cold outside. My grandpa owns the local airport, just a small one. It was founded by my great grandpa back in the beginning of the 1900's :thumbup: So i always have a huge shop that's heated to work it. It's a bonus. I had Derek come along and help tear stuff out. (aka dpace7xj, i believe)

It was rusted to death. So the grinding of the rust began and to prep for paint.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7448.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7453.jpg
Got her all painted up, and it looks nice today. Still does too, about 6 months later. I'm not gonna waste my time with bedliner junk. paint works for me :head:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7455.jpg
All painted up
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7457.jpg

Looks like a good start! What are your plans for it?

Nice to see another Utah member! I'm from Payson.

During this time I had almost no income. My job sucked. So I figured i'd do stuff to the jeep the wouldn't really cost me anything. I had some 3" coils from my buddy and had a b*stard pack ready to go. And shocks. So i trimmed some fenders just for fun :icon_biggrin:

Needless to say, gettin these bolts out on these flares was a PITA.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7477.jpg

And on to the cut and fold method.

... It helps when your girlfriend likes to take pictues of everything. Because I'm by far too lazy. So most of the credit for pics goes to her!!

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7490.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7495.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7500.jpg

Stay tuned and by the end of the day I'll have it all up and you'll see ;)
gotta keep you comin back for more haha

YESS!! I love finding other Utah guys. Especially if you're only in Payson. rock on. We'll have to wheeeel sometime

I like to paint stuff. And make stuff kinda unique. so i pulled alla this junk off to paint it. get it away from the normal boring stock stuff.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7461.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7464.jpg


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7462.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7465.jpg

The diff. cover was nastyy. Hadda help it out
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7466.jpg
It helps when you have a sand blaster :grin:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7471.jpg

And they look pretty sharp in the end:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7472.jpg

Now, I did myself a push button ignition. And i did enough pictues and know it well enough that i should do a write up on it. I have my 89, and I did it on Derek's 93. the wiring is different on the ignition between the two, but i have it all written down somewhere... I'm gonna try and find the pictures and info and i'll sling it up here. It's pretty fun stuff. If anyone has any questions on that, they can PM me.

My front driveshaft was having severe issues. I still don't know what's wrong with it. But! A new one is on the list, so no worries. But I yanked it and i just wheel 2 wheel drive. Me and Derek rounded up our ladies and headed down to Sandy Beach for some muddin.

I got stuck. Never in any holes. But just on flat slick ground. and i had to be pulled around quite a bit
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7503.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7504.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7522.jpg
We have fun. this was last... January.

I decided i wanted some smoked lights. So got the paint and had at it. they turned out pretty decent. Only took a few minutes.


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7599.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7602.jpg

The Sheeper needed some new paint. The white was all creamy colored, and i needed to cover up some ugly spots. So i sanded a bit, cleaned a bit, and began on my spray paint paint job!!

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7600.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7611.jpg

I know this is about the most Redneck thing out there. But it worked for me, and cost under $20!!

the ugly chrome grill wasn't cuttin it for me either. So i figured white and black looked cooler. and i must say, it made the jeep look a ton better.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7612.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7613.jpg

The finishing touch!! You like???

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50...p/IMG_7614.jpg

And also this is the reason i really got stuck on cherokees. last fall I towed @dpace7xj's cherokee down to moab. And i was hooked. it was a good time.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2701653_n.jpg

So that's why i got this one. and why i am cherokee-crazy :gunsmilie: