Thanks, I'll keep it up as long as I can convince my wife that the new winch/bumper combo is a great deal and she doesn't ask any questions.

 

nice to see another 2wd getting some love!!! I have the same plans man, either a locker or make it 4x4 in the future

 

Greetings from Longview! Where are you located? I'm over between Longview and Hallsville off 80. I like the build so far, always liked that green with black wheels. If you think you might want to go the 4wd swap, just hit me up. I think I have most of what you need to get it done. I can also lend a hand(s), tools or just moral support.

 

I'm north of the loop off of Judson Rd. I'm really leaning toward the swap, I just want to make sure I don't buy a bunch of crap parts that end up breaking all the time. Just never really know about JY transmissions and t-cases. Let me know when you are working on the jeep or if you have some free time here and there. Also need to check out SFAalumni's shop in Henderson one of these days. He seems to have a ridiculous setup on his XJ.

 

What are your plans for it...DD, wheeler? I have been pretty fortunate with CL finds, nothing too major (that wasn't expected or totally my fault) has gone wrong. I'll give you a shout next time we wrench or head out to Barnwell. I've seen SFA's buid...pretty sick. Didn't know he had a shop down there.

 

It's just a weekend warrior for now. Have a little SUV for a DD. it was either play with this or buy a used Corvette, finally came to my senses and went with the better choice.

He got in touch with me a while back (SFA), seems like a real decent guy. Just haven't been able to get down and check everything out yet. Job keeps me pretty busy especially at the end of the year. Not to mention a 5 month old boy.

 

I understand having to juggle time with work and kids, I have 3 of my own.

I do enjoy wheelin' but, it would have been a hard decision to pass on a Vette. Fortunately, I am able to have both XJ and a 1967 Corvette, though the XJ has been getting more love lately.

Keep up the work on the XJ, I like how it is turning out.

 

I've never been a fan of tinted tail lights. Reducing your ability to be seen is never a good idea with the morons that drive like crap.

Other than that, looks good so far. What lift/tires/axles/etc do you plan on?

I have a friend back from the sandbox that is combat wounded. I would love to have a couple of those stickers. Is there a place to purchase them that will support the cause?

 

I actually ordered some new tail lights last night. I am not a huge fan of the clear lens but the new ones have black housings that look decent. Since I have a couple of other cars and a dedicated DD I wasn't worried about the dark tint. But I got that sick feeling that the one time I decide to take the Jeep somewhere other than the trails, some moron would be too busy texting to notice the brake lights.

I have a 3" lift I think I'm going to stick with for a while... but we all know how that goes. Looking to go with a simple 4wd conversion with stock parts if possible, may look at building some trussed axles after some unibody stiffening.

I already sent out the extra WWP decals I had, I just sent the design to a local sign shop and had them made for around $5 each. I have not seen them for sale any where so I may have some more made eventually. I like to see them getting some exposure since they do so much for our service members and their families.

Thanks for the input, I'll be updating as soon as I figure out how I'm going to modify my roof rack to be a little lower profile and get the new JKS quicker discos on.

 

Just installed the JKS Quicker Disconnects last night. Solved the problem of the links hitting the coils and seems to ride much better now... maybe it's just an illusion. Sorry for the crappy cell pic, I plan on getting the camera out after the next few mods and getting some quality photos posted.

 

Nice build big guy.... the rr looks familiar! nice job

 

Well, I figured it was time to update this thing a little, so here we go. Just finished upgrading to the 99+ intake manifold and the APN stainless headers. Here are some before and after pics.

Before:

This left me with a little scraping and cleanup of the trusty ol 4.0 block:

 

Now that the block is all clean, it's time to get the new gear on!
First pic is comparing the old vs. the new... then how it looks now.

 

All in all, I would recommend this upgrade to anyone who wants a little better throttle response and smoother acceleration. Too early to note any real difference, but the butt dyno senses a little more low end power. It seems to go well with the cowl snorkel, 703's, 60mm TB, now I am planning on the exhaust. Probably going 2.5' mandrel bent from the collector back. New cat, and a Magnaflow/Flowmaster from Mudfrog soon.

Install notes... the APN header seems to be pretty high quality. The steel is exactly as described and the welds look pretty good. It does have a thicker flange which required a little grinding of the intake runners to get everything to sit flush. If you do plan to do this, getting the bottom bolts on is a severe PITA if you do not have toothpicks for arms. One of the vac lines for the intake manifold needed to be extended, I used a 7/32 vacuum hose to go over the 1/4 stock line and secured it with some small hose clamps. Also, the wires for the IAC had to be extended as well... not sure if that is the right name, it is the only electrical plug in the intake manifold off of the TB. I would appreciate if someone would let me know if that is correct.

Nice and simple, more to come soon!

 

I am having a hard time deciding on which front bumper to go with. Definitely want a winch bumper and I have been looking at the following:

Logan's Pre-Runner
JCR Offroad DIY and Crusader
L&L Fab (on this site)
Rough Country (cheap until you add tabs and bars)

I am looking to order one next week sometime while I am out of town. I really want honest opinions on this and some recommendations for other products, not big on tube bumpers... but I will not rule it out. Not looking for any of the "don't get a winch bumper, get this instead" ... my mind is set on having a winch mounted up front. Thanks in advance!