black-knight98xj

Hello, I'm sort of a new member here. I first posted here back in 2011 when I had bought a '98 Cherokee for $450 bucks with a bad cylinder head looking for advice. I intended to build that Jeep up, but after finding out the engine was pretty much trash, I sold it for a few hundred dollar profit. Long story short, I regretted letting that Jeep go and I started the hunt for another XJ earlier on this year. I mostly scoured local auto auctions, only to wind up empty handed. Well, at the end of last month I finally bought another Cherokee for $850.



It's a 1991 Jeep Cherokee Laredo ... obviously. It runs strong, although it has an oil leak coming from somewhere around the right hand side of the block (an oil filter adapter has been installed, so I think that might be the source). It has 216,000 miles and is mostly straight aside from some typical rust in the rear floorpans (directly under the rear seat on the driver's side and in front of it on the passenger side), the rear most part of the rocker panels, and in the lower quarter panels. Aside from those issues, the driver's side seat frame had pretty much rusted apart and the steering column wobbles (that's your typical GM Saginaw steering column for you).

For this Jeep, I'm going to pretty much apply the build sheet I had typed up for the '98 to it, only making minor revisions that apply to the older XJs. Here's what the cosmetic end of things will look like:

Body:
-97+ front clip and door swap
-Badge delete
-Molding delete
-3" lift
-16" chrome Moab rims with appropriate rubber
-Chrome grille, headlight surrounds, liftgate trim
-Chrome door handles and roof gutter trim (kept from stock)
-Composite headlight upgrade
-Safari roof rack with spare tire mount
-Jeep Liberty Renegade light bar
-Jeep 2500 taillights
-Chrome exhaust tip

Interior:
-97+ interior swap
-Brushed metal interior accents/overlays
-Stitched dash, upper door panels, arm rests, console lid
-Leather (or faux-leather/vinyl) seats w/ preferated sections
-Leather steering wheel with contrasting sections (chrome trim rings undecided)
-Brushed metal upper door accents
-Factory appearance rocker switches for aux fan, trans. performance switch, diff lock, and any aux exterior lighting
-Leather or woven fabric headliner, sunvisors, pillar trim
-Mag Lite mount, etc.
-CB Radio, radar detector
-Overhead console
-Chrome door trim
-Carpet delete, vinyl floor
-Chrome instrument cluster rings with white faces and chrome needles
-Alpine SAT NAV receiver and speaker upgrade
-Interior LED lighting upgrade
-Remove all power accessories
-OBDI compliant gauge cluster rebuilt with AutoMeter internals
-Leather-wrapped shift and 4WD handles
-Rear speaker bar upgrade
-"Big Chief" dash plaque

Now some of this stuff may not exactly worked out like I have pictured, but most of it should be feasible. Since the '97+ gauge cluster won't work with the OBDI engine and transmission, I'll just build a custom cluster using the stock housing and lens. The overall goal here is to keep the "classier" appearance typical of the earlier XJs like mine, but build everything up to be more modern and comfortable. The interior will also feature no power amenities and will be as "hose-out" friendly as possible without feeling cheap or sparse. Keep in mind, this Jeep will mostly be a regular daily driver to keep the miles down on my 2011 Charger, although it will probably see some light off-roading through the summer months for camping trips. I'm not looking to build a dedicated trail rig (yet).

I'm still working out what sort of specific suspension and powertrain upgrades I'm going to go with, so stay tuned there. I thought had that worked out for the other Jeep, but now I'm not so sure.

Anyway, I already started the tear down process today.





The carpet is the absolute worst I've ever seen in a running vehicle. As bad as I hate to admit it, I did find a hoard of what looked like dead maggots near one of the passenger side seat bolts.

Speaking of those bolts, they're horribly rusted. I've already tried PB Blaster and a breaker bar ... any suggestions? (If you were wondering, the driver's side seat twisted free from the studs because it was so rusted ... only one nut was removed from the stud).

Anyway, stay tuned. Hopefully I'll have the first "phase" of this project done by September.

884x4

I found little bugs in my carpet too! Haha I bed lined my floor though so that won't happen again
Nice project

black-knight98xj

I forgot to mention that most of the stuff I'm pulling off of this Jeep won't be going back on, so if anyone is in-state and wants something after I've swapped it out, replaced it, or upgraded it, let me know.

Thanks! Yeah, finding those bugs weirded me out. I think the less I know about the previous owner, the better I'll feel.

Tanner98611

Cool project! Check under the carpet for holes. Keep your project posted and include pics

Xj moo

Good luck on your build

black-knight98xj

Thanks guys. There's some rust in the floorboards, but it isn't anything a few small patches of sheetmetal can't fix.

Anyway, I put off the rest of the teardown until Saturday. However, I couldn't resist picking up these:





I have to go back Monday morning before work to get my rear driver's side door. The 'yard gave me another back door, but it isn't in as good of shape as the others and they have another one. I should've checked that when they were loading them up, but I was too excited to bother. I was thrilled I found a junkyard with a set of manual everything doors (well, except for the mirrors). :P

Anyway, the old doors are coming off soon. Anyone need a set (minus the chrome handles, of course)?

black-knight98xj

UPDATE: I'm selling this Jeep. There's a rust free '99 for sale in the parking lot behind where I work and, to make it short, this one's gotta go. It literally stares a hole through me everyday (I work at a pharmacy with a drive through and, yep, it's parked pretty much right in front of the window). It'll be up in the for sale soon section if someone wants it for a parts Jeep, trail rig, or project.