I've got a more detailed build over on JF (same username) but I figure I might as well keep one here as well.

92 Cherokee Sport
4.0 / Auto
230xxx miles

Picked it up off another member here for $400. Drove out about an hour and a half to pick it up and drove it home.

When I got it:

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The drivers door appears to have been ripped off at some point. A PO rewelded the hinges back on but he obviously didn't have much experience. The door is a little wonky but it closes and seals well enough, but it does catch the drivers side fender.

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The rear bumper was catching on the hatch making it a pain in the *** to open. Smashed it down some with a hammer and started building a rear bumper and tire carrier.

First mod I've done was modify the door hinges.

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Haven't put much in it yet.
XJ: $400
Rear bumper/tire carrier: $180 (steel was free, the $180 is the hardware)
rear hatch struts: $50
2" shackles: $50
32" tires: $100
Spartan Cylinder Head: $368
Felpro Head Gasket Set: $60
Sold spare transfer case: -$150
Total: $1058

So far that's the only money into it.

So far I've had a tranny line blow out, fixed that for free and a piece snapped off the head making it impossible to attach the thermostat housing. It's been sitting the last two months waiting for a new head but I'm going to the JY tomorrow to finally pull one and get that fixed.

As soon as that's done I can get the 2" lift and tires on and finish up the rear bumper/tire carrier.

It's unintentionally turned into a short term budget build that's worked out really well so far. The only major money I plan on putting into it short term is an 8.8 rear and I'm looking at about $1200 when that's all said in done for the axle, brand new brakes, regearing, remounting, and a locker.

 

Finally ordered a new head yesterday so I can get this thing back up and running next weekend. Pushed the total over a grand though finally lol

 

Finally put a new cylinder head in it yesterday. Busted my *** on the damn thing but overall it wasn’t all that hard. And yes, the serpentine belt is missing. The old one was cracked as hell and NAPA couldn’t get me a new one til Monday. You also might notice one of the valve cover bolts is missing. Somehow lost one so the empty hole is one I hung onto for reference to get another on Monday.

I’ve done motor work twice now and both times I didn’t screw anything up, had next to no experience, and had both motors fire right up and run perfectly the first time. The other was a motor I rebuilt for my uncles box truck.

 

Looks great

 

Threw my 32s on it today and yanked out the flares. Trimming the fenders tomorrow.

Wanted to get my 2" lift on today but the upper bolts for the shackles weren't happening. I guess the PO had broken the welds off inside the frame already. Not a huge deal since I have to pull the bumper and cut the sheet metal off the end of the frame behind the bumper anyway to mount the one I'm making.

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I couldn't get the sledge in much on the bottom ones close to the wheel in the rear. They're in, but need some more hammering. Just gonna have to wait til I can get it on a lift at work tomorrow and take off the wheels.

 

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Your driver-side headlamp doesn't look seated properly...

Do you like the doorless feel?

 

It's not. It's on a long list of small fixes I haven't gotten to. Like all of the screw holes need to be redrilled and one of the two adjusters fell back into the housing where I can't get to it. But it's held on there enough that it's not going anywhere so I haven't screwed with it much.

It's a little weird at first, but worth it.

 

Doorless is completely worth it. I have owned my xj for ten years and just did it this spring. I wish I had done it ten years ago.

 

Just took it offroad on some survey trails. Definitely leaving the doors on offroad til I can find some pool noodles to shove between the body and fender.

My neighbor walked by and asked his 5 or 6 year old son what he thought of my Jeep. "That's not a real Jeep dad." We need to go back to beating kids.

 

Got it dirty this afternoon. Work royally sucked today, but wheeling it helped. There's some trails for powerlines and survey trails behind my apartment from an abandoned development project. Nothing crazy, I've got back there stock, but there's spots I couldn't go before I'm confident in going in now. About 3 miles of trail over all, definitely a couple spots where I was sideways enough that rolling it was possible. Obviously not pictured because I wasn't about to try and work my camera and drive at the same time lol

That mud hole on the left didn't seem all that deep, but it rained yesterday and it was enough to sink the 32s.

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