Finally going to start a build thread. I call it pickle jar because most of the cash for the build was saved in a pickle jar while I was collecting parts. Here is where she is now.













She is a 1998 sport, 4.0 , AW4, 8.25,HP D30.
I bought her in February 2013 from the second owner with 170k on the clock for $1,800

Mods are
4.5" RE springs
RC Long arm upgrade kit
IRO double shear track bar
Serious 1 ton steering
Bilstein 5100's
RC extended brake lines
JKS quicker discos
Crown SYE
ATP header
17" JK moabs with 255-75-17 Kendas
Auxiliary trans cooler
Slotted rotors with ceramic pads
Kenwood head unit with an infinity 8" sub in a custom cubby box
Homebrew light bar
That's all I can think of right now.


Over the next few days I'll start posting pics from the day I got her up until now and keep going from there. This has been and will be a long slow build because I'm a family man with a single income hence the name Project pickle jar. My pics are on 3 different computers and two cell phones, so it'll take a while for me to get them all in one place and in chronological order. Thanks for checking out my Heep.

 

Very clean machine. Looks good already for sure.. sub'd

 

Thanks. I'm going for the super stock/sleeper look. I've came a long way, but still have plenty in store.

 

Mmm, nothing wrong with a sleeper jeep! Now for lots of forced induction and nitros.. :} just kidding.

 

Haha. I'm talking more like something that looks near stock with just a lift, but fully armored, geared, locked, shafted and the whole nine yards. I love watching dudes with full size broncos, blazers, etc. get butt hurt when they can't keep up playing follow the leader with a homely little DD XJ.

 

I was always proud of my XJ keeping up with the 2 TJ's I used to wheel with. They were both on 33's and around 5", one had ARB's front and rear. There was very little they could do I couldn't. Mostly rock crawling.. Armor would be really nice!

 

Here she is the day I brought her home. The reason I was able to get it so cheap was it had a slipping TC chain. She went straight into surgery as soon as she got home.

 

Here's a couple pics from the TC rebuild.

 

Next up was to get rid of that leaky exhaust manifold and valve cover gasket.




The new to old comparison.


















Fel-pro blue silicon gasket. Hells Yeah!




Look at dem sexy clean rockers.





The intake before a thorough cleaning.

 

Gonna sound sweet now!

 

Nicely done.

 

Love the Moabs

 

It definitely has a deeper sound and a tad bit more *** dyno HP. Got a slowmaster super 44 sittin in the shop waiting to go on as soon as I get a new down pipe and Thunderbolt cat.

 

Thanks guys. I was a little skeptical about running adaptors so I could use the 17" moabs, but after 4,500 miles with moderate trail and rock offroad use I have yet to find a loose lug nut. Don't know what it is about the moabs I think they look better on an XJ than a JK. Plus I got them for a steal! Hope to get some more pics up soon, gotta find my old laptop and see what's on there.

 

Having trouble finding some of my older pics, so I'll throw up a few from the lift day. There's not many I had to lift it in a weekend so I didn't have much time for pics. Also some from pre lift wheeling.