Project PoonTank (92 XJ)
 

Alright, here goes.

I'm currently 15 years old, and obviously a high school student, so I was looking to purchase my first car, and originally I had my mind set on a 2 door tahoe, because I loved driving my dad's 96 4dr, but wanted something a little smaller and more original. But after spending a few months looking for a tahoe, and getting ignored on CL and not finding anything that great (being that they were only made from 92 to like 01 I believe), I decided to give up on that effort. Luckily, I somehow stumbled upon this website, and all my dreams of a tahoe were quickly being replaced with something much more practical....a 4 Door XJ! So I changed my search query on Craigs and AutoTrader and such, and began looking for a cherokee. It was a long while before I found one, but eventually ended up finding a post with this description:

-1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo PW, PL, PS, AT, 4x4, AC that works. 4.0l 6cyl 30x9.5x15 mud tires, Runs good, looks good. Not perfect, but good dependable transportation. $1800.00.

And these pictures:
- (edit) Sorry for the weird picture arrangement, but i had to export them to paint to convert them to jpeg format in order to post them on here at all.

Okay, so I was able to get the price down 1500, which was good enough for me, and my parents split the cost with me, since it was my first car, so I ended up paying 750 for it. Beforehand, I had been saving up for a car, because early on I realized that was much more important to me than most other things were, so altogether i had saved around 3200 dollars towards my first car. And since I didn't spend much on the cherokee, that has left me a good bit (2450) towards mods/upgrades/addons/etc.

With a name like "Poontank"..........I'm diggin it! :thumbsup:

Welcome to the forums!:walkman:

$2450 should be just about enough to purchase some wheels/tires,lift kit and a lunchbox locker. Looks like your off to a great start:thumbsup:

haha, thank you, my friend came up with it, and after I had heard it, i couldn't not use it

Yes! that's exactly what I was going for when I realized I could get a nice car for a lot less than what my most of my other friends had been getting (04 Silverado, 07 F150, 08 WJ, etc.)

Thanks man!

Your ADDICTION has now begun......and at such a young age..HAHA. Good Luck

That's an awesome Jeep. Looks better than mine did. I'm just turning 18, got mine when i just turned 16. I've loved it every minute of the way, well, that is besides finding out all the little quirks because the owner before me had done some crazy **** to it in the past. But it's getting more and more reliable every step of the way. If you're innovative you can get a way with a lot more for your money. I paid about $150 for my lift and hardware. =) Good luck though.

Congrats on the new "Poontank". Keep us posted on your build and progress.

Hahaha love the name and just to let u know I'm 17 and I got my jeep when I was 15 do it right the first time and get a long arm kit that's the way to go and they are worth it!!! I wish I would have saved a little bit more and got a long arm - better ride better flex and more funn!
But once u lift and start spending money on it you won't stop
But welcome to the forum
Good luck

haha great name man, nice jeep to, cant wait to see what you do to it

Thanks guys, i've got a lot planned for it for this weekend. hopefully i'll get pictures up by then.

-(edit) actually i'll put up two little pictures that I had on my phone right now. So you can see what i've been up to.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/%3Ca%2...20/%3E%3C/a%3EAlright, got some new stuff.

This is how I roll now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58516456@N08/5371944010/http://www.flickr.com/photos/5851645...4010/lightbox/http://www.flickr.com/photos/58516456@N08/5371944010/-Gotta full roof size safari rack with 4 light tabs on the front (soon to be filled out with at least 2 fog lights.)
-And plans are to spraypaint (rattlecan) the sideview mirrors, door trim (towards the bottom) and the stocks rims rusto flat black.
-Set of Cabela's TrailGear seatcovers
-And a new pioneer head unit, as well as 4 new 5.5 pioneer door speakers, and a 12" Kicker ProComp Sub in the back with a 360w 2Ch. JL Amp. So basically a sweet new sound system. (being that i'm 15, this is the kind of stuff i'm into)


I'll have more pictures by tommorrow or sometime this weekend hopefully, and i'm planning on installing a 3" lift on the PoonTank this saturday, so more to come soon.

Cherokee91: I know! it's exciting

Cherokee_ftw_5: I'm trying to be as innovative as I can, but unfortunately thats not a skill that currently possess, so i'm seeing this project more as a money pit than a budget build haha.

SGT ABN XJ: thanks man, will do.

xjeeper193: I'm considering a long arm kit, we'll see haha. but thanks for the advice!

cherokeeaddiction23: haha thanks, and i'm excited to see what it'll turn into to.

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...SeatCovers.jpg
Better Picture of the Cabela TrailGear's.




http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0120011515.jpg
The wonders of Rusto-Pro Flat Black (Rims, Trim, and Sideviews)
-I need to get that lift on!


http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...PLBlackRim.jpg
Close-up

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...tShadowPic.jpg
(Also sprayed the the Grille inserts)

-3" Rough Country Series II Suspension Lift-
(new rear springs, nitro 9000 series shocks, and control arms)

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0211011740.jpg

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0218011806.jpg

(trac bar hanging, kept snapping cus of the stress the lift put on it)



http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0218011808.jpg

Took off the fender flares, and looking to trim em up soon.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0218011756.jpg

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0219011245.jpg
(after cleanin em up)

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0219011230.jpg

light flexin in a drainage ditch

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...219011230a.jpg

-after mudding, the one picture i got. lame i know, but more to come soon...

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0220011648.jpg

Alright new stuff.

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0223011410.jpg

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...223011410b.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0223011436.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0223011437.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...hiteGAbles.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...ta/photo-3.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...ta/rawjeep.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...ata/light1.jpgMud in White Gables, Car in driveway prewashed ha, and lights pulled from the JY

You shoulda went with the 2 door 'ho! They were made in 2 door form from 88-92 (as the K1500 blazer) and 93-99? as the Yukon/Tahoe.
My first vehicle was a 2 door Yukon; love of my life!

have you had any trouble with your LCA mounts on the D30? mine almost ripped off, so i beefed them up to 1/4" steel no problesm. nice jeep

Yeah, i still wish i would have found one, but i'm content with my jeep haha.

Thanks man, and nope so far so good ;) Only trouble i've had was with the trac bar like you can see a few pictures up, the first time i drove on the interstate after i installed the lift the bolt holding it in snapped. And then i replaced it, then once again it came loose, but i believe that time it slowly worked its way out from the vibration. Then once again i replaced it and added a locking washer to it, and have been tightening it periodically until i can buy something to fix it, perhaps a rusty's bar designed for 3 inch kits.

Not to mention some of the 2 door 4x4s had diesels (6.5 turbo diesel i believe)

Alright, it's been forever since i've posted anything here, and a lot has gone down, and i've taken a few pictures, but i'm lazy about uploading them to here so... anyway i'm trying to catch up (so some pictures will be out of order)


I'll start here, here's a few pictures of the jeep just chilling.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0210011625.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0329111418.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0214011733.jpg

Alright, here's one of me trying to make something to flex on, this is about as big as i could make it, lame i know haha.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0213011326.jpg

This is in the back of a neighborhood, and happens to be where i've gotten stuck for the first time ever! I bottomed out on the dry land in between the two ruts, and was stuck for a good while until my buddy called up his friend with a huge bronco to come pull me out (which he did, like it was nothing.)
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0318011110.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...318011110a.jpg
(Sorry for the quality, they were off my phone, but better than nothing.)

Next up is when i got home after being stuck, and also happens to be right around the time that my engine started overheating.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...a/downsize.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0403111433.jpg(Clean but still running hot.)

I ended up getting a new radiator and replacing the thermostat and housing, and finding out that one of my engine fans was not working, which i have not replaced yet. But... for now its running good again!

Here's my latest trip out, its a spot that yet again happens to be in the back of a neighborhood, and it was my first time ever doing any "crawling, hill-climbing, flexing" whatsoever, so don't hate on my first attempt haha.
Oh and my friend wanted to be in most of the pictures for some reason ha, he's in the blue shirt, i'm in the white. The pictures are in no order.

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...415111912b.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0415111912.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...415111910a.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0415111913.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...415111912a.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0415111910.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...5111907b-1.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...415111907a.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0415111907.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...415111905b.jpg

Also, I found this picture, it's a real old one before the jeep was even lifted, and its what the grill used to look like before I painted it, i think my painting was a big improvement, i'm not into all the chrome.

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...a/DSC00438.jpg

great build man, keep up the good work, whats next for the ole poontank?

Thanks man! and trimmin the fenders up to prepare for some 32's! At least thats the plan, i need to find a good deal on some first haha, but other than that, i'm considering painting it OD Green, not sure yet though.

Alright, so i decided against the OD Green paintjob, I think i'm just gonna touch up my white some, and keep it classy. And as a result I want to do some further paint work, and i want to know if you think i should paint my disk brakes and brake claws, a sky blue-ish color as well as my differentials. What do you think?

i sound like an idiot, paint the drums and calipers that is...

okay so its been a looooooong time since i've last given you (wait is anyone actually looking at this though?) an update. Regardless, a lot has gone down, well some good stuff anyways I think.
--Here we go---

I bought a RC Steering Stabilizer as well as a Rusty's Adj. Trac Bar which helped my steering immensely, and finally allowed my trac bar bolt to quit snapping and falling out and then causing my jeep to drive with little to response from the steering wheel like an old bronco or something.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0775703982.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/.../tb-100_02.jpg

Next, I tore out my old headliner! It was really easy to take down and looked pretty good underneath with only a few rust spots. Beforehand It was terrible and was sagging, and causing decaying roof to fall from the ceiling and cause me to go into a sneezing fit every time i hit a bump or opened the window. Unfortunately I don't have any before pics, but I know alot of you know what its like when it starts sagging and such, so here's some after pictures!
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0004.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0005.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0007.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0011.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0012.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0009.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0010.jpg

Okay, that's all of those pictures, sorry for so many but i kind of wanted to show off all my stickers haha, i decided against painting the ceiling black because i really liked how bright it was, and just put stickers on instead. Also if you look at the last picture in the center of the steering wheel, i found that little jeep emblem to fit in there to finally fill the empty hole i had there since i bought the jeep.

Next up, I finally organized the trunk and.....mounted a Mag Lite!
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0002.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0003.jpg

Then somewhere down the line, I got a call from my friend who had gotten his brother's 96 (maybe 98?) 2wd stock sport xj stuck in the mud somewhere back in the woods. He called me to come help get him out, but the path back to where he was was really narrow and rough, and i decided against making the trek back there. so then i called another friend who brought his 1976 CJ-7 Renegade w/ a v8 and 33 A/t's out there and easily made it back there and towed him out.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111758a.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111759a.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111758b.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111800c.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111800b.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111800a.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111802a.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...613111802b.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0613111809.jpgUnfortunately my jeep is backwards here, would of made a much better picture if it wasn't but oh well..

Here's the cleanup and damage assessment.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0613111822.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0613111821.jpgI gotta say it was a good day.

sorry about the pictures if they stay sideways, i rotated em on Photobucket, but they still don't show up different here, and the little CF editor rotator doesn't work for me either.

Finally back up to the present.
Today i just gave the Jeep a bath after some light wheeling the other day, and put on my new CF sticker! Plans for the rest of the day include cleaning the underbody real good and painting the differentials a blue-ish cobalt color, and maybe painting the trim again now that i finally got off the stupid grey stripe above it, as well as the racing stripes around the body. That was pretty much the most hateful job ever, peeling old stickers off with a razorblade for two hours...
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...2/IMG_0006.jpghttp://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0628111225.jpg

cool build. I think you should have made the trek to go get your buddy. I bet you would have made it just fine. Whats a few scratches here and there

yeah I probably could have made it, but for whatever reason I just wasn't feeling confident at the time, partly because i would of had to pass through the area that i got stuck the first time at, which you can see in the pictures i put up on i think page 2, funny that we both got stuck on the same trail though. But if the CJ hadn't come into the picture i would of gone for it for sure.

-Just found this old picture, I don't think it got posted originally with the rest.
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...0415111906.jpg

Oh, and thank you Brian, it's not often that I get comments on my build so I appreciate it.