Project Sandstorm - 2000 Jeep Cherokee
 

hello everyone, this is my first jeep build. I've owned a couple stock xj's but finally decided to dress one up a little. I got this jeep off an insurance auction. rear end damage. has 142,000 miles. 4.0 6 cylinder. black with tan interior. my intentions are to paint it a army/sand tan color hence sandstorm. i got a few things in already and more coming. so far here are the parts going on:
4.5" RC X-Series Lift
15" steel wheels, with 33'' tires
smittybilt xrc front bumper and matching rear with tire carrier
roof rack
lower quarter armor
quarter armor
sliders
hood vents
50'' curved led light bar up top
30" led light bar on bull bar on front bumper
bushwacker flat style fender flares
and most likely more things ill add on as i go

the jeep needs some body work, but working at a body shop should help with that.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...79cd5e68d8.jpg

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Interested to see this one come together. I love the tan color on Jeeps.

thanks i am too. i hope to have it all done by the end of next month at the longest. i love that color too and think it will go well with all the black accessories

got these hood vents / louvers they were bare metal, i scuffed them down, used bulldog promoter and sprayed them with an undercoat which gives its a rhino liner look/affect but from a spray can, this stuff dries hard and durable and won't crack chip or peal. i plan to do the same on the quarter armor and sliders since i got them all bare metal

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Those look good! are you going to open up the hood to allow for function or are they just going to be for looks?

yes ill be cutting the hood to make them functional

got the damage pulled and straightened out enough for body work hopefully i can get to paint soon. still need to adjust the door jam to have straight even lines


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Don't go rough country. Go zone or rustys

i already bought the rough country. I've never had it before, i know its not as good as some of the other lifts but i got a decent deal on it brand new. I've heard mixed reviews about them. i guess ill have to see for myself lol

Man really the most worse parts of the RCX X series lifts are the flex joints and leaf springs.
If you have problems with the flex joints then you can take a thread measurement and use real Johnny Currie joints, heim ends or even rubber bushing ends... all of which are readily available.

The leafs will work well for a cetain amount of time depending on usage then you can upgrade.

You may end up replacing the sway bar disconnects overtime as well.
Otherwise, it's decent for the price, and you already have it so may as well use it.

Gonna be watching to see this poor tossed away XJ get rebuilt and utilized again.

thanks. ill have to look into all that and maybe do some sort of change right now. and ya i already have it so dont wanna spend more on another one and deal with getting rid of this one

got my quarter armor in from JCROffroad today, decided id spray them with undercoat stuff like the hood louvers instead of just paint. cheaper than getting them rhino lined or something but better than paint. pretty happy with the result. the jeep is close to body work and paint

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Project Sandstorm got some color today. I figured id paint the roof and have that done and out of the way, body work on the rest of the car is going and hope to paint the rest soon. got all the parts i need to do everything i want.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...04032d725.jpeg

original


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masked off


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...dc62192b5.jpeg

base coat on


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and clear coat


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...31bab9bef.jpeg

its hard to see now but i like the color a lot

got the jeep on the lift for now, cut the holes out for the hood vents and had a little time so decided to smoke out the side indicators.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...679ace9fd.jpeg

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not bolted yet, just fitment

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they're not as black as they look. you can still see some orange in it from a different angle

decided to add a snorkel. so i bought one and mocked it up before paint. ill have to play with the airbox to work with connecting the hose to the snorkel but can do that after. body getting closer to paint, and working on little pieces here and there

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...cf93f116e.jpeg

its not attached yet but thats basically how it will sit

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