RegularGuy

Last i checked they were still out.

I just have an OD/Black battle flag on there for the time being.

Basslicks

Still around man? How's the Jeep comiing along? I definitely feel your pain on slow builds. Check mine out if you need any ideas.

Oh... and that hitch will fit... you have to flip your shackle bolts so the heads are inboard... but they're going to rub if you ever get lift springs.

WyoCherokee

So whats next?

RegularGuy

Sorry its been so long, guys.

Sometimes life has plans that aren't compatible with your own. Ive been so busy I hadn't been able to post for a while.

Sometimes lifes plans get REALLY nasty, and this happens.


It was pretty foggy on the way to work a little while ago, and as I turned into a parking lot to drop my brother off at work, somebody who wasn't there a second ago was suddenly there.

pushed me back into the curb and rolled us over. We weren't hurt at all (the look on peoples faces when they came up worried me at first) but the tough little jeep kept us both in one piece literally without a scratch.

Funny enough, when the wrecker brought it to the house, he said "I wonder if it would still run" i knew it would, jumped back up in it and she fired right up.

She was a nice jeep that made a lot of memories with me, but its still sad to see her go this way.

Check out the interior shot, how messed up the floor is. were both lucky, my brother moreso.

Basslicks

Oh wow.... sorry to hear about the Jeep man, but it's awesome that you guys made it out unscathed. It's a helluva lot easier to find another XJ than to replace you guys.

Funny though, a friend of mine is parting out an '01. Was hit in exactly the same spot.

Any plans to get another eventually?

RegularGuy

yeah, after everything stopped moving, and shouting expletives,, i look at my brother (hanging in my his seatbelt) and he says "its OK, i'm fine". that was a relif. then i see a few people runing toward us through the windshield with mortified looks on their faces (they probably expected us to need cut out with a can opener) i flashed him the thumbs up and shut the jeep off.

My brother crawled out through the gap in the passenger door and the roof, and i rolled down the passenger rear window and crawled out that way.

Totaled the girl's Avenger. funny, it was awfully FUBAR but comparatively mine didnt look so bad
And yet people call them IKEA jeeps


Bad news was that by a strange fluke, I didn't have collision on her, so I didn't get money for a new one.
Good news is, I came across another. I DO have collision on it.


I didn't even get to post about the paint mods I did to the grill and headlight bezels! if i can dig up those pics, ill post them ITT anyway.
It was sismple, cheap and i thought made it look a lot nicer.

Basslicks

People can hate on these Jeeps all they want, they're tough!

Definitely post up the mods ya did, man and DEFINITELY keep the old one for parts. Obviously you won't be able to use everything on the new one because of OBDI vs. OBDII

RegularGuy

Well, i found a pic to show the treatment i gave to the grille and bezels.

At first i simply put electrical tape over the white colored ribs in the grill. My XJ had the body color grill option but i didnt care for the two little inset ribs that were also colored white. I liked them blacked out with the electrical tape so much that i just left it on for a while.

Eventually my blinker fell out because the screw mount broke in the bezel, so i took the spare black bezels i pulled from the neighbors parts jeep and...

Prepped them up good with soapy water and a scotchbrite pad. I did the same to the grille and left them for a rinse and dry in the sun.

I got the Duplicolor Chrysler Stone White from Autozone, i think? it was like 8 dollars but i think it was worth it. I also had a Rustoleum flat black, and after masking off the parts i wanted to keep white i sprayed the grill. simple.

Heres the thing though, i cant remember if i primed the bezels or not! I assume so because it looked so good and lasted so well. If i did, it was Rustoleum Auto primer. However, i may not have because they say brands of primer and paint dont like to mix.

In any case, you can see the results here. I liked it a lot, and if it inspires anyone else with pre-97 XJs or MJs to do the same, thats great.

Basslicks

I think it looks great, man. DEFINITELY like the look of the inserts painted black. It needs that contrast, IMO. The headlight bezels is just a nice bonus.