DustyWagoneer

I love my little Scarlett (1993 two door 2.5L AX5), but lets face it............................................. She ain't gonna win any land speed contest!
There is a story of a pig in England, that loved to bounce on a trampoline, and since my new to me Cherokee was missing Shocks in front it bounced rather badly on the trip home. So that's how my red jeep got her name.

So here is the story on it:
I have a friend who asked me if I wanted another Jeep Wagoneer or something like that she was not sure what was sitting on her property. She just wanted it GONE! And if I did not take it she would call the junkman to scrap it. So we went out to take a look at it, and it turned out to be a nice little 93 Cherokee.
We stuck a battery in it, and it started right up, after sitting for 5 years.

I felt guilty just taking it off her hands, so we ended up giving her $100.00 and taking her husband and her out for margaritas, and diner. (great deal if you ask me?)

So this is kinda cool, as I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the XJ's.
My plans for her are going to be to make it really dependable, to carry my microphones, and console on trips to LA when I need to, and also take her out on easy wheeling trips.

Comfort is key part in her build too. So LOTS of sound deadening, convert the AC to 134a (the insulation will help keep it cool in the summer, and warm in the winter), nice interior, great stereo, has good manners on the highway, and be comfy if I just want to take it camping and sleep in the back.
The suspension on it right now is RE 3.5 springs in the front, Track bar relocation bracket, Easy Rider LCT's, The back just has 3" blocks on it right now, but I did buy a pair of OME 3.5 springs and will install soon.

DustyWagoneer

So I don't think I mentioned the interior was in pretty bad shape when I got it did I????
The people that had it before my friend used it to keep farm animals in I am pretty sure?
The thing was covered in hay, and smelled pretty bad.

HAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!
Pretty sure no one died in it besides a lil bird and a few rodents?
Yeah I wore gloves and a mask to drive it home.

DustyWagoneer

So I got 5 Rubicon Express Nitro shocks in (yeah 5, one is the steering stabilizer), and also bought a set of Jeep wheels. I had a set of 31" BFG All Terains here that only had 81 miles on them so they went on the Jeep wheels. I paid $150.00 for the new wheels, and they had tires that would be good rollers for my yellow Waggy. Ended up selling the wheels that came on Scarlett for $150.00, so kinda cool!
That helped pay for the new shocks.
I gotta say I am not in love with these shocks how ever. They were great off road, but my teef felt like they would fall out.
I think I will end up painting the new Jeep wheels a graphite color?

Bought from Summit Racing. They have NEXT DAY delivery to me up here in the mountains.
New Shoes

4WD4EVER

What a great deal for a nice looking XJ! I believe I'd concentrate on that smell though...j/k.

DustyWagoneer

OH I am Waaayyyyy ahead of you on that Barnyard Fresh smell!!!I got out our cheap Harbor Freight power washer, and used Crud Cutter first and a brush, followed up with Simple Green.
Even with the power washer it took me a day on each carpet.
I would have just bought new carpet, but they seam not to be made for the two door Cherokee's, only for the four door model.
Yayyyyy no more goat, rabbit, chicken,varmint pee smell!



Varmint urine soaked into my metal.
cleaned up good however.

DustyWagoneer

So now it is time to start tackling the whats under all the carpet, fixing it if needed, then insulating the cabin.
Since the carpet has "Mass Backing" from the factory, and is form fitted, I figured I could just use Foil lined Duct Insulation from Homie Depot. I will use FatMat on the doors, and anywhere else I need to stick something to.
After I ground out any surface rust, I primed, then shot some single stage paint over it to help keep rust out of my beloved red jeep.
I also have almost a whole gallon of single stage Porsche Guards Red paint. So I think it will become the new color of my XJ as time goes on.


Porsche Guards Red paint looks kinda nice? To bad I am going to cover it.
Stuff works great!
Now when you rap on the quarter panels, they don't sound like a tin can.
I am adding L-Track to the cargo area to keep road cases from moving around whilst driving.

DustyWagoneer

RUST!!!

I HATE RUST!
Well looks like the heater core was leaking for some time.
Hence the reason it was disconnected when I got the Jeep.

This repair will have to wait till next week. Then I will fix this, as well as install the Hooligan Offroad door hinge reinforcements.
We are supposed to get snow Monday night into Wed.
To install the reinforcements plates (my drivers door is hangin low) it means we need to take the front clip off before that is done.


Really?
Worse than it first looked!
Drivers side is OK however.

XJIrish4x4

Where you get that insulation? How does it stick down?

DustyWagoneer

Bought at Home Depot.
It is in the duct section by water heaters usually?
The insulation is self adhesive. Just one word of caution is that if you are going to try to glue down carpet, or anything else to it, that will not stick to the foil. Also the foil is really sharp, so use gloves, and a roller when installing it.
The stuff is amazing however to control temperature, and outside noise.
It is about $15-16 per roll.

XJIrish4x4

Nah I was actually considering putting it in my fenders like you did. My floors are bedlined so not going to insulate those.

DustyWagoneer

WHAT WAS JEEP THINKING ON THE DESIGN OF THESE DASHBOARDS???

So when we were taking apart my dash, I could not believe just how buggered up it was. It seamed like anywhere it mounted to the vehicle the plastic was cracked. Originally I thought it was confined to just my jeep, but we have been to a GAZILLION (OK maybe 15 trips) Junkyards and every XJ I have found has a messed up dash.
So I reckon till I find that ONE unicorn dash, I have to fix mine for now.

SO this is how I am trying to fix and make a tad stronger in the process.
Investment tip for someone.................................. BUY STOCK IN JB WELD!


Passenger side Mounting to lower windshield frame.



Nothing a little JB Weld can't fix?


Then I cut a piece of aluminum, and JB Welded that to the plastic. I will use screws and nuts to attach the mounting bracket.


This is the drivers side lower area.


Again I cut some aluminum, and JB Welsed it in place.



This the area top of the dash that the defroster trim attaches to. The plastic that the u-nut clips to was broken off, so again JB Welded it to the plastic.



In the mean time I have taken every vent off, and have blown out dirt, used a tooth brush with simple green on them, then used TSP to get any Armour all off of it so I can use SEM satin black paint on the vents to make them look new again.
I also used a light mixture of bleach and water in all the ducts, then blew them out with air.
I found felt with a sticky back at Hobby Lobby today so I can make the air registers not flap around in their holes.

MoparNJeep

Nice job, keep the pics coming.

SirCyber

Will a 1990 jeep dash work in there? I have a manual, so all censors would not transfer, but I'm not going to reuse my dash, only part in my Jeep right now is the guages. All else is sitting in my shed. It is in ok shape, cracking in the vinyl on top but not anywhere that is structural. Pm me if interested

DustyWagoneer

Thank you so much for the offer.
Jeeper's are the bestest in the world!
I think my structure is going to be a lot better once it is all done.

So the last two days I have taken a break from interior work kinda. (well kinda)
Yesterday I took off the front clip in preparations to fix my sagging drivers door. The passenger side hinges were just starting to break away from the A pillar so both doors are being fixed.
Also since I am in there the latch / locking mechanisms will be cleaned, and lubed, as well as new lock and door latch clips. New weather strips, new speakers (Infinity Kappa), and wire in the 97-2001 mirrors I just bought for it. Since my jeep came from the factory as just a "Base" model, it never had power anything. One of our trips to the JY's I found a couple really nice mirror switches, so I am going to mount that in the driver door instead of the console.

We were supposed to get the floors, and door braces welded up today, but I kinda had to go to the emergency room when I cut my ring finger a bit taking a U-Nut off of the drivers side. OUCH!
Just two stitches................. good to gooooooo.

Off with their head!
Yikes! No wonder they would fall a couple inches when I opened it??
Hooligan brace ready to be welded up on the drivers side.
Just a waiting game....

DustyWagoneer

Got a lot done in the last two days on poor Scarlett.
Right now there is a jack stand holding up my transmission, and T case. Trying to get the exhaust out in one piece is IMPOSSIBLE with out dropping the cross member, and the mount on the bottom of the transmission.
But I took a wire wheel to the bottom of the poor Jeep today to prep that for primer, seam sealer, paint, and undercoat.
Hopefully tomorrow I can get the POR15 on the floor boards.

Rust repair stitched in, just gotta clean it up some

Door braces welded in, primed, seam sealed, ready to sand and prime.


Used this stuff to clean, and prep the metal patch.