Well I have always wanted to make a build thread just never got around to it. Well I finialy just decided to. I got the jeep back in high school during my junior year. It was a 98 sport with a pieced together 4.5" lift with 32" BFG AT's. It was everything I had dreamed of and wanted. Well it has come along way since then, but this is where it all started.

The first day I brought her home





Nothing special but it was to me. Took it out for the first time a few weeks after and had a fun time.



Did alot of mudding with buddys in high school because I could. Found out few years later it wasent smart lol, still find mud in places.



Then I decided that I wanted to boost the rear end up so I bought a 1.5" shackle





Well that made my leafs angry!


Very angry!


But left it alone and kept driving it.


Added some hella 500's


Then finaly put a used set of 3.5" Rustys leafs in to make her happy


I though the jeep was huge! Made such a difference

Kept wheeling, and she flexed pretty good.


Jeep stayed the same all threw my Junior summer as I dident have any money lol. When I got to mysenior year I took welding at my school and built a few things. First was some quarter guards


Next was a full belly skid, made it after JCR's


Then kept wheeling,


Added a ZJ tie rod shortly after as I bent the stock one.

Put a gas tank skid on and a hitch


Also built this cool thing to hold all my switches


The jeep dident get much done after these during senior year, as I once again dident have money lol. But right after I finished high school, I threw on some 33's

 

Looks really good!

 

Looks a lot better with the 33's, good job on the xj!

 

Stopped my a buddys work and flexed it out to see some bumpstops




During summer I decided I wanted a real bumper. So I built one.






Dont have any pics of it finshed lol

Well then I decided I wanted a 5.5" lift. So I started collecting parts. Was in college and had a better job making more money so I could buy parts yay!!!

Yay! SYE


Drop brackets


Double Carden shafts


Control arms I built






Leafs


Coils


And its started. The tear down!






The after mass!!




And the bumper finished

Then decided to paint the bottom of the doors black


Add some rock lights, and 4 hella 500's to the roof!




Decided I then needed a rear bumper/tire carrier, so off I went and built one

 

Turned out pretty dang good I thought!






Well I had become a hot head thinking I had a badass jeep that couldent be hurt. Well I was giving a reality check! And almost rolled and crashed the jeep






Saved it wil a buddys help. Bent a rim, control arm joint, axle tube, and control arm mount. Limped it home and parked her on the side of the house for 3 weeks till I had the funds to fix her. Bought some used steel wheels and put them on


Looked ok I though


Sold the other 3 rims that were in good shape


Replaced the joint on the arm, and bent the mount back. Drove it for 2 months like this. Drove just fine. Well then a came across a set of axle. D30 and 8.25 27 spline that had 4.56's, aussie locker front, powertrax rear, with tera flex knuckle. So I jumped on them and bought some other stuff.

Wanted to be a little wider after my crash so I put spacers on


and brought home the axles.

Bought some of this


And began to build the front axle more. Replaced the junk tera flex steering with custom DOM steering and trussed the front


Mhm sexy!








Well I also decided to jump to 35's, so on went the new axles and new 35's




Sexy jeep

 

Seen live...and it's a sweet rig folks.

 

girlfriend had some shoes painted in the middle, have to show them lol




Well finaly got to wheel the jeep HARD (to me for the first time ever) Went down and did chinnamans. Wheeled the hell out of it for a shakedown run


Got stuck and high centered






Not as bad as my buddy though




Loved it, and loved the jeep. Decided I needed to add rock sliders and frame stiffeners, as I bent the frame, and rockers on the trail, and took a chunk of t-case out to lol. So found a set.



Welded them on


And welded sliders to them


And a belly skid




How she sat


Then decided I needed to cut the bushwackers for the 35's so I turned them into pocket style




Few weeks later decided that I wasent happy with the axles, and having full time lockers, so ... .. ... .


Out they came

In went a 44 in the rear, and another 30 upfront, but both with ARB lockers, and 4.56's.

Went back to stock style steering and had a custom tie rod built


Happy ya? WRONG! I wanted a new front bumper, so I called up T&T customs, and went and got a bumper

 

Well I did what we all did! I went WHEELING. did Holy Cross. No pics of me as I was the trail leader, so no one had any of me.

A few though






Well I decided that I dident lik the drop brackets and all so.....










I decided the DR ordered a 3 link

 

She crawler over other jeep nicely!!






Then bushing in rear needed replaced, so got on that



Nasty!

Well its been a good 4 years and still loveing her. Still my first car and still drains a hole in my pocket. Shes been along way, but its been an amazing ride

1st day in my life


1400 plus days and still counting

 

Great build thread!

 

so next is front diff cover, HD lower control arm mounts and OTA TB mount


Then -
4 link rear im working on
New belly skid
Front truss
Rear diff cover
Doorless mod
Cage
4.7 stroker swap

Heres a few pics of her as I went along

 

Im liking this alot! Great job! Now around how much total invested may I ask?

 

love the build! can't wait to get mine that far!

 

looks good !

 

Awesome build, sexi jeep! keep it up! I also have a white XJ, The painting the bottom of the doors is a good idea!