So I have the opportunity to purchase a wrecked 95 XJ from an insurance company. It is a one owner vehicle with 70,000 original miles that was very well cared for by the old man that owns it (not a tall tale, I know him well). Unfortunately some idiot ran a redlight and it was t-boned in the passenger side that resulted in a rollover. The body damage is severe and I have 2 options that I am looking at concerning this Jeep.

Option #1. Pull the drivetrain and keep it as a spare for my 91. Strip any and all remaining parts for resale including the new tires that have less than 6,000 miles on them. Scrap the remaining shell at the recycler.

Option #2. Cut the passenger side doors off and use hydralic rams to push some of the body damage back out. Yank the roof back into position just enough to hold a new windsheild. It does not have to seal properly to prevent leaks, it will be doorless anyway. I only need a windsheild to deflect debris from whoever may be in front of me on a trail (no one wants to get hit in the face with mud and rocks). Gut the interior and sell the good pieces. Cage it, lift it, and wheel the living crap out of it.

What would you do with it. Take it account that it will only cost a couple of hundred bucks to get my hands on it.

A pic of the passenger side damage.


A pic from the front showing how bad the roof is.

 

1

 

I voted for the big O'l # 2! Reasons why. . .

2 gets my vote because I love builds like this. (if you were to do so) My vote also depends on exactly what you will be doing with it. If you plan on hitting moderate to easier trails, I would just part it. If you were planning on making it to handle some rough stuff it could be a great and really fun project / wheeler!

Yeah, it would be some work involved, time spent mabe even some blood lost in there somewhere but I can see a really B A wheeler being made out of that!

Even if you're starting out in the off road part of things (or even experienced) you wouldn't have a pristine body to worry about. ( My favorite part. ) Not that you can just bash through the trails cause anyone can do that, but if you were to get into a jam, it won't be that much of a concern.

All this is JMO though! Hope you make the right decision for you!

 

holly sweet potatoes! definitely #1.
you got a drive train with only 70k miles. for an XJ that's like having a brand new drive train waiting on the side.
you ain't gonna gain a dang thing by pulling that body straight. there's a ton of jeeps out there in a better shape to put that drivetrain in.
unless you're actually trying to get away from people and lock yourself up in the garage for months.
this thing is worth a lot more in parts.

 

strip it. to build a buggy from that is wasted time just take everything worth a dime and junk the rest

 

I chose #1 cause that drive train is a steal and the money you could make on parts! #2 would be almost impossible but I would definitely follow that build thread if you did it!!! Lol

 

I say 1. OR, buy yourself another jeep that has driveline issues (no motor or driveline for that matter) but good body and then build it. Jump on craigslist and you can find good jeeps for under 800 that just need driveline parts. You'd pick that up for...400? and then another one for 800? That's 1200 and a jeep that only has 70k on the motor, trans, tc, and axles.

#2 would be too much time, money and work to have it ready for some trails. The body work to the roof alone would take much time and for it to fit a windsheld right would take some precision.

 

A little better explanation for my logic on this Jeep. I don't want to build a 70k mile daily driver, I already have 4 vehicles for daily use. I don't want to build a full blown, one ton axled, V8 rock eater. The amount of time invested is not an issue for me either. I look at this way, I can have a good running XJ with body damage that does not matter to me. Will I be plowing through the woods with reckless abandon..... NO, I have more common sense than that. But at least if I get into an off kilter position and it flops, so what.

 

Well it does not matter now, the insurance compnay pulled a dirty one. They had the Jeep moved from the tow in lot to an undisclosed location without contacting the owner. Then 2 days later called them and said the check was in the mail without discussing the options first. So no chance of getting my hands on this one.

 

2 it'll be fun!