I am new to cherokees because my father's coworker will give an 83 cherokee to him. Is 2.5 engine 4x4. I dont know if it is xj or what. Also I can't see under the hood because it doesn't open. What he told me is that the engine had a dameged cylinder head gasket an it where mixing oil and water.

The thing is that the cherokee has been there for some years and the metal of the roof becomes damaged. It has rust on all parts and need to be replaced. Locally I call for the part, the metal roof, and nobody sell it.

Where I can found the part and for how many? What model year cherokee has the same roof that will fit on mine? Or if there are other type of roof that I can use, like the wrangler plastic roof or something like that?

Also I want to ask if it is carburated or have fuel injectors? Really I hate carburators.

 

I really dont think you could buy a "replacement roof" its apart of the body. you may be able to cut the roof off a donor xj and cut yours off and weld the other one but i see that being very difficult. pretty sure its fuel injected if its a cherokee. though im not positive. you may wanna swap in an inline 6 instead of that 4 banger. instead of rebuilding it or replacing it with a 4banger/

 

If it's a 83 it's carb

 

i'm pretty sure a I6 wont bolt right up to the old 4 banger positions, brackets and trany and what not. But i could be wrong. Also there would be alot of work to swap that all in.

 

Thank you all. I can do the work of replacing the entire roof. I know it its part of the body. But as the cherokee is too old they don't sell the part. I think I will repair it with fiberglass instead. Cut the rusted metal and do the work with fiberglass.

Anyone with an '83?
A kit to make fuel injection?

 

You could chop top it? Or chop a roof off an older xj in a yard.

 

They never made an '83 XJ, the first year for the XJ was '84. I think you might have the year wrong.

 

I thought that too lol just brain farted it...

 

I said that I don't know if it is xj or what, or if it is an '83. That was what he said. What I know is that is 2.5.

Right now that doesn't matter for me. What I want opinions an sugestions is for the roof and a kit or a way to make it fuel injection. Are there somebody who sell a plastic roof (hardtop) that the one for wranglers?

 

Accordingly with wikipedia the 2.5L engine comes in '84 with the cherokee XJ. Also it looks more "squared" like the XJ and not like the photos that I see of the '83. So I think it should be '84 or newer.

 

Not if it's a cherokee

 

If it's a 84 its carbed. 84-96 body is the same for most parts. Got a 84 and 85 with 2.5s sitting in the drive right nowand everything is pretty much the same as my 89 and 94 as far as body parts. You can upgrade to TBI if you want but a lot of work. We just stuck a weber progressive 2 barrel on the kids 85.

 

This isn't Fab.

Moving to Advanced Tech.

 

So any cherokee roof from 84-96 will fit as replacement?

 

Youre not going to find a replacement roof, there is no such thing. You can take a donor and cut the tops off both and swap them, thats as close as youll get. If the whole entire roof is shot and everything else is mint, it MIGHT be worth getting a donor to do the roof. Otherwise, walk away, its not worth it, even for free.

Same with fuel injection. Youre talking TONS of work, and its not really worth it. There is no benefit to making an old XJ fuel injection instead of carbed when you consider all the time and money (if its even possible) to do it.

Sounds like youre getting a vehicle that is going to need a ton of work. Sometimes even free isnt a good deal. You could buy a MUCH newer XJ with fuel injection and a roof thats good for a lot less than it will cost you to do what youre talking about doing.