Good afternoon fellas.

Here's where I am at: I have a 95 Grand with a V8, automatic, bone stock. It runs and drives just fine. Ok, the brakes need bled and the steering box tightened, and its got a hint of wobble, even with a new track bar. Additionally, there are some cooling problems that require regular heater core flushes. Its been my daily driver for a year or so.
I just procured a 99 XJ, 4.0, auto, also stock. I am going to keep this one and use it for my daily driver.
I would like to have a mild lift, nothing too drastic or harsh on the XJ, something easy/smooth/reliable, a little weekend warrioring and mainly daily drives. The ZJ doesn't seem to be worth that much, maybe $800-$1,000 as a mechanics special. If ts worth say, $1,000, as is, and $3,00 scrap, can I find say, $700 of useful, lift swap parts on the Zj for the XJ?? Get it? What do you think?

 

The ZJ tie rods are stronger than the XJs, and will swap over. The front coils off the ZJ will give roughly 1.5" if the ZJ has the upcountry package.
Personally, I'd probably swap the tie rods between the two and sell the ZJ if it were me. You can piece together a lift for an XJ cheap, I have less than $100 in my lift, which is somewhere around 1.5-2". And if I decide to go up a little higher, I can spend a little over $100 for 3.5" coils, and add the shackles I have, and be at 3.5" for around $200 total with new springs all around (have new rear springs in it already).

 

Good call on the tie rod.

Not many parts will swap between the 2. The front axle in the XJ is better than the one in the ZJ. Rear axle won't be a bolt-in or an upgrade. The T-case might swap in but won't be worth it. Sell the ZJ after you've swapped the tie rods (assumming that the rod ends are good).

 

You could also swap the alternators with a little modification to your XJ