Good morning and thanks for having me along for the journey! In 2018 my father-in-law gifted our son with his first car - a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4x4. He is not the off-road type, so we focused on making it as "luxurious" as possible. We added a custom leather interior. We had dash modifications done to a accommodate a double DIN stereo and installed and Apple CarPlay unit. Faux Woodgrain center console. Chrome grille. Bumpers, trim, etc.. all painted to match. Etc..

He drove it during high school, but had to leave it at home during his first year at college. At the time we lived in VA and he was going to school in Palo Alto, CA. He had a rough first year since most school provided transportation was still shuttered due to the pandemic. With some hesitation, we agreed to let him take it cross-country for his sophomore year. That summer we dropped more than a couple dollars on it to make sure it was 100% mechanically sound prior to the journey. Our last receipt the day before his trip was almost $1200.

I'm sure most of you can guess what happened next. He left from Tampa on the morning of Sept 9 (we had relocated to FL during his freshman year). He made it as far as Baton Rouge, LA before he was rear-ended, totalling the car. After a long battle with insurance, we finally agreed to a number as well as them releasing the Jeep back to us. We towed it back to FL and it took up residence on the side of our house. After a few more months, we finally located a new car for him - a 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2WD.

So now the real work begins as we transfer all that is better on the old Jeep to the new one. My youngest is 15 and he will be turning wrenches with me to make this all happen. Just like a stupid car show, we have two weeks to get it all done before the "big reveal" on June 16th when he flies back from his semester abroad. Hoping to pick him up at the airport in his new Jeep!

We plan to post updates along the way and look forward to the forum's insight when we hit any dead ends.

Thanks in advance for any and all help you may provide!

Day 01

Proud Owner


Scene of the Crime

Finally Home

The Successor

This is my mechanic, standing next to his previous project - a 1992 Club Car DS

 

Father/son projects are the best!!!!