Truth. Been there, done that. Mr. Ralph, I gotta say, I am truly impressed with the amount of work you put into your ride to make it right. Mine is heavily modded, but with a purpose. Beauty is not one of them. I don't give 2 rats patooties if it gets scratched or dirty. Yours, on the other hand, I have a secret desire for. Would be nice to look good as well. For what I do, it just isn't practical.

Just shows to go ya, we all have different tastes and goals. You are doing some DAMN fine work. Keep it up.

 

Thank you. You have to understand something. I am 59 years old. My days of modifying Jeeps for thrashing around out there are long over. Why do I own a Jeep? Because I have owned a Jeep, or some 4X4, since I was 16. Just because I don't thrash anymore does not mean I still won't own one. But now they are just DD's to me. But the pull to do stuff is still there. So instead of lifts, tires, dual batteries, dual filters, dual shocks, and all the other crap I used to do way back when I put in better seats, overhead consoles (that is in the works), cruise control, etc. I did the tow hooks and skid plates more for a look. Which brings me to another problem. I have kind of turned it to one of those guys I did not care for much when I was younger. They build this awesome vehicle, not that mine is or ever will be, and she is just a pavement princess. Like I really needed skid plates and tow hooks? LOL.

EDIT: I remember you would be thrashing around out there all day. Jeep would be a mess. You get home wash her up. Look at her for a bit. Realize she does not look right. Go find a mud hole or something to get her dirty again. Thinking I used to be somewhat like you. LOL.

 

Well, boss, I'm pushing 50 now, so I guess I just haven't gotten there yet, haha

Exact opposite for me. Used to be into nothing more than how my ride looked. Don't get me wrong, I have had plenty of cars, some with extras, some without, mods, etc...but these days I could care less. Where I live, it's all about show...(California)...so many folks have rides that LOOK cool, but mechanically and performance wise, very few are the real deal. Fashion over function. I am the exact opposite. I built my ride to work, not look good, and it has taken me many years to get it there. Still going as a matter of fact, it never ends.

As I said, we all have different goals. Just know that I have a great respect for your work. You are doing it right, and having fun doing it.

THAT'S what matters.

 

That is cool. 50 huh. Thinking I gave up sometime around 40. About the time I stopped skiing cause of my knees. Was just checking out your page. That is some rig. And the fact that you did it yourself makes it that much more impressive. Right back at you with great respect for keeping it up. I used to do all my work except the welding. Always told myself I should learn but.....

 

My rig is what got me into welding. I just couldn't see dumping money into something I could build myself. I got my front bumper online, then sliders...and looked at it and said "I could totally do that", and started investing in tools rather than tossing it into someone else's wallet. Anyways, it goes back to what's important to you...this is what makes our community great, everyone has their own idea, and folks like you make it all worth it. I have gotten SO much inspiration here, it's not even funny. I have been watching your build, and taking note for the days ahead where I either can't or don't want to do whatever it is I'm doing anymore, haha

Getting old sucks, but I'm going down kicking and screaming, haha

 

Myself also. I picked up the '00 running but not really driveable about 3 years ago. My '96 ran like a champ but structurally she was a disaster. Now if I knew how to weld. Anyway so I figured I could do most of the work. Simple little refresh. With a little luck be the last Jeep I buy in my lifetime. So I started cruising the forums to get info on the basic everyday issues we have with Jeeps. What do you do when you bust your top rear shock bolts? Stuff like that. Well I see guys putting in '98 5.9 GC louvers. Go whoa I like that. Just so happens I had some surface rust issues on my roof and hood. I wrench OK but know squat about body work and paint. Well I was able to score some louvers and figured now is the time so I had my guy cut them in when he did the body work. I see guys putting cruise control in. I don't have cruise. Researched it a bit and see that it is pretty much plug and play. Find some parts on Craigslist to do it. Same with the overhead console. I had no intention of doing anything that I have done to the Jeep except get her up and running, through emissions, upkeep and repairs as needed. As you put it all the inspiration came from the guys here.

Edit: Spayed the internal frame coating in the running board supports. They are in really good shape. The only 2 that I have seen up close and personal were rotted almost completely away on the bottom. I would like for mine not to turn into that.

 

Did some prep work while waiting for the timing chain to arrive. Cleaned and detailed some parts I've removed, the engine bay and looked a little closer at how I want to clean up the install of the beautiful battery cables I purchased from Mean Lemons (a.k.a. XJwonders).

Yeah, I know, it's an XJ, it's supposed to be dirty, etc., but, she's my XJ and she's not that kind of XJ...lol!

 

Muchacha sucia?

 

Nunca, senor! Ella no es asi!

 

Mine goes to the body shop tomarrow for a rocker panel job. Got both from Rockauto for $78 shipped. So i had to take the door jam plates off along with the rear flares. and we all know how that goes...




but hes ready freddy now

 

LOL

 

Oh, I know what you mean. Mines been in my garage since Oct. I've been slowly replacing the driver side floor boards, inner rocker, and outer rocker panels. Today i got the last of the old floorboard out and cut the new panel to fit. My buddy made a permanent floor plug for it and welded it in. And I found a new home for my cruse control tank.

 

Yeah dude rust sucks *****. I already replaced sections on the driver side floor and did alot of surface rust removal and sealing with Chassis saver all over the floor boards front to back. nothing through but it had to be stopped or it would be eventually. Also a fixed a hole in the rear quarter panel on passenger side behind the bumber side part.

I have done body work before but I really want this one to look good

on a side note its the first time in 11 years of owning vehicles that i take a vehicle to a garage for anything more than a state inspection. told myself id never pay for a garage bill. but this is a body shop so i guess it dont count

 

Those the bolts off the fender flare brackets? I busted most of them on my rear flares when I took them off. I replaced the studs. Bench grinder will come in handy for this. See Post #7.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/x...te-up-3728009/


Yesterday all I did was spin my wheels trying to get my TC skid on and spoiler back on. This crease in my hatch is not letting the double sided tape make contact all around. To make matters worse the crease is above my third eye letting water get under there and leaking through the the hole where the third eye is. Even with the plate I made to cover. Tried experimenting with some foam and to layers of the double sided tape to take up the extra space and seal. Thing is it raises the spoiler a bit so contact in other sections gets iffy. Thinking I am going to have to doubleside tape on a foam strip, drill, and bolt the spoiler on. Don't like drilling in panels like that but kinda of at a loss. If with the spoiler bolted on still does not seal all around then the only other thing I can think of is to caulk. With the TC skid I put two 5/16" rivnuts in the tranny cross member in the holes. The hole on the uni-body, that I am pretty sure is what would be used on that side does not line up. So I have to drill a couple new holes on that side. Got me thinking. Are the TC skids different for Command Trac and Select A Trac transfer cases?

 

I plan on trying to do a color matched bed liner to cover the rockers when I'm done. My wife's WJ will be going to a friend that owns a body shop, because I'm not going to try and paint it.