FXWorks

This works.

Yeah, it depends on who shows up. If no one then not much... If a couple of "Jay Leno" caliber people show up all bets are off. I doubt they will though.

:thumbsup: At this point I wouldn't care about the vehicle. I wouldn't want to give them my money for it even if it was still available. But, I would want to do everything legally possible to make sure that was the most painful sale they ever agreed to. :D Willy Just make sure you don't spend twenty-two large in legal fees to make your point.

Get your deposit back. Personally, I can't see paying $22k for a 2001 XJ even in new condition. For perspective, I paid $18k for my 2001 in 2003. I understand the novelty but an XJ just isn't worth that kind of money in today's vehicle market regardless of how few miles are on the clock. I say start looking for a ~50k mile XJ for ~$5k-$7k and be happy this deal fell through. These Jeeps are very reliable. For the sake of a couple dozen thousand miles on the clock I'd gladly pay one third or one quarter of the price. Also consider a WJ (99-04 Grand Cherokee) in the same price range. They are decent and reliable (ChryCo figured out how to build an automatic transmission by then; 4.7V8 and Select-Trac is the ticket).

Some more pictures, including some of the light corrosion on the underside.

This truck will have zero value if you modify it. It is what it is and should be left that way. If I had a climate controlled facility to store it I would buy it.

http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cf ... CarID=r096

These are cool cars. I've always been a fan of the MY72 Matador... stylistically a touch more modern while still having "the look". For the record, I hate when the term "Mopar" is used with anything Jeep or AMC related; even the modern Chrysler era Jeeps. It offends my ears.

LOL Feel entitled much?

Please elaborate. Are you referring to the vertical bits not being at 45 degrees to the stress/strain curve? This is additional metal, not replacement metal. This is not a "repair" peice.

Nope, never. Flexing steel allows metal fatigue to occur more rapidly. This leads to cracking/tearing of the unibody. Take a look at some of the SW big dogs and what their unibodies ended up looking like before they started adding plates to the unibody to reduce flexing. Cracks and such all along the firewall and tunnel in particular. Make the suspension do its job.

I have the TNT version of these on my XJ. I will be doing same on my MJ. These make a huge difference in the stiffness of the uni-body. You can feel it right away as soon as you are done welding them on just by opening and slamming one of the doors on the truck. Completely different sound. These are stitch welded on. The idea for the holes is to rosette weld them. For the stiffeners shown in the advert I'd be inclined to stitch weld them on opposite diameters at the 45 degree angle. Those holes are big enough to want a stitch weld if I am visualizing what they are showing correctly. The vertical cuts also get stitch welded. There is no "hinge" remaining after everything is welded. IIRC there are three vertical cuts in the TNT version. As for strength, these really help in a bunch of ways. First, the angle shape adds material at the bottom of the frame. This increases the area moment of inertia and hence the resistance to beaming. The vertical part adds material for the same forces in the transverse plane if you follow. If you think of the uni-rails as a monocoque adding the material both planes stiffens the box which in turn stiffens the entire structure. On top of all this you now have more material to weld and/or drill and tap for mounting sliders. If done right you can incorporate this in such a way that you have another semi-monocoque structure outboard of the uni-rails. Who says unibodies suck? :) Regarding the price, these are not just some angle iron cut to shape. There is a double bend at the corner that conforms tightly to the factory uni-rail. At least the TNT version is this way. There are at least two other versions of these stiffeners out there as well. For the price of these it is good value unless you have access to a press that can bend multiple bends in tight proximity along the entire length in 3/8" steel. Right, didn't think so. ;) You can do the same with a plain 'ol piece of angle iron but it isn't as elegant. I'll pay the what, $40-60 difference in the price of steel for angle versus a manufactured part if it looks better and reduces the amount of work I have to do.

Has anyone sourced a new handle or made a new handle for the rear slider? The one in my truck must have gotten lots of use since the handle part is broken off. TIA

I messed around with a similar idea a few years ago. I think I used Pete's old truck as the starting point. Below is what I came up with while trying to balance proportion with usefulness. IIRC the front of the box was shortened and the rear doors are long enough to use the bottom front door window molding. I'm guessing you might be able to use 2 door window glass. Excuse the roughness of the photoshop; it was a brain storming exercise, not for publication. :) What you have in mind might be easier to fabricate if I follow what you are going to try.

Looks like a Geo Tracker with a stretched box. Sorry, not feeling the love for that thing.

This thread is full of win.

Yeah but they have some known issues already in regards to the housings bending. My buddy's Rubi is in the shop getting BOTH of the housing swapped out right now ;) They are also the newer 5 x 5 bolt pattern. I just saw in the mopar performance book that they are selling a JK front 44 modified to fit a TJ , with a 5 on 4.5.... Supposedly they can be modified for 5 on 5.5" also.

Looks great! I don't remember if you mentioned it previously, what colour are you planning on painting it? I bought a rust free MJ from Colorado last month. Itching to get at it but I need to get other projects out of the way in the garage first. It's driving me nuts because every time I pull up to the house it is just sitting there taunting me to get started on it. :)

Plus too narrow and differential housing on the wrong side.

Well, maybe I'll just change the fluids first and see what happens.

Don't know at this point. I got the Jeep on the weekend. Previous owner said the engine was run very hot, the wiring harness sheath behind the valve cover is melted with the imprint of the valve cover fins in it so it was pretty hot. No coolant, oil in the sump is milky. The engine starts right up and there is no bad noises but it goes straight to WOT once you touch the throttle because the return spring is gone. I figured it would be easier to put in a "new" engine than mess with an unknown quantity.

I have a 1988 RENIX 4.0 MJ with a blown engine. I have a well used but solid 1992 (ChryCo) EFI 4.0 from a Cherokee on an engine stand. What "non-obvious" stuff do I need to do to make the ChryCo 4.0 work in the MJ? Is it just swap manifolds or do I need to get a decent RENIX head as well. Other gotchas? In case it matters, the MJ is a 5 speed but I want to swap in a AW4 at a later date. Thanks!

I've found my MJ. It is four hours away and I am going to go get it on Saturday. Really great friends are lending me a truck and trailer to retrieve it so I won't be flat towing.

Are these bars still available?

They are always for sale down south cheap and rust free. It may be a good idea to find one down here and tow it home. Thanks! The pictures would be great and much appreciated. I'd love to see how you setup the new brackets. I'd really like to travel south for a truck but currently don't have a vehicle capable of towing that far. With my schedule it seems I can barely find the time to go look at a truck that is only three hours west from me. Racing season is almost over, hopefully I'll have more weekends free to find something decent before the weather turns.