Greenjeans

Other parts not installed yet…. A winch mount and JY China winch for the front bumper and a tilt column that I restored (had to tighten it up and spray paint it). Also a later model brake booster, Durango master cylinder and a few other goodies. After the 2.8 is out, I’ll put the Carter electric fuel pump in, column, booster etc. I did get the shifter out of a 99, it’s swept back more and I want to use it. I got an instrument cluster but I’m thinking of just using some Autometer gauges and keep the idiot lights for an old skool simple dash. My wife got a kick out of the 85 mph speedometer and the full slosh gas guage 😁

It was a Corp of Engineers Park Ranger truck (wildlife refuge/lake), you can still see where the lettering was. It has a few dents and scratches but overall not bad shape. I plan to leave the body alone and just keep it original (patina “rat rod” I suppose!). The only rust is a hole is where I guess the muffler was. It only had an old cat hanging under there and I cut it off and home made an exhaust with a JY thrush muffler. I plan to use the 3.4 exhaust manifolds and weld up a new exhaust system after the motor swap..

I also pulled an 8.8 from a Ford Explorer with matching 4:10 gears and a limited slip so that is waiting for after the motor and trans swap.. also, those are 18” Jeep wheels (forget the year). will this thing ever be done??

And spent a day pulling this..

I welded up the uneccessary holes in the bumpers and cut the “wings” down on the rear bumper.

Junk yard bumpers…

Front axle out, rebuilt Dana 30 with 4:10 gears in…

After lift…

Back in February of 2022 I started looking on marketplace for a cheap 4x4 project …. I had in mind a beat up rusty Cherokee for keeping my tools in etc.. I looked at two different 2 doors but they were too far gone in the rust department. Then this 2wd popped up and I liked the color. So I began researching the conversion process and decided that I could handle the project..maybe..The 2.8 still runs but leaks everything and has 245k miles so I knew it had to go. originally I considered a conversion to a 4.0 but it would basically be as difficult as any motor swap. Then I read about the LS route but I decided that it was going to be too expensive everything said and done. At some point I found out about the 3.4 swap and decided that was the route for me. I started hitting our two pull-a-part yards and collecting parts. I found a TJ with 3” lift Rustys front coil springs. I went around the yard with a tape measure and found that Xterra rear leaf springs were 1.5” longer and the right width so I got those. They worked out for a 4” or so lift. I got a HP Dana 30 and WJ front knuckles and calipers. I ordered new rotors etc and a crossover steering kit from Barnes. I found adjustable control arms on another Cherokee in the yard as well as a RC adjustable track bar. A lot of JY scrounging… I got a 241c transfer case and now shopping for a 700R4 for a 60 degree V6. It’s not easy to find a good 87-89 4wd S10 trans. I did find two Hard Rock bumpers and just got them fitted. My latest pull is a 94 Camaro 3.4. It’s getting a new oil pump and gaskets and a “Krylon rebuild”. It had 125k miles and good compression check…. I had already bought a new Weber so that’s what it’s getting.. 2.8 coming out in the days ahead..

Thx!

1986 radio…. Volume knob needs repair but she still sings.. IMG_6185.MOV

Are we prohibited from posting in “other projects” ie. XJ’s etc until we have 10 post counts or some other rule? The site won’t allow me to post there for some reason. I was going to share my project..

I’ll need to get this one back on the road, then maybe start seriously looking. My father in law had one in ‘90 when I met his lovely daughter. I’m trying to get the family to come up with some pictures….

First post. I’m in Savannah GA and currently working on an XJ. The MJ’s are pretty rare in these parts. Mine is an 86 and I joined because obviously there are very few of them on the road still and a lot of the info I found on the internet was from the comancheclub.. so thanks for letting me in! My XJ is an old state park truck (US Forest Service green). I’ve had a lot of fun so far tinkering with it and already looking out for an MJ companion.. Rob