Project "Onyx"

[shelbyluvv]

The rear has been completed. Moving on to the front very soon. 

 

 

I warned you her altitude and attitude was about to change!

[Drahcir495]

I’m thinking I know where this is going 

[Pete M]

heck yeah!

[neohic]

I had my assumptions when I saw the XJ shackles. 

[Salvagedcircuit]

2 hours ago, neohic said:

I had my assumptions when I saw the XJ shackles. 

I'm running new moog XJ shackles on my comanche with pho-metric ton leaf springs and my measured ride height is stock

[shelbyluvv]

10 hours ago, Drahcir495 said:

I’m thinking I know where this is going 

Going down and back to 2wd.

9 hours ago, neohic said:

I had my assumptions when I saw the XJ shackles. 

It was time for a change. I caused a lot of damage by using her as a Jeep/truck that had to be fixed.

7 hours ago, Salvagedcircuit said:

I'm running new moog XJ shackles on my comanche with pho-metric ton leaf springs and my measured ride height is stock

I am using non MT 2wd packs, XJ shackles and a 3" XJ lift block kit. All in that was close to 8" of drop from the 4" lift it had.

[shelbyluvv]

It is too hot for this in south Georgia this time of the year!

 

 

 

I need to pull the drivetrain, pressure wash the bottom of the truck and paint it. There is so much mud under there it's ridiculous.

[Minuit]

[shelbyluvv]

New front beam installed 

 

and she has a face again 

 

Now to swap the transmission and engine. She has a lot of blow by and smokes. 

[Pete M]

in the weeds.  

[shelbyluvv]

On 8/13/2023 at 9:13 PM, Pete M said:

in the weeds.  

I'm in love with her all over again!

[shelbyluvv]

Today I started working on her front end look. I do not like the 97+ bumper caps. I also don't like the 96- front flares. Then cames the need for a better looking air dam. 

 

I wanted a 87-90 Dakota Sport or Shelby front bumper. They are both rear as hell and impossible to find. I haven't given up on finding one but I have temporarily gone in a different direction.

 

 

Today I added a S10 air dam to the bottom of my 97+ bumper. I may use an 96- bumper once I verify I like the look.

 

 

I used rear flares in the front pulled down as far as possible. I then heated and trimmed the air dam and flares to blend them together a little better. 

 

Once my 96- bumper ends get in I will add them to see if this is my final look. I do like how it is coming together. 

[shelbyluvv]

Got my rear flares, rear bumper and front bumper caps on. 

 

 

I also got the intake, injector cover and valve cover detailed.

 

 

I made oil fill cap from some parts I had laying around. 

[shelbyluvv]

Messing around with the Cricut and some painters tape to get my retro side stripes figured out. 

 

[neohic]

Is this still a 4x4 or has it gone back to its roots as a 2wd? A NP242 could be rad in a street truck!

[shelbyluvv]

On 9/4/2023 at 6:46 PM, neohic said:

Is this still a 4x4 or has it gone back to its roots as a 2wd? A NP242 could be rad in a street truck!

She is back to being a 2wd. It had a 242 in it and I never put it in AWD. I want simple and don't need 4WD. I have the LJ and Ram for that. 

[shelbyluvv]

It is time to mix it up. I'm tired of the same old seats and ugly center console options. I think I like the look of the El Camino seat in the truck and it fits very well. 

 

 

The split backs, head rests and folding console are nice additions too. 

 

 

I'm digging the blue also...

 

Hint, hint!

[shelbyluvv]

In my quest to have a unique 97+ interior I added some speaker pods/map pockets to the doors. 

 

 

They needed the top part trimmed off and the corner molded to clear the dash.

 

 

They fit perfectly beside the El Camino seat.

[Salvagedcircuit]

7 hours ago, shelbyluvv said:

In my quest to have a unique 97+ interior I added some speaker pods/map pockets to the doors. 

 

 

They needed the top part trimmed off and the corner molded to clear the dash.

 

 

They fit perfectly beside the El Camino seat.

Woah did you make those speaker pods/map pockets from scratch? Lookin pretty good!

[Drahcir495]

On 8/26/2023 at 2:41 PM, shelbyluvv said:

 

 

I really like the look of that. Makes it look lower too 

[shelbyluvv]

On 9/24/2023 at 1:45 PM, Drahcir495 said:

I really like the look of that. Makes it look lower too 

I actually took the 97+ bumper off and went with a old style. I like it better.

 

 

[shelbyluvv]

I had the great idea to put a 1999 Durango column shift column in my truck. Getting the actual column in the truck was the easiest part.

 

 

Then came the process of getting all the wiring for the the horn, ignition, wipers, turn signals, four ways and so on working.

 

 

I was even able to get the key "bling ring" working.

 

 

A function check revealed that the delay for the wipers did not work.

 

 

This lead me back to doing more research. The 97 XJ delay is controlled by the actual switch. The 99 Durango delay is controlled by the BCM. Then I remembered the 84-96 XJ used a separate delay module. I went to the local junkyard and stumbled on a RHD 96 XJ. As of it was destined to be the connector was exactly the same as the 99 Durango! 

 

 

A little more re-pinning and splicing of wires and my mission was accomplished.

 

 

 

The final step is to get the column connected to the intermediate steering shaft and it will be complete. 

[Pete M]

[shelbyluvv]

I messed with the dash a little more tonight. Because I have a column shift there is no longer a gear position indicator.

 

I decided to fix it. 

 

 

I modified a Durango PRND21 indicator and my dash to accept it. 

 

 

I am going clean up the widow a little and mold some clear acrylic in it be flush with the dash.

 

 

The final step will be to get a light mounted to light it up at night. I plan to use the old floor shift bulb to get that done. 

 

This column install has been one of the most satisfying things I have done to this truck. 

[Pete M]

I wanna come down for that first drive