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'88 Eliminator... Feb. 2009 - Nov. 2024


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Finally spring time! Time to take out an old friend.

 

Weird... I took the cover off the truck this morning and just let it run for a while. Went looking back at this thread and noticed it was one year ago TODAY that I did the same thing. On another note, I've been thinking about the bumpers on this truck for years now as I've never been really crazy about them. Might try and find some time to fab up something new. Really the only thing holding me back for so long is because of the way I cut the grill and header panel the way I did.  :wall:

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Changed the oil last weekend and gave it some fresh gas today. Had some running around this afternoon to take care of so this little guy got some much needed attention. Big smiles all around!  :yes:

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Pull it out of storage, change the oil, barely put any miles on it over a week, and then a 200+ mile road trip? Why not?!  . :MJ 1: .

 

 

Brought a load of stuff up to where I'm selling a few things this summer. Everything went great!... minus driving into a gnarly wind all the way there and back. Got up there and then found out both rear axle seals leaking and that the water temp gauge likes to creep a little over time. Always something...  :shake: Small list of things on the docket for sooner than later now include the axle seals, maybe an upgrade in the radiator even though this one isn't dead yet (seems as though I got the only good plastic tanked single core radiator ever created), and some new bumpers. Stay tuned.

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:fs2: What is it with this truck and fuel leaks at the rail?! I got into work this morning and all seems fine. Of course there's a few students who notice my truck sitting there and they all want to see it. Fine. Go over, start it up, lift the hood, and there it is at the send line... drip... drip... drip...  :wall: I shut the truck off and start mentally making a plan as to who the closest parts store is to go and get parts before I go home. Things get busy... I forget to go get o-rings... that leads me up to about ten minutes ago. It's just about quittin' time and it dawns on me that the trucks is still going to leak. So, I go out to the truck and take a quick recon of whatever else I think I might need. Flip open the center console to grab a pad of paper and what's waiting for me?... a pack of o-rings with a piece of tape on it that is clearly labeled "FUEL SENDING LINE".

 

Clearly, I forgot about when I first noticed the leak over this past winter and I didn't leave myself a good enough trail of breadcrumbs.  :thwak:

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  • 1 month later...

Had a first for this truck today. Local car show was today so I figured it was a good day to take it and the camper out for a nice day on the town. It showed really well! Got a lot of good comments on it and had the same conversation over and over again that the camper wasn't actually a factory option. Had kind of a goofy spot that was way at the end of show, but I took up a little more space than most there. Ah, well... maybe next time I show it I'll get there a little earlier.

 

 

No trophies either. There aren't any actual categories for this show. Pretty much everyone just lines up as they get there. She won $100 at the raffle at the end of the show though. Probably better than a trophy anyhow!

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Thanks, dude! Poor thing doesn't get out as much as I'd like and the time that is does see on the road is not at all as I intended it when it was being rebuilt. Ah well... it's easier to keep clean that way, anyhow.  :shake:

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  • 3 months later...

Anybody know what this is?...

 

 

In MN you need to have an OHV registration and sticker to be allowed on state trails. You know what that means? That means that this little truck is going to see some trails for the first time in six or seven years!  :eek: Well over due to say the least. The last time this was really offroad I wasn't even a member here... that's a friggen long time ago!!! So I went over the whole truck today in planning for this weekend. A friend and I are going down to Appleton, MN. Not an overly exciting park at all so I'm hoping that this is the spark that'll get me interested in dirt again.

 

Never checked for bump stops before. Everything bottomed out just fine without any tire/fender contact but I think the shocks are a little too short all around. Ah well...

 

 

I know... I know... barely even a poser shot but I also swapped in a new alternator this afternoon and was out on a test drive. Forgot I had the camera in the truck so this was really all I got. Threw together a small recovery bag and strapped in my small CO2 bottle. Added some more sticker power just for good measure too.

 

 

Hoping for a good weekend.

 

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Fingers crossed for next weekend now. Got a few things done this weekend anyhow. Been working quit a bit on my shop lately trying to freshen it up but also threw some time at this. Ever since I painted it I never put any rear speakers in it. Found the 6x9s I had intended to use so many years ago and cleaned them up. They fit perfectly behind the seats as the boxes are very low profile. While I was checking things over I found that my CB crapped out. Not too surprised with that... that one got passed around a few vehicles of mine over the past twelve years to so. Replaced the cheap-o Cobra DX III with a DX IX... so it's a huge upgrade. While I was taking pictures I shot one of the alternator for those who don't know what they look like.

 

 

Still trying to get a few more miles on it before the snow flies too.  :crossfingers:

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Had a great time! Really too bad my suspension is total garbage for where I was!  :laughin: The front flexes around pretty good but the shocks are too short. The rear leafs are really stiff but that's never been a problem because I've only really hauled around stuff with it. The last time this truck was ever on a trail it had the same front coils as it does now but the rears were still the original saggy 2wd springs. Ah well... the wife and I had an awesome time regardless! Lots of tight trails in Appleton, MN so there's plenty of fresh scratches. Again... ah, well!

 

Got down there and remembered that I still need to replace the rear axle seals. Otherwise, no other problems mechanically. My friend's '87 XJ though... eek. Slightly scary. I think everyone was waiting all day for something to go wrong. Typical to others who take their trucks to the trails... not much for pictures. I got out and snapped a few while waiting but no real, real Jeep pictures.

 

 

Overall, Appleton is a good place to go for a day trip. Stay to the north and you're constantly worried about if you're on an ATV trail or go south and juggle between easy bunny hill trails or steep rock climbs. Not much in between, really. Lots of tight turning trails that I wouldn't imagine trying to squeeze through. I think there just might be a turd of an XJ in my future that is strictly for trails and maybe winter driving.

 

Anyhow, the end of the day resulted in a good time. A bit too windy for a bonfire, but it doesn't matter the weather when it comes to post trail libations. :group beer:

 

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  • 1 month later...

Time for a change.

 

 

It'll find a new home. More on that in the next coming weeks.

 

I never really did like that bumper on this truck... or the rear, for that matter. They were both designed for my old '89 Eliminator with all its crazy crooked frame "character". They just never fit right nor were they the look that I wanted for this one. Really just been putting it off for the past few years because of the way that I cut the header panel to fit the winch. I immediately regretted that decision after the first cut. Ah well... can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs either. Not sure what's going in that old giant bumper's place yet. Been thinking about going back to a modified stock bumper... who knows. Either way, this bumper will never be mounted on this truck ever again.

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I'm curious what you wired the killswitch up to.  I'm guessing as "killswitch" implies, this is an emergency engine shutoff, right?

 

I just read through the entire build thread.  This is a great looking truck!  :)

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I'm curious what you wired the killswitch up to.  I'm guessing as "killswitch" implies, this is an emergency engine shutoff, right?

 

I just read through the entire build thread.  This is a great looking truck!  :)

 

Thanks, dude! The kill switch was tied to the battery a while back. I was having a problem that I'd let the battery sit overnight and I'd come back to it being completely dead. Wanting to get the truck on the road, this was my temporary solution. I've since found the issue but it seems like every other year or so I'm finding something else electrical to fix. See, when I got the truck it had already been broken into a couple times and stolen once. The dash wiring is a mess to the radio and used to pop fused quite a bit, and the under hood wiring could use a refresh as well. Not sure what the long term plans are for this truck but a total rewire from the cab forward is definitely a must.  :(

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Made up a set of bumpers for Austin (xjrev10) and I decided to toss the front on to get some wheels turning.

 

 

Not really sure what to think. I like it... but I'm not in love with it. It's pretty easy to make up a bumper for these things but it's getting difficult to make one that stands out, ya know? Seems like the majority of the aftermarket and DIY kits out there pretty much all look alike. Hmm... I don't know yet. Maybe it just needs a little something more. Might just be the thought of seeing something else on there. As much as I didn't like that winch bumper it's just the look that the truck grew into over the years. I've got another week to look at it before Austin comes down to get it.

 

On another note, I've been tripping over a set of 33x14.50 Boggers for a while now and of course I had to move them again. I turned around and one rolled just about in line with the front left... almost as if saying, "bolt me on!"...

 

 

:rotf: Had a good laugh at it but... uh... no.  :ack:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Picture of the fans also... I decided to keep the mechanical fan for now, but these little guys reduce coolant temps by about 20 degrees! They run off of an electric thermostat or off of a switch.

 

 

:thumbsup:  I like your rig man, what did you do with the trans cooler?

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The one inside the radiator?  :hmm: I never put an auxiliary cooler in but I really should.

 

Since I'm here, plans are for sure in the works for new bumpers front and rear. Gathering up materials to start with the rear since I know what I want it to look like. Going back to something similar to what I made for it years ago. Still unsure about the front. Trying to think up something that doesn't look so cookie-cutter. Might change up a few other exterior features too like the adolescent light bar... rack?... cage?... thing.

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  • neohic changed the title to '88 Eliminator... Feb. 2009 - Nov. 2024

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