neohic Posted July 2, 2010 Author Share Posted July 2, 2010 Maybe its just me, but I think it would look better if it was centered. Off to one side like that just looks funny.... but its still cool, and good work! Thanks dude! I actually asked my neighbors that were outside while I was working on it for their opinion on the centering of the wheel (I live on a block full of older folks, my wife and I probably bring the average age down to early 50s... they think I'm cool). The vote was unanimous. I also put it over as far as I could so if I've got a trailer behind it, then I can still drop it down if I've got to open the tailgate. I appreciate the opinion! Thanks for looking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 I've had a few good days to work on the truck: finished up some of the wiring, I added a kill switch on the side of the console, made up a switch panel in front of the shifter, got my radio in (no more open holes in the dash!), "sorta" finished the front (not sure if I dig the black just yet), and a bunch of little stuff that just needed wrapping up. Yay! Poser shots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Looking good! I hate to be a negative nancy here, but with all the attention the truck got, those wheels look a tad... Well... forgotten. :oops: Any plans for the rolling stock? Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 looks awsome. but id be even better if you polished them wheels up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 OOPS!!! I forgot to ask if anyone knew of a good way of refinishing aluminum wheels :dunno: . Not forgotten... just forgot to explain them! Eventually, it'll get the same 33s that were on my old gray truck. Still, I don't want the black wheels so they would need to be refinished as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go4Lo Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Nice truck! I really like idea of a rear tire carrier. I thought a LOT about putting one on my truck but I could never figure out if it looks right on a truck without a camper shell? :nuts: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 I tried mounting my 33s, but nevermind on leaving them under this guy... I figured I might be able to do it, but I'm not about to start cutting up the flairs like I did on my gray truck and I just wasn't feeling the look. Oh well, they're for sale over in the classifieds for a screamin' deal! Shameless self promotion? Why not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakal Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJM/78 Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 You can finish the wheels the old way with sand paper and mothers polish , or you can save some time by sending them to the blaster and refinish from there . They'll look brad new for sure . If their not too bad than just use some 3M liquid rubbing compound followed by a crap load of mothers , use a polisher attached to a drill ( power ) . Repeat if needed . :smart: If you were closer I'd show you some of the projects I've done . They'll finish out better than stock . :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 If you were closer I'd show you some of the projects I've done... I'll see some day... still want to get out to your side of the country!! :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 Okay... so now I've got the bumper back on and a few more smaller things taken care of. I had a problem with my taillights and ended up needing to replace the main harness end of the plug. While I was in there, I wired in my trailer harness. Also added some paint to the light bar and cut off all the useless tabs on the mounts. Still need to get the rest of the lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rymanrph Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I'm not crazy about the spare on the back, but the bumper and the execution are excellent. Good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 1989 MJ Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Nice work, i am plus a restore guy. But I admire your work. :popcorn: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 Thanks guys! Something had to change! The black front just wasn't doing it for me... looking back at old pictures and being on the fence about the black from the get go just got to me today. So, first thing this morning I mixed up a small cup in the paint gun and away it went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted August 4, 2010 Author Share Posted August 4, 2010 Finally got the lights on the light bar and done. The four facing forward have a huge spread and the rear comes on with the reverse lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Nice Job. That is an amazing looking truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted August 9, 2010 Author Share Posted August 9, 2010 ^Thanks dude! Well... I got tired of trying to sell my 33s. The best offer I got was $300 for the four tires (two are brand new), 17" Ford wheels, and the spacers. So now the plan is to go up with it: got some spacers and drop brackets for up front (thanks Comanche Country!) along with the SOA/SUA spring perches I welded on right away before the 8.25 went in. I will have an issue as the spacers will put me up to about 5.5" up and I've already got 1700 lb springs and longer shackles in the rear... it would be around 6.5-7" up in the back. The springs have five leafs so I figure I might take one of the overload springs out (pretty much make them standard springs) and be more on the 6.5" side but I still think that'll be too high to match up with the front considering that the rears are higher already from the factory. Maybe a XJ shackles to drop it another 3/4-1"? Any issues with running XJ shackles? I've also been toying with aircraft stripper getting all the black paint, clear, and powdercoat off of the wheels and bring them back to bare aluminum. Been taking pitcures too so I'll put together a DIY if they turn out right. I'll get these done before any work goes into lifting it more... hey, they might not turn out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 Got back to the truck after getting the dune buggy rolling on its own. Next on my list was the exhaust which started with going down to the local muffler shop and getting some supplies. I had the guy take a 10' piece of 2.5" tubing, cut it down to 7', and make a few 90 degree bends out of the remaining 3' for something to work with later then picked out a 2.5" in and outlet ICM muffler. Granted, they had the usual "bend and kink" type of bender so they weren't perfect, but I've got only $50 invested in the whole works. I made up the four bolt coupler for at the cross member and went from there. 3' to the muffler, 3.5' to the bends and out with a simple rolled lip stainless tip. After some zinc primer it went right in without any issues. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, but if I were to do it again I would probably go with a nicer muffler. It sounds awesome and really highlights a strange clunking sound I never heard before... loose torque converter bolts. Now all that's left is to finish undercoating it and to figure out shocks. Out with the old: In with the new: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naterenfo1 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Just read the entire thread. EXCELLENT WORK! way better than my poser rattle can camo paint job for sure! I have many many questions for you. You also have to show me how you fabbed those bumpers! they look very, very nice. Also: How did you make those mounts for the light bar? Looks like some custom bracket was put on after the original grand cherokee rack was added. I just decided to pick up a cherokee sport rack, and cut it down a bit so I can mount it down on the roof and have an "adjustable" light bar. What kind of fitment issues did you have with the addition of the 4.6? what about the tranny? obviously the rear end was replaced, and what about the driveshaft? any mods needed for that? once again, great work! -Nate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 Just read the entire thread. EXCELLENT WORK! way better than my poser rattle can camo paint job for sure! I have many many questions for you. You also have to show me how you fabbed those bumpers! they look very, very nice. Also: How did you make those mounts for the light bar? Looks like some custom bracket was put on after the original grand cherokee rack was added. I just decided to pick up a cherokee sport rack, and cut it down a bit so I can mount it down on the roof and have an "adjustable" light bar. What kind of fitment issues did you have with the addition of the 4.6? what about the tranny? obviously the rear end was replaced, and what about the driveshaft? any mods needed for that? once again, great work! -Nate Thanks for resurrecting my build! The mounts for the light bar are recycled from a Yakima roof rack that came with a parts XJ I got a while ago. It clamps into the drips rail and it's easy to remove. The 4.6L... no issues with fitting as it started life as the same 4.0L that came with the truck. Tranny is a stock unit and the driveshaft is a custom fit unit. I had a one piece shaft from a late '60s chevy half ton pickup cut down as it used the same u-joints and is a much heavier wall tubing. A local shop in town did all the work for me (dropped it off in the morning and it was ready to go the same day!): cut it, shortened, welded, balanced, and painted... very happy with the result. Thanks for the compliments, dude! Hopefully it'll make it out of the garage sometime soon... maybe some work on the wheels to clean them up? Stay tuned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 the new exhaust is nice and all...but that is one really not good angle for the muffler to be at. it should be flat, paralell to the ground. at the angle it's at, it's gonna catch on something if you go offroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 the new exhaust is nice and all...but that is one really not good angle for the muffler to be at. it should be flat, paralell to the ground. at the angle it's at, it's gonna catch on something if you go offroad. Yeah... I thought that too when I was getting it all mocked up but it does tuck up higher than the frame and the fuel tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Doesn't help when the highest point of whatever you're climbing on is dead center under your truck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 Doesn't help when the highest point of whatever you're climbing on is dead center under your truck So I'll trash my driveshaft too? This truck is mostly just used as a truck. You'll also notice that I didn't cut down my 8.25" axle... that also will drag and be a rock catcher what with the 31s. I'm more the type that'll avoid the difficult trails and ride along in someone else's rig. Trails are fun and all, but I'm just not that aggressive offroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 18, 2010 Author Share Posted October 18, 2010 Finally got around to doing something about those nasty, yellowed wheels. I ended up using a bit of aircraft stripper, 600 and 800 grit wet sanding, and a few coats of clear. Granted, they aren't perfect, but they do look way better than they did! I'm diggin' them anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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