mnkyboy Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 My truck is an 89 with 2.5L and 4spd. I bought it a little over a year ago for $400 and have been tinkering on it since. When i got the truck it was basicly stock other then the 31x10.5 15s, the lights on the sides of the cowl which were cosmetic and had never been wired in , and a flowmaster muffler,it ran and drove but had been neglected/abused and needed ALOT of little things. First upgrade i did was a guage swap,my truck is a base model with idiot lights so i swapped them out for guages from a 1990 XJ. No photos but I'm sure youve seen MJ/XJ guages next project was the interior,the truck had some thrashed bucket seats out of some car thrown in it and bolted onto wood blocks screwed into the floor. I tore all that out,fabricated new mounts and put in a set from a 97 Dakota. next the rear, the rear bumper was missing and the truck had a reciever that hung below the missing bumper.I chopped off the reciever and tucked it up then made a rolled pan to cover it then I installed a winch bumper,I had one laying around from my old 83 F250. It was way too big so after a chat with a torch and welder it looked like this Now time for a lift,I decided to install a 5" lift from Rocky-road outfitters,It uses old man EMU springs and i installed long travel shocks. the entire install took me about 7 hrs to complete by myself. the truck drives much better on the road now and has lots of flex off road. the other day i decided to redo my headliner since the old one had been cut out but i wanted something different so i customized it. And thats about were I'm at now,with lots still to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Welcome to the club! Very cool & creative job you did on the headliner. I can't wait to see what you do next :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ300 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Wish I would have thought of something creative like that before I redid my headliner! :wall: Good project too, keep us updated. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Nice job! Killer headliner for sure. But, I dunno, personally I couldn't ride around with the Barney Fife search lights up on the cowl like that. Anyway, welcome to the club! Beers in the fridge, find a seat and stay awhile. Oh, but don't sit on the tan couch, that's Chico's spot. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 thanks,the headliner came out pretty good for my first attempt. it wasnt that hard to do and only cost around $40. the lights on the sides of the cowl were there when i got the truck,I didnt want to mess with filling the holes right away so i just hooked them up. they are worthless while driving due to the glare off the white hood but they are great work lights, I'm planning to get out the tube bender soon and build a light bar for the roof and depending how that turns out i might eventually remove the cowl lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camjeep3 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 i reallllly like those dakota seats.... they look good. how hard was it to fab them in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DodgeFan01 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 :agree: I was thinking the exact same thing, that interior looks comfy. I have been trying to think of what to do since a Hate my bench seat, but I use all three spots just about daily, I didn't even think of something like, which I should have because I have the same set up in my Ram. Thanks for the idea! You'll have to let us know how hard it was to install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCMJ87 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Welcome to the club mnkyboy, Great job on the headliner and I like the dekota seat, tell us about the install with pix if u got them! Nice rear rollpan.. is that a single piece bent on the brake or what? Keep Jeepin.. On.. BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 I made the the mounts from 3/4" square stock and some 1" angle, the front mount is a " T " with one riser in the center and a piece of angle accross the front, the rear corners each have their own risers. i welded tabs at each mounting point so everything bolts in and is removeable. the center seat/console is held in with steel strap bolted to the tunnel. the seat rails are from a 1990 Ford Van with captains chairs,it used a very generic flat seat rail design plus i already had them laying around. here's a pic of the front mount,its not very good but you should be able to see whats going on The rolled pan is single piece that i hand rolled,It started out a stainless steel front corner cover for a Pace cargo trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 8, 2009 Author Share Posted July 8, 2009 some pics of it on some rocks next to were i live. Hopefully i can get rid of the stock control arms soon and see what it really can do. this is with the sway bar connected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 loooks good man ............................ now paint it red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 thanks,I kinda like it white. I had planned to do some body work and paint it,but i got laid off and lost my access to a paint booth :( the lack of a job is also why I'm still running stock control arms,although it does seem to do to pretty well off road with stock arms. I figure after what ive seen it do on stock arms its gonna be real cool when i get the front arms replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89eliminator Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 very cool headliner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA814 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 the little man looks real excited in those flex pics haha. Cool looking truck tho. Any issues with visibility with the lights on the cowl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 I havent had any issues with the lights being in the way. i do sit a little higher with the Dakota seats than stock though. my son loves riding around in the MJ but he gets a little nervous standing near it when its flexed up on things. its wierd normally he loves the camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonman Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 nice jeep. that head liner is pimp. i don't have one anymore. it was snowing down on me. one day took off everything with a screw driver and took it down put everything back up. but its some thin still up there. i need a roll cage!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 My brother is over in coos bay,he can bend you up a roll cage. i think thats about 3hrs from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonman Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 My brother is over in coos bay,he can bend you up a roll cage. i think thats about 3hrs from you. yeah its not far but i need to fix my slip yoke in my trans case and i need my drive line customized before i going full roll cage. but thanks for the offer i will keep him in mind when i get the major weak links out . thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakineJ Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 My brother is over in coos bay,he can bend you up a roll cage. i think thats about 3hrs from you. Does your brother have his own shop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 thanks,I kinda like it white. I had planned to do some body work and paint it,but i got laid off and lost my access to a paint booth :( the lack of a job is also why I'm still running stock control arms,although it does seem to do to pretty well off road with stock arms. I figure after what ive seen it do on stock arms its gonna be real cool when i get the front arms replaced. Good lookin truck bud! :brows: I do everything on the cheap. I have like 5.5 inches of lift under my XJ, and needed longer lower control arms, but didn't have the money, so I cut my factory arms in 2, lengthened them, boxed em', and put a bend in em'. I'll try to post up my build thread from another forum if you are interested. Let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 My brother is over in coos bay,he can bend you up a roll cage. i think thats about 3hrs from you. Does your brother have his own shop? kinda sorta, he just moved there from vancouver WA he has a small shop on his property. It has a business address and he plans to open a sand car/4X4/Fab shop eventually,For now hes kinda doing side stuff. If anyone needs anything done i can set you up with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 thanks,I kinda like it white. I had planned to do some body work and paint it,but i got laid off and lost my access to a paint booth :( the lack of a job is also why I'm still running stock control arms,although it does seem to do to pretty well off road with stock arms. I figure after what ive seen it do on stock arms its gonna be real cool when i get the front arms replaced. Good lookin truck bud! :brows: I do everything on the cheap. I have like 5.5 inches of lift under my XJ, and needed longer lower control arms, but didn't have the money, so I cut my factory arms in 2, lengthened them, boxed em', and put a bend in em'. I'll try to post up my build thread from another forum if you are interested. Let me know! I think i need to just get rid of the stock arms,but it might be interesting to look at what you did,I had thought about just making some new arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakineJ Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 kinda sorta, he just moved there from vancouver WA he has a small shop on his property. It has a business address and he plans to open a sand car/4X4/Fab shop eventually,For now hes kinda doing side stuff. If anyone needs anything done i can set you up with him. I'd be interested to hear what a prerunner style front tube bumper would cost.Be shure to put up pics if you make some CA's to,lookin good man. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 I will ask him,He has a CAD program for the bender so if he makes you one and people like it he can upload the specs into the computer and reproduce copies. I sent you a PM about it. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 Well i went down to my brothers and built myself a bumper,We are working on getting set up to build more in a few different styles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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