'98 Cherokee Sport

[jimoshel]

Got 1998 Cherokee Sport the other day. Only reason I got it was to part it out. Maybe donor for a MJ 4WD conversion. After getting it home and cleaned up I decided it was just to nice to part. Any body know off hand what years fender and hood will fit? Is the sport any different from a regular XJ? I compared it with a '94 XJ and there is a slight difference in body lines.

[abugarcias]

Any cherokee 97-01 would work.

 

The sport is just the trim level. I believe it came in SE, Sport, Classic and Limited.

 

I used to have the classic and it was a nice jeep.

[JeepcoMJ]

first, have you verified that the front frame rails are straight, and that the front axle is on track?

 

I ask that because I notice a distinct lack of passenger inner fender...

 

 

second, you will need fenders from a '97-01 and header panel as well. as for what is broken/missing in the front passenger engine bay, same years apply.

 

windshield can be '95-01

 

air bags (if deployed) will work from '97-01, but keep in mind that the '97-'98 non-cruse steering wheel air bag is different from the '97-01 cruise air bag, and that '99-01 use the same air bag no matter what (cruise/non-cruise)

[NewfieMJ]

Mine was a complete 98 sport . I didn't hesitate for 1 second to tear it down . Parts for the MJ I say . New doors , 4x4 powertrain and an interior swap , NICE !! You bought this jeep for a purpose , don't second guess your decision IMO .

 

BTW , hoods are the same right from 84-up .

[jimoshel]

Pat, Thanks for the input. Car was complete when I got it. Everything you see missing I removed and it's laying on the ground beside it. Frame and axle are straight. I have a hard time parting anything out. Always want to fix 'em. :wrench:

[75sv1]

The fenders and header panel needs to be from a 97 to 01. The hood and cowl vent can be from any year. I have two '98. Both of them were /are wreaked. One Green the other purple. A tree fell on the green one. The purple one hit a deer and went off road. Neither are/were in as bad of shape as yours. I will say that the roof damage to the green didn't go as well. It looks OK and it does run. Also, the windshields from any year will fit. I think I used a '95 or '95 on the green one. I used a '95 hood and cowl on the green one. The paint matched and PnP price was good.

Tom

[Sir Sam]

second, you will need fenders from a '97-01 and header panel as well. as for what is broken/missing in the front passenger engine bay, same years apply.

 

windshield can be '95-01

 

air bags (if deployed) will work from '97-01, but keep in mind that the '97-'98 non-cruse steering wheel air bag is different from the '97-01 cruise air bag, and that '99-01 use the same air bag no matter what (cruise/non-cruise)

 

Windshield can be 84-01.

 

Passenger side airbag can be 98-01.(97 passenger bags only work in 97's)

 

Drivers side airbags all interchange with the already stated difference in the non cruise airbag.

 

 

Jim, looks like an easy fixer,

 

Straighten out the metal leading up to the front fender support. Get any 87-01 donor support for the passenger side and then use a spot weld cutter to drill out the spots and weld in a new one.

 

Certifit.com in denver(over by the pullnsave actually) is a good place to get the bumper, bumper brackets, bumper end cap, and to a lesser degree fender and header panel. The fender is pretty good but it just a little harder to install and lineup right compared to oem, the header panel is just ok, but I always prefer the OEM fiberglass header.

 

Upper radiator support 87-01 is the same, you will need an HO radiator(obviously) radiator barn has the radiator and AC condensor fairly cheapily.

 

This would be an example of a fender support repair:

 

Old off:

 

New donor ready to have unused guts removed:

 

Old off of vehicle, needing to be cleaned up a bit with the grinder:

 

You need to grind down the nubs from spot weld cutting:

 

I then use a weld through primer to coat both mating surfaces:

 

 

Clamp it in place:

 

A spot welder works wonders for stuff like this:

 

Then some small tacks where you can't get the spot welder in(if you do this right you will have no swiss cheese where you can get the spot welder too, and will have plug holes to use to weld onto the existing metal, just takes a little bit of planning)

 

And then you testfit everything together and wow, look at that, it lines up nicely!

 

Then I hit the area with a little bit of primer to seal it up good(after cleaning the heat affect areas well and with a self etching primer):

 

and then a bit of rattle can matching paint:

 

Then you keep putting back together:

 

If you do it right all your gaps will come out really nice:

 

And then shoot some paint(hopefully in a less dusty environment than I have):

 

And then keep putting it back together:

 

So from this:

 

 

And then clean it up and take pictures for sale:

[jimoshel]

Sam. You do good work. Jim

[mkbruin]

Hey Sam... I love hitting up the Klode auctions. I'm actually picking up a XJ private party tomorrow that I expect to have about the same damage that your had. Its an 01 Sport with under 100k miles. I figure $1500 for the Jeep, $500 parts, and I have a heck of a driver or a flip.

 

I am gonig to have to use your work as a template. That's extremely impressive. :cheers:

[Sir Sam]

Sam. You do good work. Jim

 

Thanks Jim. Post more pictures of the damaged area so we can see what your dealing with, if it didn't mess up the spring bucket then its a much easier repair.

 

Hey Sam... I love hitting up the Klode auctions. I'm actually picking up a XJ private party tomorrow that I expect to have about the same damage that your had. Its an 01 Sport with under 100k miles. I figure $1500 for the Jeep, $500 parts, and I have a heck of a driver or a flip.

 

I am gonig to have to use your work as a template. That's extremely impressive. :cheers:

 

Take pics, it will be interesting to see the damage, I wish I could have found that deal, I need easy flips right now.

[JeepcoMJ]

Sam, thanks for the info on the air bags...I was not aware that there was any differences at all between '97 and '98+ passenger bags.

 

so far as the window...I will reiterate my statement and add an explanation.

 

windshield seals are the same '95+. I said '95+ on the windshield as well because it was just easier to group it all. my apologies.

 

 

and yes, Sam, you should be very proud of your work.

[Sir Sam]

Sam, thanks for the info on the air bags...I was not aware that there was any differences at all between '97 and '98+ passenger bags.

 

so far as the window...I will reiterate my statement and add an explanation.

 

windshield seals are the same '95+. I said '95+ on the windshield as well because it was just easier to group it all. my apologies.

 

 

and yes, Sam, you should be very proud of your work.

 

Thanks Pat, ya the airbag thing is just one of those "been there, done that."

 

I need to make a tech page for my website that details both the airbag styles, and interchange For XJs, ZJs, WJs, TJs, etc Would make a very good reference guide whenever airbag issues come up.

 

I also need to do a adding cruise control tech page, there is just a good one out there right now, whenever someone asks about it there is all sorts of misinformation spread around.

[mkbruin]

 

Take pics, it will be interesting to see the damage, I wish I could have found that deal, I need easy flips right now.

 

 

Absolutely. I am supposed to pick it up today, so long as the guy didn't sell it out from under me. Shot him the email on Wed, he responded saying he would get the title ready and he's off work on Friday to do the deal. I've sent a few emails since asking for time and address, and I'm waiting on a response. I have a bad feeling he sold it to someone else though. :fs1:

 

If we get it today, I'll absolutely post up some pics. Out of curiosity, where did you get the replacement inner fender piece? Did you take it off a JY car, get it from OE/aftermarket source, or just BFH and hammer out the old piece?

 

Where did you get the BASF single stage paint? We have a shop down on Broadway that makes the paint matched rattle cans for us, but doing a HVLP with the single stage looks to be a much better option.

 

Lastly... I think we need to set up a Colorado Comanche Club BBQ or trail run sometime this summer. Seems like there's enough of us on here. (I'm also on colorado4x4.org and pirate)

[Sir Sam]

If we get it today, I'll absolutely post up some pics. Out of curiosity, where did you get the replacement inner fender piece? Did you take it off a JY car, get it from OE/aftermarket source, or just BFH and hammer out the old piece?

 

Where did you get the BASF single stage paint? We have a shop down on Broadway that makes the paint matched rattle cans for us, but doing a HVLP with the single stage looks to be a much better option.

 

Lastly... I think we need to set up a Colorado Comanche Club BBQ or trail run sometime this summer. Seems like there's enough of us on here. (I'm also on colorado4x4.org and pirate)

 

Ya I hear ya on selling to someone else, I was supposed to pickup a JK dana 44 rear for $225 last saturday, talk to him thursday, asked him what he wanted, he said $225 I said ok, I can paypal you some money to hold it or figure something else out. "No problem, you don't need to send me any money." called him back friday evening to get his address and he said "I sold it already, guy offered me $600 for both and I didn't have your number."

 

D!ck.

 

Junkyard and sawsall. The fender support can be really messed up, but it stops right at the coil bucket because the coil bucket is much thicker metal and usually doesn't get messed up.

 

This means that once you get the header panel and fender off its very easy to cut out a donor with a cordless sawsall. Then you take that home and use a spot weld cutter to get rid of the extra metal you don't need. Then you repeat on the busted one.

 

don't try to hammer or chisel out the spot welds, its almost always an exercise in frustration, same with trying to grind them out. Large drill bits are equally as frustrating. Spot weld cutters are the way to go, get 2-3 of them at harborfrieght, by far the cheapest and the highest quality cutters I have found.

 

I buy all my paint from a chain known as finish master:

http://finishmaster.com/locations.cfm?state=CO

[JeepcoMJ]

Hope you get it.

 

As far as selling goes, if I'm selling something and someone is interested....if you don't put money down, it's still for sale. That is their problem, not mine. Is for sale to be gone at the earliest possible convenience fort me, not them.

 

I do try to give the people who seem nice the benefit of the doubt, but people with sob stories about their hard times and what not don't get much consideration...

[mkbruin]

Wohoo! got the email that I'm picking it up tonight. I'll post up some pics once we know what we're dealing with. The engine alone is worth what we've got in it, so if we can't rebuild it to our standards (or make it a trail rig for cheap) then we can part out to break even. All in all a great deal.

 

 

Whenever I sell, I let people go on their own test drives. I deal with first come for email/phone contact, and even if I have 5 others in line, if you can get me the $$$ in a reasonable amount of time its yours, no deposit required. Heck, one XJ we sold (totaled, 6k orig miles, ex .gov vehicle) we took half the money, and the other half when they had it saved up 8 months later. They bought it to do an engine swap, and were tight on finds. We figured worst case, we're out a couple hundred and we help someone out.

[Sir Sam]

So updates people?

[jimoshel]

 

 

Lastly... I think we need to set up a Colorado Comanche Club BBQ or trail run sometime this summer. Seems like there's enough of us on here. (I'm also on colorado4x4.org and pirate)

Got any place in mind? Or just looking for some feedback? Any way sounds good to me.

So updates people?

Nothing here. Looking for a donor so I don't have to buy from P&P.

[mkbruin]

Its a sweet find. When I got there, there were two others on the way... looks like I got lucky!

 

2001 XJ Sport, 4x4, 4.0 auto. ~95k miles. black/grey, dealer installed ASC sunroof. Front passenger damage, not nearly as bas as Sam's green one.

 

Ordered a new hood, fender, bumper, header, grill, radiator, elec fan... picked up today and they are off to our paint man. He'll come back to hit the cowl and roof where there's clearcoat fade.

 

Guy I bought it from had already installed/replaced the inner fencer for us. Working on re-doing the wiring, as the wreck ripped apart the headlight wiring loom. Have an eauto harness on the way, along with autopal H4's. Working on piecing together a 3" lift, and will swap on some junkyard canyons and 31's.

 

Altogether, should be back on the road in a few weeks. Looks to be a great driver. Now time to sell the 98 XJ I currently have (126k miles)... but I'll be sad on that one. It drives like a new car.

[Sir Sam]

Pics?

[mkbruin]

Pics?

 

Sorry it took so long. Parts are painted, and we should have it up and on the road before the end of the week!

 

I will post moe pics later...

 

[Sir Sam]

That fender support is a little rough looking where the fender attaches, looks like the whole outer edge is bent 90* inward. Also you will need to remove the 96- style of fender bracket and use a 97+ one to attach the fender.

[mkbruin]

That fender support is a little rough looking where the fender attaches, looks like the whole outer edge is bent 90* inward. Also you will need to remove the 96- style of fender bracket and use a 97+ one to attach the fender.

 

 

We have made some modification.... that is as-bought, and the work the previous owner had accomplished before giving up on the project

[mkbruin]

A few more pics, as it sits now. Also, a couple of the red 98 (126k) we just worked on.

 

We have about $2500 total in the 98.