My first MJ build (going to be slow for a bit)

[92XJT]

So been without a wheeling rig for awhile, and been browsing craigslist and forums looking for something that peaked my interested.  Course cheaper was always better, and I don't mind putting a little work into them.  Came across Jakes MJ for sale, linked the start of his build thread below.  Biggest plus was it was only an hour from our other home in Upper Michigan, where it would be stored till I saved up more toy funds to buy donor rig.  Had a slew or rigs, some fairly tame, others a little more extreme - but nothing over the top. 

 

A few of my old previous rigs:

76 K5 blazer, lifted and 39.5 swampers

80 GMC long bed, 7" lift 38" swampers

76 scout II and 80 scout travel all

01 ram 1500, 8" lift 37" IROKs

92 XJ sport, 33" boggers, locked front and rear with 6pt cage and soft top

82 CJ7 38.5 swampers, SBC

95 YJ, 1 ton axles, 5.38 gears, stretched, 39.5 IROKs

07 Power wagon, 35 BFG KM2s

 

Current Rides:

14 Ram with 6.4L, crew cab and 35" MTs

16 grand Cherokee 75th addition

11 Polaris RZR S, 2" RT lift, 30" zillas, lots of other mods. 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully link works - was the build topic he started from previous owner.

http://comancheclub.com/topic/42178-99-mj-conversion-build/page-1

 

 

Good for me / bad for the start of the build, my neighbor gave me two other jeeps since we had a car hauler that day.  lol so the same day I became the MJ owner, I also became a 46 Willys army jeep owner, and a 62-71 CJ 6 owner, all of which need some work, and not sure which one to start with. 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BUILD>>>>>

 

The plan for now is to find a donor XJ to swap over 4.0/aw4/231 drivetrain, all the interior and wiring for both cab and engine.  Finish the floor repairs on the MJ and get the rockrails + other odds and ends completed.  I'm sure this build will change many times down the road, because I'm already leaning towards an atlas t-case already, or a 231 with the 4:1 kit, have debated a fuel injected chevy small block since I have access to a complete 94 chevy 1/2 ton for cheap.  But more than likely this project is on the back burning through winter since I am storing the MJ at our old farm in Upper Michigan, eventually it will be brought down to our home in Wisconsin.  Will get a few pics up when I get home.

 

1.  Buy donor XJ (probably shooting for 92-96 years, perhaps go up to 99.

2.  Finish up repairs to MJ body

3.  Run all electrical, lines, etc then install engine / trans / tcase.

4.  Thinking of taking all the XJ interior over all well

5.  Shocks / driveshafts

[92XJT]

So still debating between the 92-96XJ vs 98-99XJ, any thoughts to either way?  Kind of leaning towards the newer style, but know there will be a little more electronics to transfer over.  The MJ now is stripped bare in engine compartment and cab so one less thing to do.  Been reading over a few of the forum builds and conversions, and doesn't look too hard to accomplish. 

[DirtyComanche]

Please don't waste money on the Teralow 4:1 kit for the NP231.  They screwed up pretty bad when they designed it and it does not live a long life if you actually use it...   A Rubicon tcase can be found for about the same (or less) money and makes more sense if you really want a 4:1 setup.  A Blackbox/Ecobox is another good option since we don't have issues with the rear driveshaft getting too short.  But if you have the money, an Atlas is never the wrong choice.

[92XJT]

Thanks for the heads up on the 4:1 kit.

 

Now I've ran across a few engine deals, but all of sbc.  I can get a throttle bodies 305/700R4 combo for free, and all wiring.  I know its a 305 only, but for the price it's hard to pass up.  Course I also wonder how the height would be as well being it is a TBI engine.  I am all over the fence on what drivetrain to do, but seeing I have no engine wiring, or interior my options are very open at this time.  Same person that has the above combo has a chevy van that with the 4.8 vortex which I could have as well, but would have to get a transmission.  I'm thinking even if I don't do the 305 install, I could get it and put it in one of my other jeep projects.  Oh and last weekend picked up a 1960 Willys CJ5, just need to get some spark going to the engine and...................................

 

Hopefully heading up to my MJ for a few days after turkey day - sucks having your storage place 4.5hrs away from your normal home. 

[92XJT]

Sooooo looks like things might be moving faster then I originally planned.  I have a trade underway, which is suppose to take place this Wednesday - trading my 1960 Willys CJ5 for a 99 4 door Cherokee (rusted rear unibody).  Straight up trade so couldn't pass it up, and this should give me a lot, almost all the parts I need to get the MJ project rolling.  Last time I was at our place up north I put the doors, fenders, and hood mocked in place on the MJ, and even the wife agreed it was starting to look like a truck again.  Also went through the bed of parts to see what other goodies it had in store. 

 

Will be driving 5hrs to meet this guy to do the rig swap, then 2 hours to my other place where the MJ is stored, and bring the XJ to drop off.  For now keeping the XJ at our place up north, and will trailer the MJ back to our normal home so I can start getting things ready.  Need to get the floor pans in, weld up the rock rails, one dent in the bed to smooth out, engine bay clean up / paint, etc.  XJ has approx. 240k miles on it, and figured I would get everything fixed while its running in the XJ first.  Sounds like heater core is messed up, and a driver side window regulator so far. 

 

Thinking I'm going to strip down the CJ6 above and sell what I can parts wise off it.  Main tub area shot, but the hard top / doors, frame, axle parts might bring in some extra revenue at least. 

[92XJT]

Yep it all worked out with the trade - I now have just about all I need to finish the MJ already.  One year off on the XJ - it's a 98, but starts right away, idles and runs great, and even took it wheelin in the snow up at our UP place.  Not sure if I will use the seats yet - not in the greatest of shape, and rock pretty good (not sure if seat frame broke or floor board rotted).  Got the remainder of the bed emptied on the MJ - sits a lot better with all the metal for sliders, spare tire/rim, 9" axle, and misc jeep parts out of the bed. 

 

Now on to the bad luck part, the trailer I borrowed continued to have lighting issues, and then my temp magnetic trailer lights messed up as well - think the wires on that harness got pinched under the CJ5 tires.  Combination of lighting problems and not wanting to tow that way 4.5hrs, and the fact the MJ would of literally had to squeeze onto the trailer (trailer was 75" and MJ with lower air pressure in tires was at 76").  With all the unfortunately the MJ had to stay up north so now working on till I get up there again. 

 

And yes I'm breaking the first build rule - not including many pictures yet.......  Stupid work computer won't allow photobucket linking, and our tablet has issues trying to do photobucket as well.  So will have to fire up the old laptop eventually and get a few pictures up in the near future. 

[gogmorgo]

Find an image host other than photobucket? I've had nothing but trouble with it and don't use it. I'm a fan of imgur.com. I've occasionally used Facebook as well but they have a tendency to change image URL's without warning. If I've been posting stuff both here and somewhere else that does host images, often I'll post there first and borrow the images to over here.

[Hippie66]

Photobucket works fine from my cell phone.

[92XJT]

Started to reassemble and see what's all in the bed.

 

lol course after working in the snow for a few hours my dad say I could throw it in the pole barn. Which was an adventure in it self since steering wasn't hooked up and wife had to be the tow rig driver, but we got it in.

 

And here's the donor rig.

[DirtyComanche]

Looks like a solid donor.