Son of Stink

[NorthwestMJ]

Absolutely mind blowing build! Nice work!!!!

[Gjeep]

Scrubbed the front and backside of an MJ aftermarket bedmat I purchased new back in 2002 from a company in Canada. @Red Mistress introduced me to a cleaner called 'Solvs It!' that runs circles around everything else I've used. Looks like new again...

 

 

[Gjeep]

Little steps of progress… Got the wheels back from tire shop complete with 31’s. Looking good. Contrast of silvers (truck to wheel) is greater than the tire propped up against MJ photo shows. Happy with the results of the new shoes and polished trim rings when installed will really make it all pop.

 

 

 

Also, finishing up the tilt steering column rebuild – NOS switches, turn signal switch, key cylinder, etc in place. Going to wait until the column is back in the truck to mount the front plate, lock ring and of course steering wheel. Many thanks to the wife's fondue skewer for helping me shove the turn signal wiring down the narrow passage within the column. More challenging that you’d expect. I almost removed all the wires from the connector to make it easier getting through.

 

 

 

 

Aiming this weekend to prep the engine for start-up, as it’s been sitting for about a year and a half while I tinkered around on other projects. Oil change, fogging oil down the cylinders (pulling plugs), confirm battery is good, fresh 92 octane fuel, and brake bleed since I had replaced that rear soft line few months back.

[Gjeep]

Got the center caps and trim rings on. I’m glad I decided to go a bit retro on the rims. Flares will be black and bodyside molding will be the black with silver insert. Lug nuts will be chrome.

 

 

[Red Mistress]

Wheels are stellar !

[drcomanche]

Those wheels look great!

[Gjeep]

Glad I didn’t wait until after the dashboard and steering wheel install to fish the turn signal stalk with cruise control through the tilt column because it wasn’t fun – and guaranteed, I would have needed to pull the wheel to get it through. When I first installed cruise on this MJ, it was with the factory non-tilt wheel – and I think that made the difference/ ease of pushing the cruise wire through the column – no obstacles. Took a little doing this round… but I got it through.

 

 

Decided to go with a NOS GM hazard light tab for a couple reasons…It looks better, doesn’t feel like it’s going to snap off in your hand when you engage it, and it matches the other side of the column stalk and white lettering. As it should be.

 

 

Topping things off on the steering column is the focal point of the horn hub. I decided to go with a NOS CJ horn hub, but brought it up period correct standards, removing the AMC center logo and installing a ‘Jeep’ one I had made close to 20 years ago.

 

 

Lastly, the steering column on the GM-column era XJs/ MJs always sit a bit higher on the passenger side. After being haunted by this for most of my driving life, I see why that is when looking with a critical eye. The steering column bracket off the firewall panel (the one with the 2 studs hanging down either side of the steering column) has brackets that attach to the driver’s side kick panel area – there’s nothing passenger side to compensate for the ¼” of bracket space. To address this, I got a ¼” spacer to shim the gap. Life is good.

 

[eaglescout526]

54 minutes ago, Gjeep said:

Lastly, the steering column on the GM-column era XJs/ MJs always sit a bit higher on the passenger side.

Really? Now I’m gonna have to look for this now. I really never noticed. 
 

But it’s coming along great. What are ya gonna do with the AMC logo?

[fiatslug87]

4 hours ago, eaglescout526 said:

What are ya gonna do with the AMC logo?

Selling it to me?! 

[eaglescout526]

2 hours ago, fiatslug87 said:

Selling it to me?! 

Hahaha wouldn’t have though. Maybe I might replace the missing firebird logo on the horn button of my firebird. 
 

[Gjeep]

Been making some decent progress on the MJ – changed the oil, pulled the plugs to fog the cylinders, charged the battery, filled the tank with 92 octane fuel, and bled the brakes. Finally started the beast up and it chugged, sputtered, and died first 2 times almost immediately… My gut told me to bypass the ballast resistor (as I had just replaced it with NOS that weekend) and sure enough, the next start was a success, still chugging and sputtering a bit as it came back after a near two-year sit then leveled out. Still needs some fine tuning, but it’s back to life.

 

 

Next, I went through a lengthy spreadsheet I created aimed to test absolutely every possible electrical item on the truck before the dashboard and rest of the interior goes back in (once front and rear glass are installed). Issues that came to light – and mind you I had tested it all prior to painting it, but of course... Euramtec B-pillar lights wouldn’t go on/off no matter how I flipped the lens (mind you, I had been running these in my MJ when it was my daily driver for YEARS), not a single speakers made a sound through the Rockford amp, horn wouldn’t honk, and left turn signal was stuck on. Fortunately, all but getting the speakers to work was an easy fix.

 

 

The speaker situation turned out to be a bad amp – replaced the old with the new and adjusted both the 4-channel amp and the subwoofer amp that is running the Pioneer TS-WX010A under the seat subs. I was blown away at how much thump these had. I’d say it’s on par with having the amp paired to a 10” slim sub directly behind the MJ’s center console. And to keep that subwoofer wiring from melting on the floorboard over the exhaust, I wrapped it in a heat sleeve. The same I use on the plastic clutch line coming down the firewall. It’s insane how hot that metal gets from the exhaust when idling.

 

 

[Gjeep]

I’ve been searching for a NOS ‘86/’87 factory black leather steering wheel since the mid-90’s without luck. I’ve purchased various vendors steering wheels stitched in black leather “identical-to-factory Jeep leather” only to be disappointed. They were all nowhere near in color or grain to the factory wheels. This aftermarket wheel I found several years back isn’t too bad…color is spot on, the grain unfortunately has pebble, but the padding is perfect. The winner. (I know Jeep’s black leather wheels on XJ’s didn’t have the perforations (that came in late ’88), but I’ll survive).

 

 

The nifty NOS power antenna got stuck on the way down today. I tried many different times to adjust, assist, etc, but no luck. Unboxed another new Jeep antenna and that was grinding teeth out of the box; tried and tried, no luck. Then yet another NOS beauty was installed, and again same issues… Gave up and installed a new standard mast antenna. Zero problems.

 

 

[Minuit]

Aaaah, now I'm never going to be able to unsee the steering column thing.

[Gjeep]

Getting the MJ ready for front and back glass install – Got the cowl in place with new wiper linkage/ motor, hoses, nozzles/ clips, and screen.

 

 

Washed the truck and wiped clean all installation areas. Also laid down a bed mat and protected areas where installer will be working. Finally found a top-notch independent glass company who takes they’re time and does quality work. Did another XJ recently and his brother actually owns an MJ as well.

 

 

[Gjeep]

Finally got to swapping nuts on front suspension out for new – UCA, LCA, drag link, and tie rod. Rear leaf springs were already done a while back. Life is good.

 

 

 

 

Also changed out the auto parts store turn signal flashers with NOS Wagner ones.

 

 

[Gjeep]

Chipping away at the time-consuming little things… Cut the kick panel back legs for amp clearance on both driver and passenger side. CapPlugs 7/8” plug was a perfect fit, back side mounted. Now the mini amps have the space they need all around according to Rockford factory spec.

 

 

Also getting closer to finishing my new backwall panel. Removed/ painting the bracketry needed.

 

[fiatslug87]

Are those the Rock Hard 4x4 lower control arm skids? Reminded me I have a set I need to install.

[Gjeep]

Yep, those are them. I like how they clean up the look of the front side of the LCA.

[Gjeep]

At times building this MJ is exhausting. Getting to and through the big milestones of progress… driveline, suspension, paint, GLASS, and all the mountains of details on the journey to each. Seems like I’ve at long last gotten to another milestone ---- GLASS is in!

 

New windshield and solid back glass looks spot-on. I decided to go with the newer seal on the windshield versus the metal trim, and the glass I had made was sized to original, so it was installed with a factory NOS MJ gasket. Kudos to the glass guys who got this in and didn’t drive off when they saw the plethora of cardboard, rubber matting, and towels all over the MJ to avoid scratches.

 

 

 

They’re a premium glass installer and typically work on everything from the 20’s through muscle car era. Good stuff – and 4 hours later, a top-notch glass install on the MJ. I’m happy when people take their time and take pride in their work. Kudos to them! Results are outstanding.

 

 

 

 

I think next up will be getting that factory sport bar installed while the headliner and MJ-specific overhead console is off getting wrapped. Excited to see the Marchal light on, as it was quite the chore to get that wiring fished through the bar patiently. Had to walk away from it a few times to find calm. Onward…

[neohic]

I get a real Wrenches Gone Wild vibe with this truck lately. We’ll done, sir. 

[fiatslug87]

No power slider for this one?

[Gjeep]

Keeping the rear glass clean and simple. May do the same on the red MJ or opt to install factory slider. CRL's PowrSlider is nice, but think I prefer simple these days. Will see. 

[Gjeep]

Sport Bar in place. Check. For positioning, I decided it best to wrap the legs in terry cloth towels, so limited chance of scratching the bar or the MJ's paint. For testing, I wired up a generic driving light keep for just this…and it worked. On/ off comes by way of a CJ high-beam foot switch with an indicator light (soon-to-be) located within the instrument cluster. A few more adjustments need to be made to the bar and then I’ll fit/ trim the MJ bedmat carefully around the square mounts of the bar.

 

 

 

[Gjeep]

When I first got this MJ and went through as it was going to be my daily driver (back in 2011 or 2012) I replaced the exhaust. At the time I went with a MagnaFlow muffler and it sounded great. This build, same truck, different engine, new MagnaFlow muffler and it sounds like hell – just pure noise. Nothing pleasant, no rumble, etc.. Disappointing. So, while things are still work in progress, I’m tossing the MagnaFlow and installing a Borla. It’s done. World of difference in sound.

 

 

Engine side, I replace the TB cable bracket that bolts to the intake manifold for one that accommodates a return spring. I noticed on my daughter’s ’97 XJ 5-speed, the TB has a return spring. I never had issues with my 5-speeds without this spring, but went for the swap none-the-less.

 

 

Since first recent (after a year and half) start, the MJ was running rough, sounded like the engine was choking. I had installed the CA stroker tuned PCM just prior, so I’m guessing that was the variable that changed things. Hooked up my fuel rail gauge and it was dancing around over 50 psi (with vacuum line disconnected) when it should have been at 39 psi. I’ve got Hesco’s adjustable FPR and I love it, world of easy to dial the high output era’s fuel pressure just right.

 

 

I unearthed my NOS Marchal light sets I've been buying over the past decade or so to select the one's I'll run on this MJ. Damn – I knew there was the single and double wire configurations, but I didn’t realize they had different length post mounts (short and long), unique lenses (some with cat logo under glass or cat logo on the face of glass, as well as different stampings on the backside of the housing – some a simple dimple, while others have SEV Marchal and series numbers, etc). Made my selections and currently swapping pieces to make a complete set of 4 that look alike. And yes, I plan on resealing them before mounting.

 

One of my sets that I’ll be using I needed to take apart to clean the inside glass area of the lens as it had a film it. Of course, that was the set that needed no changes to the shell or lens. Groit’s glass polish and then a good glass cleaner made them look shiny new again. While in there, I replaced the H2 bulbs with ‘whiter’ light bulbs so to match my headlight setup. Additionally, I waxed the outside of the lights metal casing for shine/ preservation. Finally, these will be mounted up using the ever-so rare Marchal lock nuts. Don’t want them walking off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gjeep]

Box cutter'd the MJ bed mat to work around the sport bar. Measure, measure, measure, and cut.