The OSC Dump Truck (89 Sport Truck 2.5L)

[OSCDumpTruck]

Finally made a profile after years of lurking on here anonymously! 

In May of 2021 I purchased my 89 sport truck. This is my 2nd Jeep, my first being a 98 ZJ that has a factory ax15 setup that I robbed from a crusty 93ZJ.
I will start from the beginning and slowly work my way to present day. Might not be all at once due to time constraints. You may notice that I head in a certain direction with my build, and then start heading back towards its roots.

 

The first time I saw this truck, I happened to be at my parent’s house when my dad was selling his press. What’s the odds a Comanche rolls up to pick it up! As soon as I saw it backing into their driveway I knew I had to have it. After pestering him and leaving sticky notes on it outside his house he agreed to sell.

 

Here it is on my first day of ownership, covered in mud and dog hair. This truck according to the previous owner came from Arizona and sat for years. When he got ahold of it he used it to haul firewood. I proceeded to start fixing the plethora of little things that were wrong with it, like the typical loose steering column bolts and the bent door hinges. Vacuum leaks everywhere.

[OSCDumpTruck]

The interior was absolutely filthy. I pulled out the vinyl flooring and discovered the floor was in spectacular shape! I cleaned up the tiny little bits of surface rust, coated with some fresh paint. The interior has come a long way from this point, but at the time this was a huge improvement.

[OSCDumpTruck]

After a good pressure wash and some new wheels/tires things were looking pretty good from where it started. Here is where some of my (in hindsight) questionable choices began in what I thought would be a cool direction to take this build. The first of which was adding on some 97-01 XJ mirrors and 96 XJ doors, as well as a header panel and aftermarket fenders. The green dash bezel and gauge inserts, not sure my thought process there.

 

I tried monkeying around getting these pics to be right side up and had no luck.

[OSCDumpTruck]

The red bumper was a $20 marketplace find, it did not last long. I am still a bit embarrassed I drove it around like that.

 

I did not take much for pictures from 2022-2023. In that time period I went through the brakes, replaced radiator and hoses, flushed the old coolant out, replaced diff and trans fluid (mt90) and repaired a bunch of wiring that was damaged by a squirrel from when it sat for a long time. 

 

In these pictures I got new wheels, welded up some JCR DIY bumpers  and got my windshield replaced with the updated rubber trim. My wife and I own a sign/vinyl  shop and partially wrapped the truck in matte black. We got burnt out on that and never finished wrapping it in favor of getting it properly painted one day.

 

[OSCDumpTruck]

I found this cup holder at the junkyard, not sure who makes it but it’s a great fit. Still have it. The OSC dump truck doing dump truck duties.

 

I ran the led bronco lookalike headlights for a short time and decided they were a bit much. I had started to shift towards a better direction with the build at this point in 2024. That being said, I switched over to Rampage halogen housings and added in the headlight harness upgrade from KSuspension. 
 

[OSCDumpTruck]

Forgot to mention, I also switched to the 84-96 style door mirrors instead of the chunky facelift style. 

[OSCDumpTruck]

2025, the year that things started to ramp up. I had never been a huge fan of the 2 spoke steering wheel, and got my hands on a basic 3 spoke. One of my favorite changes so far.

 

This is when I started to want to head back to a place I’d already been. Stock bumpers, fenders, and renix era header panel! Things I had already had. Live and learn. I also wanted a receiver hitch, so I got one from krustyballer. Why a hitch with a 2.5L? For light duty sign hauling of course!

 

So I properly wired up the plug and powder coated the original factory bumper that I had held onto.

[OSCDumpTruck]

SMS headliners to the rescue! My original headliner was donated to another local Comanche. I cleaned up the roof and put some Eastwood on it. Huge difference!

[eaglescout526]

1 hour ago, OSCDumpTruck said:

Why a hitch with a 2.5L?

I’ve got one on my XJ. May not do the most heavy of towing but it’s there. I did use it to move a car using 2wd low. That was fun. 

[OSCDumpTruck]

1 hour ago, eaglescout526 said:

I’ve got one on my XJ. May not do the most heavy of towing but it’s there. I did use it to move a car using 2wd low. That was fun. 

Exactly, there when you need it!

[OSCDumpTruck]

It took me 4 years to have it click that my dash clock didn’t work because the bulb was out!

[OSCDumpTruck]

We are now into September of 2025. I was already full speed ahead fixing and changing things interior wise.

 

I also had held onto to my original doors and decided I wanted to get them repainted the original classic black, along with my original door panels. Snagged some interior door handle bezels from a newer xj to ditch the chrome.

 

Ebay sent me a factory black dash that, after some thought and lack of time to pull the dash, decided to not use. I still have it. Glad I left my original in place. Ended up getting a nice dash cover and am very happy with the look.

 

[OSCDumpTruck]

Freshly detailed, probably the first time ever!

 

At this point I had swapped out the glove box and lower cubby to the oem black from the other dash. I also had changed all of the heating vents to black, and applied new felt for them to ride on.
Two toned dash and interior was coming together. The dash cover I used is a nice material (Dashdura black) by Dash Care.

[OSCDumpTruck]

Cup holders in action! The seat was ripped when I got it, and had started getting worse. It was time to get reupholstered. Our local upholstery shop is not fast but they do high quality work. Present day I am still waiting, but they have the seat now.

 

The AMC horn button isn’t necessarily accurate for an 89. I have an AMC decal on my ZJ! Chrysler made the money off of AMC ideas.

[OSCDumpTruck]

Late winter/early spring of this year. Converted my exterior lights to leds, with the exception of the headlights of course. 
 

In preparation for new paint, I bit the bullet and got some Key Parts tail light housings. Will look pretty sharp I’m thinking. 

[OSCDumpTruck]

I’ve had a bunch of time today to post all these, might get caught up to present day.
 

33x10.5 spare tire from my ZJ. 
 

I knew from the very beginning I did not want to lift this truck. Rides nice and is light.
 

Can you tell I like those mammoth wheels? Yikes! They’re priced well, are black, and have the 5 spoke design. All wins.

[OSCDumpTruck]

Parked back in the driveway I first saw it in. With no AC, vent windows, or rear slider, tinted windows were a must!

 

[OSCDumpTruck]

Remember I said I wanted to go back to the Renix header panel and fenders? I had the chance at a couple dirt cheap 1990 XJs that were an hour away on the same street. Both drove home on the freeway.
 

Both have great parts to donate. White one was nasty smokers rig, and will be cleaned up and flipped. Blue one will be sold off mostly intact.

 

If I had the time I would take the 4.0/Aw4 from one and convert my MJ. Unfortunately I don’t, but luckily I’m pretty content with the 2.5.

[OSCDumpTruck]

I scored and the blue XJ had a working factory cassette head unit. Bought a cassette adapter and am enjoying the vintage sound. I mostly listen to hair bands and grunge in this. I am rocking the stock size door speakers. Polk iirc?

 

Also got the relay cover that I never had. Will also be putting a charcoal canister back in from the blue XJ. These XJs have those little things my MJ was missing.

[OSCDumpTruck]

I make a junkyard run once or twice in a year. Happened upon this 86 XJ with black interior! Grabbed what I could from it.

[OSCDumpTruck]

Older style lower dash panel cleaned, along with the black arm rests and window crank handles.

[OSCDumpTruck]

Black vinyl Sun visors installed.

[OSCDumpTruck]

I got the call they were ready for my seat. Forgot to mention in my last post I had put the black mini console in as well. This picture still has the gray one in.

[OSCDumpTruck]

We are now up to speed and at present day! Plenty to do and will post pics when I do it.

 

1: Big 7 battery cables (making my own, using their fuse holder and military clamps) and install steel battery box to replace my cracking plastic one.

2: Swap over the header panel, front bumper (will get matched to the rear bumper powder coat) and fenders from one of the XJs. I have three 8 slot grills to choose from. Wanted a 10 or 21 slot at first but think the 8 will do just fine.

3: Finish up the last of Cruiser54’s ground upgrades. Last one is the blower motor ground. Will also replace resistor while I’m at it. I just did the fuel pump ground wire upgrade by the gas tank, will have to post pics of that. Did that in a way I haven’t seen anybody else do it using a ground stud instead of splicing in a wire.

4: I have a 97-01 air box bottom half that I will use with my Renix top half. My Renix box is super warped and the all thread I used to unwarp it 5 years ago bugs me.

5: Charcoal canister and valve cover breather hose reinstall.

6: Clutch master is slowly starting to seep, have ordered the parts to convert to external slave. I just found out that there are no new TBI flywheels available anymore, so hopefully mine is good!

7: Paint it back to factory black!

 

[89 MJ]

I’m really enjoying this thread so far! Kudos for keeping the 2.5L instead of swapping to the 4.0