My 98 XJ

[matt62485]

Gonna make this one and add onto it. The other thread I made was in rig photos and I kept looking for it in here so figured I'd make an actually "build" thread.
The culprit is a 98 XJ Sport I picked up for $500 w/ topend problems. It has the NP242 and Chrysler 8.25rearend. Found a complete motor the night I got it out of another 98 w/ 106k on it for $225 and picked it up that weekend.
Plans for now are to get it running for the Summer since I live at the beach and we can drive on one of our local ones. So for now, plain, simple and cheap!


For now:
- Get the new motor in and running w/ a complete tune-up
- Clean her up real good in/out and buff/wax
- New tires (235/75) Duratracs
- 2" Budget Boost I got for free from a buddy
- Replace the front bumper with a new(used) one I picked up and painted
- Replace the kickpanels/trim pieces (got em already)
- Paint the flares flat black
- Remove the Door side mouldings
- Freshen up the headlight bezels and grill w/ some paint
- IPF H4 Headlight conversion
- Hitch out back and tow hooks up front
- Neoprene seat covers
- Huskyliners or just some decent rubber mats
- Tint the windows
- Homemade snorkel
- any other free/cheap stuff I can do


Eventually (hopefully within a year)
- 4.5" long arm kit w/ swaybar disco's
- Tom Wood's SYE/CV
- 32/33 rubber on some soft 8's (maybe Moabs oneday)
- Bushwacker flares
- JCR winch front bumper w/ light bar and Warn winch
- JCR Stage 1 rear bumper w/ D-rings
- Roof Rack w/ the goodies and tire mount
- Locker out back
- anything else neccessary (or for fun!)

 

[matt62485]

Spent a few hours on the trim and the inside... came out pretty clean for a $500 Jeep!

 

[matt62485]

Had some old Sahara wheels laying around from my dads old Wrangler so decided to play with them a little. Got a bit of work to do on them yet but here's how they are for now...

they will look a lot better when I'm done. the center cap isnt pitted, its little dents in it, oh well.

from this...

to this...

 

[matt62485]

did work on the one wheel i got painted since i havent had time to get to my parents house (where its parked) to mess with the motor. stripped the clear coat off the lip and polished it the best i could. while its not perfect, its 10x better than what it was... and im not too concerned with it. the flash makes them look worse, i think they will look fine on the jeep with tires.

im trying to keep this thing cheap as possible for the time being so these wheels will do!

thoughts?


before and after

upclose and still dont look too bad with the flash

 

[chromerunner]

pimp cheap wheels..i like it

 

[matt62485]

no progress thus far. work work work, and rain on the days im off. FTL