So my son has got the bug now

Blaze

Blaze

The Jeeper Reaper
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Location
Wake Forest, NC
So my older son turns 14 in February. He's been thinking about what he wants for his first vehicle.

Started out as our lowered 88 GMC C1500 but my wife snuffed that. Then it went to my 71 Lemans, also snuffed. He went on a GMC Canyon kick for a bit and now he's settled in to a 97-01 XJ. He said he remembers all the ones we had come through the shop and loved them.

I am fine with it because I literally know every nut and bolt of them. I've owned over 100 and disassembled at least 3/4 of those. :lol: I can swap a head gasket in a couple hours and swap an engine in a day. He's really in to fishing now and has already planned out his lift, wheels and tires, rack, lights, fishing equipment, everything. Wants to take it to Uwharrie and all.

We told him that if we can find a good cheap one that needs a head gasket or engine we would buy it for him but he's responsible for fixing it up. Make him have some sweat equity and cash in it so he values it even more.

So it begins, guess I'll be back in the dirt again before I know it, albeit riding shotgun this time.
 
My son has the same bug, he sold all his video games, nerf guns anything else we bought him to fund it. (now works and all funds go to the XJ) It is a sickness for him without a doubt.
Hence the Co-sponsor XJ in my Signature.
 
LOL,
that was a discussion for us too, DD had to have airbags, trail rig no bags needed. He has had three trucks in the 4 years he has been driving, every one of them has been "off road locally", even though he had a trail rig. They can't resist the temptation especially with friends. He now DD's a Jetta I don't think it has been off road but I'm sure it has been considered.
 
No fries said:
LOL,
that was a discussion for us too, DD had to have airbags, trail rig no bags needed. He has had three trucks in the 4 years he has been driving, every one of them has been "off road locally", even though he had a trail rig. They can't resist the temptation especially with friends. He now DD's a Jetta I don't think it has been off road but I'm sure it has been considered.
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My first car was an 86 S10 Blazer. That thing was all over "off road locally" :lol:
 
Blaze said:
My wife said it had to have airbags. Chase was like "does a Cherokee have airbags?" I told him the 97-01 did. He went :rockon:
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Funny story that I've probably told before: Back in 2000, I was a wee lad (tee'ing that up for yall) with a 76 CJ7 that had manual steering, drum brakes, 258 w/3spd and a 2" shackle lift. I wanted something COOL (not realizing how cool a CJ7 was at the time), so I convinced my mom that I needed a TJ with power steering, airbags, ABS, 3 point seatbelts, etc. Finally found the one, a 2000 TJ with only 6k miles on it! Looked at it, drove it, bought it. My dad and I both have a habit of testing the limits of our vehicles. A couple weeks after I bought it, I was gone somewhere for the weekend, so mom and dad took my shiny new TJ with all the modern safety amenities out for a drive. Dad is going down the road about 45-50mph and decides he's gonna test the ABS, so he stands on the brakes, which quite handily lock up the factory 215/75r15 tires, sending him into the first spin, which was immediately followed by the second spin of my mother verbally twisting his head off for getting a Jeep with no ABS. And that's how we learned not all 2000 TJ's come with ABS :lol:
 
Blaze said:
My wife said it had to have airbags. Chase was like "does a Cherokee have airbags?" I told him the 97-01 did. He went :rockon:
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I had a 95 that did. Worked too :(
 
I prefer the 98's. HP front. Which of course you know.... My son's first was a 98 Limited. I paid $1500 for it. Loved that thing. GL!
 
I don’t know where or how you would be able to find a nice xj. It’s not like you fixed and sold jeeps for a living a couple years ago :flipoff2: Do you still have the dealers license?

97 is the best year for the facelift. Has the good axles, but they still had the cast door hinges so the doors don’t sag as bad, and they can be made removable way easier than the stamped steel ones, which he is required to do. I think he needs to do like I did and buy a beat to shit roller and build it from scratch :D

I’ve got tons of spare stuff laying around from building mine twice. Holler at me if you need anything
 
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Hope my kiddo follows suit on this!! She is 13 and wants my Colorado right now but it is already fairly beat and has 200K on it. I want her to do something off road related!!
 
Buddy_Holly said:
I don’t know where or how you would be able to find a nice xj. It’s not like you fixed and sold jeeps for a living a couple years ago :flipoff2: Do you still have the dealers license?

97 is the best year for the facelift. Has the good axles, but they still had the cast door hinges so the doors don’t sag as bad, and they can be made removable way easier than the stamped steel ones, which he is required to do. I think he needs to do like I did and buy a beat to shit roller and build it from scratch :D

I’ve got tons of spare stuff laying around from building mine twice. Holler at me if you need anything
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I've showed him pics of yours. I can't believe that is the same Jeep that we dragged out of that guy's yard. :lol:

Don't have my dealer license any more, but still have accounts with the insurance auctions.

I kind of like the 99s too because they got the better intake and all but not the 0331 head.

Although pretty much everything but the hinges can be changed between years. :)
 
Reid said:
Hold on....

let’s back up to the 71 lemans.
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It's pimptastic. I haven't gotten started on it yet, but it is a friend of mine's high school car. Bounced around a bit before ending up at my shop. It has a velour interior. :lol:
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doc said:
I dig the T/A wheel...the interior looks, comfy.
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It is conversion van comfy.

Buddy_Holly said:
Wait wait wait, the Blue Waffle is back?!
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it is Big Blue now. That's the original name from when Duncan drove it in High School and he found it on Facebook again. Through some trades and things it ended up back here so we could keep it amongst friends. :lol:
Believe it or not, it has a TURDIER 350 SBC than was in it before. Yikes.
 
skyhighZJ said:
1997 Jeep Cherokee

not mine but seems like some decent parts and needs a trans so Jr. gets to “earn it” a little.
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Rather find one a little cheaper that is stock that he can build. After 5+ years of $500 XJs I have a really hard time paying much for them. :lol:
 
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