87 YJ Build Thread

mattlott00 · 02-19-2009, 12:54 AM

Well I bought a 87 YJ about a month ago and was going to just get it going good for a while and then eventually do a full build on it. But after taken the interior apart and aquiring a 5.3 vortec, I have decided to do a complete rebuild on it and thought this would be a good way to keep track of everything. I am pretty machanically inclined, so I plan on doing 90% myself, the only thing that already has me crapping my pants is mounting the 5.3 in. Here is a wish list of everything I plan on doing.

Full stripping of body, repaint exterior, line x interior as well as bottom of tub
replace the 30 & 35 axles with 44?s and manual hubs
drop 5.3 vortec and 4L60E auto trans in
keep current transfer case
replace sport cage with family style
Tuffy 2 compartment overhead consule
Tuffy middle console
overhead sound bar
new racing seats
novak radiator and electric fan
rear tire carrier
front bumber with winch
tilt steering wheel
smitty built winch

If any of you have eany suggestions to some stuff, please feel free to chime in and show off what you did to yours.
thanks for looking

http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff105/mattlott00/?action=view&current=jeep1.jpg

mattlott00 · 02-19-2009, 12:58 AM

anyone know how to get pictures on thread? they showed up on preview

Matt87YJ · 02-19-2009, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattlott00

Well I bought a 87 YJ about a month ago and was going to just get it going good for a while and then eventually do a full build on it. But after taken the interior apart and aquiring a 5.3 vortec, I have decided to do a complete rebuild on it and thought this would be a good way to keep track of everything. I am pretty machanically inclined, so I plan on doing 90% myself, the only thing that already has me crapping my pants is mounting the 5.3 in. Here is a wish list of everything I plan on doing.

Full stripping of body, repaint exterior, line x interior as well as bottom of tub
replace the 30 & 35 axles with 44?s and manual hubs
drop 5.3 vortec and 4L60E auto trans in
keep current transfer case
replace sport cage with family style
Tuffy 2 compartment overhead consule
Tuffy middle console
overhead sound bar
new racing seats
novak radiator and electric fan
rear tire carrier
front bumber with winch
tilt steering wheel
smitty built winch

If any of you have eany suggestions to some stuff, please feel free to chime in and show off what you did to yours.
thanks for looking

click free

mattlott00 · 02-19-2009, 01:01 AM

thanks for the help

StormlessWolf · 02-19-2009, 01:26 AM

So far, by the list, that jeeps in for a make-over for the better! Hows the rust on her? one suggestion I have for you is to either make your own speaker box or get the 6x9 enclosures that fit behind the front seats. I have seen members complain that the overhead sound bar isn't a good design since it sits over your head, resulting in bad sound especially when the tops down.

just a thought. best of luck to ya my friend!

Goobersbro · 02-19-2009, 01:46 AM

this will be a good build to follow also welcome to the forum. All i can suggest is if you doing all this work and you going to be replaceing the axles anyways you mise as well do some reading up and go SOA (spring over axle) it will give you like 5.5 inches of lift on stock springs and you can only go up from there just my 0.02 I only say this because unless you get some bolt in 44s you will have to weld the perches and do all that work anyways. So you mise as well weld them on top and do some other work and have one sweet rig when your all done

mattlott00 · 02-19-2009, 02:03 AM

thanks, i honestly have not found any rust yet, even in the floor pans I plan on taking the tub completely off and getting all the paint soda blasted off to make sure they didnt try and hide it on the last paint job it had. Its has a 258 and ax-5(i believe) so if anyone is need of one, im sure we can work something out when i pull it. I also will have the stock axles to go. I just replaced the front brakes and hubs before deciding to go all out so I might wait to do suspension and axles till the end. Ive got all of the interior out and the seats where not salvagable. the only thing Ive pulled off so far that is in decent shape for re-use on another rig is the front bumper. if anyone is in need of one sent me a message. I live in Athens, Ga but am in Atlanta every other weekend.

JaikYJ · 02-19-2009, 05:47 AM

Nice find, I dig the half doors. I have a new motor for my 87 thats going in this summer....... but its not a 5.3 (dammit). I got a cherokee that was rusted out for free. So I am upgrading to a 4.0L with fuel injection. I look forward to seeing where you take this thing. If you want check out my build in my sig and see how mine has come along.
If you make your own sound bar and stuff 6x9's in it you will still be able to hear your music with the top off on the highway.

mattlott00 · 04-08-2009, 10:04 PM

Got everything torn out this week, just have to finish getting the interior wiring harness out and the tub off. getting it soda blasted next week. Gonna get the the 5.3 mounted in hopefully in the next week and half or so. Ill try and take some pictures to put up for work so far. if anyone is in need of a motor and trans let me know.

Slickdaddydax · 04-08-2009, 11:28 PM

if i were you i would use the 6x9 boxes that fit between the roll bar and the wheel well. the work great aiming the sound forward and dont take and of your space. the best thing i did in my 87 for sounds was replace the dash speakers with some pioneers. pia to do but well worth it.
http://www.quadratec.com/products/14031_52_07.htm

mattlott00 · 06-10-2009, 04:24 PM

Finally got the 5.3 in and the engine mounts from Novak installed. blasting the body this weekend and hopefully will have it primed with the black epoxy primer by end of next week. If your thinking of doing this conversion, make sure you go through Novak, they have been great at helping with hickups along the way with it. Ill try and upload some pictures later on.

mattlott00 · 06-10-2009, 07:39 PM

heres some pictures:

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racenmotorsport · 06-10-2009, 07:59 PM

Looks sweet. What did you do with the front seats? I'm looking for some seats for the front and I have the fiberglass race seats in mine. Haven't looked under the seat covers, but the covers don't look to bad.

mattlott00 · 06-10-2009, 08:03 PM

i still have them, one is pretty bad, but with a little duct tape and a seat cover probably would work. Also have front bumper, 258 engine, and a ba-10(?) sitting in the backyard. If interested in anything I live in athens but am usually in Atlanta on the weekends. This stuff is just sitting in my backyard, tried selling it but kept on getting folks saying they were coming by but never would so I stopped bothering with it.

mattlott00 · 06-11-2009, 04:28 PM

Any of you that have put in a bigger engine run into mounting the trans as a problem? The new mount sits on the skid plate farther back now and is actually on the crossmember of the skid plate. Im debating whether just to fabricate some spacers to drop it down a bit so its level or just get a new skid plate built.