[phillsam]

Hey guys...Im starting my own build thread. Some might have seen my older post.

A little about me
...Got married about 3 years ago at age 19. We are both in college and therefore have very little money. So the mods i do on my heep to make it my own are going to be done on the cheap.

How i got the jeep
My 21st birthday was in early january of 2008 and my father lucked across this jeep while doing an irrigation job for a guy around that time. The jeep turned into my gift. Dont read into this...my parents dont give me gifts like this. They have less money than I do.
Apparently it was his buddies jeep when he lived with him but he went back to europe and gave the jeep in thanks for allowing him to stay. The guy had no use for it and it sat in a garage for 2 years.

What its got
So apparently it was used by the DOD, or someone part of the DOD...its got a department of defense sticker inside the door. dont really know what that means. Kinda interesting, wish it was a cooler story...
Its a '93 YJ 4banger 5spd. The PO added a Rock-it intake, Pacesetter header, highflow cat, and Gibson exhaust. He also added a 3in body lift and lift shackles.

It pulls pretty hard for 4cyl.


Here is the jeep after i got it! (the tan doors it came with were trashed and i was given the black doors...)

another pic

(thats a ford explorer spare tire dremelled to fit finances are tight...)


The first mod that I did was put in a stereo and sound system.
I had two military ammo cans and decided they would make good speaker boxes/storage for the rear fenders
(only problem was that all i had to cut these out was a step drill, pliers and a leatherman multi-tool)kind of a mess

Here is the finished product





I also decided I needed a little more bass
and had these lying around. Installed a 4 channel amp under my seat to power an 8 inch sub and the speakers.
Best part is I cut into the back of my center console and installed it there. Worked out great (only had a drill and multi-tool saw)

Finished product




Next i painted my fenders gloss black and made a rear bumper!
I am a drafting student and designed my bumper in solidworks and with help from my buddy in the welding department was able to fab up this bumper from 2x6 tube steel

Starting

Tack welds

Mig Welds

Grinding



Installing the hitch

Welding the hitch


Making the mounts

Getting ready to tack to mounts



Here is a pic finished minus paint




And here are a few of the final thing




Thats it so far. Lots more ideas, just need to gather supplies and funds.

Let me know what you guys think!!! I would love some input!


__________

[MooseMarine]

Looks great. I like the idea for the speakers in the ammo cans (i might steal it). The DOD sticker is just a sticker that the military uses to get on and off base, a base registration sticker. Next thing I would do is to find a 4.0 throttle body or you can buy one on ebay that is wider than the 4.0 it drilled to 63mm. You will notice quite a bit more power with a new throttle body. The sensors of the 2.5l tb will work on the new one. Also throw on a tb spacer. Seafoam her and replace plugs, wires, and rotor cap and all the fluids and you will be off to a great start.

[phillsam]

Thanks moose! plugs (champion), wires (duralast), cap and rotor got put in today. Runs very smooth now! feels like i picked up a few more ponies as well!

I have been searchin for a cheap 4.0 throttle body. I have heard mixed reviews of the bored throttle body, some have said it whistles. We'll see, hope to get it in the near future.

[phillsam]

oh yea. one more thing. Just bought a 48" Harbor Freight Farm Jack (Hi-Lift) for 27.99

Now im fabbing up a mount/light bar for the hood. Pics on that when im done

[sebastian22]

Originally Posted by phillsam

Making the mounts

Bumper looks good, but where are your rear body mounts?

[WranglerRush]

I'm thinking that is a 3 inch body lift. Bumper looks good.

[phillsam]

SEBASTIAN--->what exactly are the rear body mounts? I dont know what i am looking for.

WRANGLERRUSH--->It very well could be. I have never actually measured the BL. Once i get a suspension lift or if i go with SOA, my shackles and BL will be the first things to go.

[sebastian22]

Should look like this...



There are 11 body mounts that hold the body to the frame. Looks like you are missing the 2 back ones. I'm willing to bet the guy who put that body lift on broke those bolts back there and did not fix it.

[phillsam]

Wow...good to know. i never would have noticed.

How crucial do you think that is? I have been driving it everyday and it doesnt seem dangerous.
Any idea if that hurts the structural integrity?

[phillsam]

Working on my hood light/hi-lift mount this weekend!

[RedWind]

how did that mount work out, do you have pictures?

[yjmudder90]

those are some awesome mig welds!!! I need to get lessons from that guy! mine hold but dont look any where near that good.

[phillsam]

Thanks guys, still working on the mount, im using it as a project for one of my classes and am trying to teach myself (and our teacher) how to use the track burner and print out my design in autocad on the plasma cutter. Should be interesting....

I finished a set of sway bar discos!! --->only cost me $3.50 pics will be up hopefully today

[phillsam]

Plasma cut the hinge mounts on the track burner today. Bending the tube tomorrow hopefully!

I am currently trying to sell my old car to fund a new 4inch suspension kit from Rough Country. So that might be next on the agenda.

Thanks for the compliment on the welds, my buddy is really talented! I will be sure to pass the compliments on to him.

I am going to post some pics from my last wheeling adventure...i took off trac bars and sway bar and it helped so much.



good news is that i didnt even break anything...

[Emdot]

Really like the work fabbing up that rear bumper, looks great