my 97 GC build thread "family hauler"

framanda · 09-16-2009, 04:42 AM

So I bought my zj 2 years ago when my littel girl was born i always wanted one and the wife liked the idea of a suv for the baby. This was the day I picked it up, pretty good condition just under 200,000k miles 4.0 242 blah, blah.

Then I wheeled it a little to get a feel for the new toy.

Then came new tires 30x9.50 geolander ats's, and I built a roof rack tossed some lights on I had laying around and blacked out the wheels.

and then some stock flexing.

had it like that for almost a year then I picked up this gem for 200 big ones.

The guy I got it from said it got in a fender bender and just never started after so it has become my parts jeep. It was a 93 242 4.0 limited with a mixed RE lift that was roughly 5 ish inches of lift due to longer front coils and 2 inch pucks in the rear. so a swaped the lift sold a few small things from it to make back my $200 started my half doors and took the factory skids and some other small stuff so heres the lift out cleaned up and under my jeep.

so then i needed tires but my 30 9.50 were still like 80% tread so on a trade i scored these tj wheels and 31 10.50 bigfoot mts so then it looked like this.

Im going 32x11.50 or 33x10.50 when im ready to buy tires. Then I got this littel guy.

and im geting tired so i will continue this tomarrow.

sandman · 09-16-2009, 04:55 AM

and hopefully it shal continue in the correct section. the jeep looks good. keep up the good work!!!!!!!!

framanda · 09-17-2009, 12:24 AM

Worked on my roof rack this morning before work and didn’t get much done. I’m mounting my high lift and 2 more light tabs off the back corners.

I also got one of my half doors almost done a couple weekends ago all I need now is the gray cladding and to make the door panel and build my cup holders and cut, bend and weld the driver door. I did put it on and drive around for a couple day and I like it I was dumb and built the passenger door first but i guess its motivation to do the drivers door now.

BHand89 · 09-17-2009, 01:17 AM

Badass... subscribed.

**LordHobbit** · 09-17-2009, 11:46 AM

gonna check this progress. Nice

framanda · 09-28-2009, 11:33 PM

Well I got some more work done finished my doors and my roof rack got my skids painted and on and built a new shovel.

I guess i have to hurry up and build my bumpers and sliders so I can use my jack.

My new shovel its a aluminum jack handle and a piece of DOM tubing turned down and welded in the shovel head and its held together with a solid steel pin its pretty beef.

I’m also going to make a sledge and axe head for the handle too. heres my new light tabs off the back corners I’m in the processes of getting funds together for all new lights on my rack and for the frt bumper I’m going to build.

And heres my skids

I built a new switch panel with a 110 plug in and room for my light switches the switch that’s on there is going to be replaced with ones i like better i just don’t know witch ones yet.

Sorry no wheeling pics its still real dry around here and all the trial are surrounded by dry grass so as soon as fall hits I’ll be wheeling it alot more.

sandman · 09-29-2009, 02:33 AM

im enjoying this build man!!! love the power outlet idea

**lateralus3** · 10-06-2009, 08:46 PM

anything new on this build? those doors are kickass

kd5zmg · 10-06-2009, 09:19 PM

Wow, this is inspiring.

**blackjack12982** · 10-07-2009, 06:29 PM

Very nice doors! It makes me want to do this so bad!

framanda · 10-30-2009, 01:39 AM

Well I haven’t posted in a while things have been going a little slow but I got to take the jeep out finally and it did pretty good. The doors work awesome I was in some tight wooded trails; its nice to be able to really lean out and see what your doing. My full doors went back on for my last outing since it rained off and on that week, so no wheeling pics with the half doors. I haven’t made the door panels yet either.

so heres some new pics

yea poser shots but I was out bye my self it was more a test run than anything

I was going start a thread for my half door build and the rest of the stuff I’m going to build. Like my bumpers and long arms and what ever else i decide to build but ill just keep it all in this thread.
so heres some door pics

and if a mod could move my thread to the grand Cherokee general discussion i would appreciate it.

JFox21 · 10-30-2009, 03:41 AM

Half doors look good! Time for a little bit bigger tires though! 33's would look great IMO.

framanda · 04-25-2010, 12:55 AM

Its been a longtime since I’ve done an update and some new stuff has happened.
well onto some pics
built a front bumper and rad support

Then I cut away what I felt wasn’t necessary of the front unibody.
in this pic you can better see my bumper mounts. Each side sandwiches the unibody and is secured with 9 bolts per side.

I am also building a rear bumper it will have a tire swing when its all done

all tacked up

there’s more i need to post up but thats for another day.

Dillonzj · 04-25-2010, 01:06 AM

That rear bumper is saaaweet! i want it..

sweet jeep man!

**LordHobbit** · 04-25-2010, 04:58 PM

up next sliders??