Finally! - 2000 TJ Slow Build... (very slow...)

**kennyboobear** · 01-12-2010, 08:28 PM

Well I've been wanting to make a build thread for ages, but haven't really had much going on with the Jeep to showcase other than my "custom" Audio/Visual system as well as a few little interior tweaks, Ie.) The Jeep badge/plaque on my glovebox. But I finally got my first real parts that I can showcase... putting them on this weekend ....
Day I bought it

Since the netbook is now (and has been for a year) in place of the CB, am currently planning to relocate the CB to the inside of the Console.

This is currently mounted on my dash, acts as GPS/Movie/Music/Portable Computer station thing.

Lastly a poser shot for kicks..

New Corner Guards with steel flairs... Can't wait to get them on

Currently: As of July 2012

jeepnmike · 01-12-2010, 09:13 PM

Wait so you have a laptop mounted on top of your dash?? Interesting..

**kennyboobear** · 01-12-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepnmike

Wait so you have a laptop mounted on top of your dash?? Interesting..

Yea, it's a 7" Netbook. I can unplug it all in like 10 seconds to stow it in the console or take it with me. It's wired to a 500gb HD behind the dash and a 600watt 4ch amplifier, which in turn goes to all my speakers & sub. I decided to say to hell with a traditional headunit. I'm a computer geek, I needed something that suited my ways. On that note, I can replace the laptop with anything that accepts a 3.5mm jack, so iPod, PSP, Mobile Phone etcetcetc. It works well for me.

Couple images to better understand... (note the brown JeepForum icon I made for my dock... yea... I'm an addict lol)

And the amplifier under the rear seat, prior to drilling and mounting it (looks messy)

**kennyboobear** · 01-16-2010, 12:10 PM

Corner guards are more or less done, gotta wait for things to dry up this week so I can paint the hardware holding the flares and also need to get the bolt into the rocker panel (requires I unbolt the seatbelt to get to the other end of the bolt) as well as the 2 bolts on the rear that go through the frame. Need a better drill/bit for that one, so in the mean time I'll leave it as is. Photo time, and yea, it's already dirty thanks to this crappy weather.

I'm happy with how it turned out seeing as yesterday the drivers side corner looked like this...

Yeti342 · 01-16-2010, 01:41 PM

Who makes those corner guards?

**kennyboobear** · 01-16-2010, 01:58 PM

They're Smittybily full corners. Got them for 330 shipped with the flares during 4wd.com's holiday sale, Now you'd be looking at about 365-390 shipped depending on whatever sale 4wd.com has going on.

Djay101 · 01-16-2010, 03:49 PM

ive got a lil damage on my rear cab corner also but im not worried about it right now. its hiden behind the licence plate.

Duck Dodgers · 01-16-2010, 04:10 PM

Did you pull any of that damage out before to installed the corners? I crumpled that same corner a few weeks back. If it was not for that stupid stock lic. plate mount the damage might not have been as bad.

Have Rokmen Shorties coming for it. Just wondering how much I need to pull out.

**kennyboobear** · 01-16-2010, 04:57 PM

I hammered it a bit, and hammered the edges in so the corner would fit around the damage, but most of it was left unpulled, as it was too damaged for me to pull. Your damage looks a lot less than mine, so you should be okay. Just make sure you have a big rubber mallet and you'll be straight.

Djay101 · 01-16-2010, 06:22 PM

you say you hammered it, did you do any drilling and pulling?

**kennyboobear** · 01-16-2010, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djay101

you say you hammered it, did you do any drilling and pulling?

Nope, bought a puller but ended up not even using it. I just hammered any edges that were protruding, restricting the fitment of the corner. I got lucky enough that all of holes for the bolts on the corner guard lined up on spots that were unaffected by the collision with the exception of one, being the lower corner bolt, and that one pulled itself out because the corner was close enough for me to get the bolt to reach the hole I drilled into the body there, so when I began ratcheting it down, the much weaker metal of the factory body just pulled itself tight to the corner guard.

I did, however, have to put the corner guard up and down about 20 times (clamping and un-clamping it etc.) to see what else was causing it to not fit properly until I got everything hammered down which was a royal pain in the ***, especially since it was a 1 man job. My suggestion, have a big heavy rubber mallet, 2 ratchets with all necessary bits, phillips head screwdriver (naturally, for the tail lights), about 4 good clamps, the first 2 I bought were ****, so I made due with the 2 I had that worked well, but an extra 2 that worked properly probably would have made things a bit easier, and a few wooden boards to go between the c clamp and the corner guard.

Also will need a good drill and a step-down bit, unless you want to do it the old fashioned way and use a smaller bit and just work it.... but to hell with that. Lastly make sure you paint all of the holes you drill, I wasn't able to do that yet due to the rain, but when things dry up here in a few days (probably on Monday since it's my day off) I'll be taking them back off to spray all of my bare metal, and sand anything that has any surface rust. Make sure you get a paint that seals itself, and tada! The results are smexehness.

Djay101 · 01-16-2010, 08:50 PM

not bad! mine has a dent in the corner like yours. kick plate below drivers door is dented and on the side of the windshield. im not to worried about the dents though. its a jeep with scars!!

**kennyboobear** · 01-16-2010, 09:21 PM

Yea, I figure what little of the damage I have is still noticeable (tiny ripple on the edge of the body by the rear door that's only noticeable in the right light, as well as the small gap between the corner guard and body around the top edge of the tub) just qualifies as character, though I prefer it being spotless, like it was the day I got it. Jeep or not, I want it to last as long as humanly possible haha. Next up, covering the rockers with some 3/16" sliders and flat fenders, then 33"s on the stock suspension.... can't wait.

Djay101 · 01-17-2010, 01:37 AM

I said that about my gmc truck as well... but would you know that all the work you do to it, that the electrical parts would go, like wires.... ticks me off.... now i got to get right down and trace every bit of wiring... thats why i am holding off on the truck till i get the jeep on the road, rather have the truck apart and find that wire giving me the problem!! instead tearing apart and replacing each day

**kennyboobear** · 06-06-2010, 07:58 AM

Tiny update here:

Hail storm a few weeks back left about 25 golf ball size dings on my hood, cowl, and windshield frame as well as a few holes in the old Soft top. After the deductible, insurance payed out 760$ so I was gonna buy a Sailcloth replace-a-top but then I got a wild hair....

It occurred to me that Dallas isn't all that far of a drive for me, so maybe I'll see what I can find on craigslist there? Well sure enough, I found exactly what I was looking for, a hard top with tinted windows in excellent condition for 650$ Drove out to Dallas Friday afternoon when I got off work and turned right back around (after bsing with a fellow Jeep owner for about 4 hours) and drove back in the same night.

Night of

Decided I didn't like the way the color didn't match my soft uppers though, and ultimately decided to repaint it. Started by doing a little prep work and hitting it with 2 cans of Duplicolor Matte Black.

Finished it off by hitting it with a can of Rust-o-leum textured matte black sealer. Will fill in all the missed spots etc. next weekend.

And where she stands now... Also note the free Rubicon Express and Jeep Jamboree stickers haha

That's about it for the update other than finally choosing a permanent mounting point for my CB.