Well I suppose I should get un-lazy and start a thread. Not much to report right now since I'm broke as can be! Got most of my build mapped out at this point, just waiting for the money to get rolling!
I'll change this first post to a Title Page (index) later on as things progress. I promise I'll be more organized and do better about writing "write-ups" on all the mods I do. Hopefully save some people the headaches I know I'm going to have myself!
I got put in a bad place due to some jerk off. I had left my last YJ parked at a public lot overnight, and returned in the morning to find that someone had smashed the side all up! Long story short, due to having a loan on it and not being able to get it repaired immediately, I was forced to sell it to pay the loan off at the threat of being sued by my lender. :brickwall:
Anyways, here's a few of my favorite pics of her...
So I loved my last YJ. I feel like I made a lot of good choices, but I also learned a lot. A LOT. My ideas and goals changed a lot, and in the end, there was quite a bit I would have done differently. Things I would have done sooner, others I would have done later, etc. There was also a lot that I was just frankly, unhappy with!
So with that in mind, upon obtaining the new YJ, I have a slightly modified plan of action. A lot will be similar, a lot will be different. We'll see how that goes!
Here's what I'm starting with. Learning from last time, I hunted down a relatively low mileage, unmodified Jeep for a decent price.
'95 YJ
2.5L Four Angry Squirrels
Ax-5 Transmission
NP231 Transfer Case
d30/35 4.10 gears
107,000 Miles
31x10.5x15 ATs
Rag Top
Half Doors
That's it! There's surface rust on the frame, but nothing substantial. Pretty clean overall, and a great platform to build off of. Go me.
Here it is (finally right?)
Took the top down and the doors off and was able to enjoy it this way for all of a week before the temps plummeted. I'm fairly sure it was the first time the doors have ever been off...
Got my stickers put on
Including decals for the offroad club myself and ZERO30 started.
So that was pretty much day one stuff...Had to make it "mine" in some way right? :rofl:
Reliability-
Pretty important right? I mean, this is my DD and all that. It probably should start up and drive, you know, every day without much complaining. Right? Yeah.
It's something I looked over in my last build. A lot of "meh, it'll be fine," "oh well, I can live with that, it's a Jeep right?," "*shrug* who cares?" went on with my last YJ. And the end result was something that, although was a BLAST off road, was pretty uncomfortable and annoying drive daily. I'm going to avoid that this time.
I hope.
With that in mind, the first thing I did was a good tune up. I changed the oil and filter, plugs, cap, rotor, and wires. I changed the transmission fluid, transfercase fluid, and front and rear diff fluids. I drained the coolant and filled it with fresh stuff. I went through it stem to stern and checked all the joints, ujoints, bushing, etc. There is some things that need addressed, but aren't pressing. Other than that, I felt a lot better knowing she got the "YJ spa treatment package," from yours truly.
Bunch 'o stuff.
Old plugs vs. new. The manual calls for .33-38 gap. The old plugs ranged from .60-.75. How was it running? The 2.5 is a tough old goat I guess!
Feeling pretty good about it's reliability, I went to bed happy!
Then of course, I got itching to take her off the pavement.
So I did.
Easy dirt trail.
Drained reservoir- Robie Creek Launch.
An EXILED OFFROAD club run. It was a blast!
Pretty funny recovery that day. The XJ was stuck, then the JKU trying to tow it out got stuck, so it hooked to the other JKU. Rolled a train and an hour or so later got everyone out. That sand was wet, deep, and bottomless!
My daughter, Evie, had fun running around with the dogs...
So far I was able to keep up with all the bigger, more built rigs in my stock YJ. Pretty awesome feeling! It certainly has been a bit humbling returning to a stock configuration, but I'm re-honing my driving skills. I have come to realize that I was getting a bit lazy and complacent since the Warbird YJ would more or less climb anything I pointed it at. Even open. :eyebulge:
About two weeks after I purchased this YJ, my younger brother got home from Alaska. I managed to talk him into buying this;
'94 YJ, 4.0/ax15. It's clean as hell! So I took him wheeling. :devil:
And got him hooked!
I took the YJ through a trail called "LOST TRAIL."
It's one of my favorite local trails. A week of flash flooding had completely changed the trail. Everything out there became harder. Awesome! :thumbsup:
I had to get hooked over a couple obstacles. I'm not able to disconnect my sways right now since the 31s are already trashing the flares as it is, but I'm confident that had I disco'd, I could have made the climbs. But without it, I just didn't have the articulation to make any line work.
I was lazy with the camera that day. Get over it.
My bud's TJ about to flop...saved it, but just barely!
What's next? Oh yeah, I'm broke. I just moved and that sucked up all my monies.
So what free/cheap stuff can I do to sate my never ending desire to work on my Jeep? Why is a poor Sparrows to do?
Get the grinder out. Duh!
TA-DA! Stubby bumper.
Ok, yeah, kinda lame. But it's something. Gave me something to do for, oh, like 15 minutes.
Crap, what else can I do?
I rummaged through the remnants of my YJ parts pile and found these;
Green LEDs for the dash!(Shown next to the stock bulb.) I had bought them and never put them in so, in they went!
And never able to leave stuff along, I decided to spruce up my dash while I had it torn apart.
I used this;
To paint this stuff;
I also painted the panels/gauge bezels (no pics )
Oh and these..
Before...
After
Looks WAY better! :thumbsup:
And lastly, I dug these out, and put them on/in.
Shifter and matching cig lighter lol.
Aaaaand I'm stuck for right now waiting on $$$$$$. I may pull my flares off this week, trim them a bit and paint them up. Something to do right?
Diggin' the bumper Sparrows! Being broke will bring out the best in the creativity skills....and YES, might as well hit the fenders while ya' got the cutting wheel out! It should quell the urges till you get some 'cloaks again. :2thumbsup:
BTW, how does the Krylon hold up on the dash and doors Sparrows? I used it years ago but when people sat in my car they DID SO WITH HANDS IN THEIR LAP!! lol I was too picky to enjoy the damn car!! So anyhow, how's it hold up in a vehicle that sees more "human interaction"?
You and me both! I'm waiting on a settlement from my work accident. Hopefully I can buy 90% of my parts all at once lol. That's my dream anyways. Buy most everything all at once, pull the YJ in the garage, and just like a caterpillar, pull it out a week later fully transformed haha!
Thanks a lot bro! :cheers2: Thanks Who's peggy btw? :laugh: You and me both! I'm waiting on a settlement from my work accident. Hopefully I can buy 90% of my parts all at once lol. That's my dream anyways. Buy most everything all at once, pull the YJ in the garage, and just like a caterpillar, pull it out a week later fully transformed haha! Cheers
Cant wait to see what you do with this one! And this build will be like a "twofer", we get to see your build and your brothers build lol
I think everyone with a YJ is hard up for mod money these days. Just search through the forum and find those little free/cheap mods that keep you busy inbetween saving money. I wish I had another stock YJ to keep me busy, Ive already done all the cheap/free mods on mine lol
Holy subs! Thanks for all the sub's and compliments guys! For the next month it's mostly going to be just cheap/free mods and stuff. If you're into that, awesome! Me too!
If not, give it a bit and the big stuff will start happening.
Thanks bud. Glad to see you here.
Yeah that's my plan, and I will for sure be posting some of the stuff I "make" my brother do. :devil:
I think he wants to keep it mild. For now...(we have all said that at one point or another haven't we? :laugh: ) Something like 3-4" of lift and some 32s and a lunchbox up front. It'll do 99% of the trails around here and then some, but won't upset his lady too much!
Diggin' the bumper Sparrows! Being broke will bring out the best in the creativity skills....and YES, might as well hit the fenders while ya' got the cutting wheel out! It should quell the urges till you get some 'cloaks again. :2thumbsup:
BTW, how does the Krylon hold up on the dash and doors Sparrows? I used it years ago but when people sat in my car they DID SO WITH HANDS IN THEIR LAP!! lol I was too picky to enjoy the damn car!! So anyhow, how's it hold up in a vehicle that sees more "human interaction"?
The Krylon holds up great. My last YJ had the dash, doors, etc painted with it and it held up awesome to the whole topless season, brush, my dog, my 5 year old, and myself! Best part to me is, at $4.00 a can and 30 minutes of my life, I can just repaint it every month for all I care! No matter what, its easy to touch up and get looking perfect again. But all in all, it holds up great.
Cant wait to see what you do with this one! And this build will be like a "twofer", we get to see your build and your brothers build lol I think everyone with a YJ is hard up for mod money these days. Just search through the forum and find those little free/cheap mods that keep you busy inbetween saving money. I wish I had another stock YJ to keep me busy, Ive already done all the cheap/free mods on mine lol
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