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Cadillac Build Thread

29K views 265 replies 39 participants last post by  RedRock527 
#1 · (Edited)
Alright, I've been wanting to make a build thread on here for a while. I think I can finally make one now that i have a Jeep is "worthy". :laugh: OK, so I bought this jeep over craigslist for $1800. This was a good deal because I sold my old heep for $2000. I wanted a ZJ because the interior is AWESOME, plus I wanted a V8 and rear coils vs. leafs. Besides, this ZJ has 145,000 and my old XJ had 225,000. :D Right after I got the new Jeep I wet-sanded all the pin striping off and debadged it. It looks sooooo much better IMO. I fixed the exhaust because the PO just had the factory cat on there. I added a muffler and a tailpipe. I also shortened the hanger on the pipe so its tucked up nice and close to the bumper. I put some JY front hub units in the D30 because they were HORRIBLE!! You could literally see the balls in the bearings, when they are supposed to be a sealed bearing. :p Then I had it in North Dakota for a few months because I was working for my uncle during harvest. I also picked up a TC skid and some rear tow hooks for free from another JF member. I picked up a hitch too for $40 from ANOTHER JF member. :eek: When i got back, it was time for the lift! I ordered some IRO 3.5" front coils, and some nice Bilstein 5125 shocks (Thanks Spife!). I also threw some Treadwright 31x10.5 Guard Dog M/T's (Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Style). I've had it lifted for a couple months now and I love it. As soon as I can afford it, im going to get the 5.5" Critical Path kit from IRO. So far between the lift, tires, and Jeep itself, I've only put about $2600 into it! I have many plans for this truck in the future, I just need to make more money before I can get too far! Here are the pics, I will be updating on all upgrades. I attached some Photobucket links to see my full albums for the Jeeps! THANKS FOR LOOKING! :thumbsup:

HOW THE JEEP SITS CURRENTLY




-OLD JEEP-

-NEW JEEP-

Day i picked it up.


Got some new wheels!




No stripe or badges



Lift installed



 
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#3 ·
Next is the F&R adj trackbars, 1in spacer upfront, and hockey puck bumpstops. Then, I want to do and Aussie in back. After that I want to go another inch higher and do longarms.
 
#5 ·
Haha, it took me months to do this. Dont feel bad LOL :laugh:
 
#8 ·
haha thanks for the compliments. Yeah I did get a good deal on it. Good thing I was able to find a V8 ZJ for this price or i might not have gotten one!! you know I AM OLNY 17!! ;)





:laugh:
 
#10 ·
Haha, funny you mention that. It's a '84 318i.... My dad restored it about 10 years ago. Sitll running strong after over 300,000 miles and thats with being run completly dry on oil TWICE!! We had a real neighborly neighbor who liked to unscrew our oil drain plug and filter... :mad: I drive it occasionly when i feel like getting 30MPG, even though my jeep could outrun it :laugh:
 
#12 ·
This is the best i got..... They are a great tire, especially for the price ($85 a tire) This is my second set, my brother also had a set. We both have loved them.

 
#14 ·
Haha, not my style.... I dont like it. Its wayyy to slow for me. Im saving for an LT1/LS1 F-Body. This is my brothers TA... We want matching cars to take to the track. Oh yeah, he is putting down 375 to the rear wheels. CC503 Cam and 3.73's are on the spring list for him. He should be in the neighborhood of 425RWHP then. The fun part is when I get to drive, it holds me over till i get mine. :2thumbsup:


 
#16 ·
its just not my style.... Im into V8 F-Bodys. :thumbsup:
 
#17 ·
$1,800 I hate you! :rofl:

I paid that for mine....although I was in a hurry and had looked at 3 crappy XJ's that were way over priced so $1,800 for the one I bought seemed cool at the time.

I looks really good. You made a wise choice on the mods. I should have gone that route....I've got almost that in my BB.

I love the wet sanding idea, I need to good that. I've seen it done to take out water spots on some Honda forums.
 
#19 ·
Nice T/A!

Go LS1 man, you won't regret it. I freakin' love mine.

All stock '00 Formula A4, 2.73 rear, even with all seasons and no traction it still ran a 13.7@103.4 on a 100 degree day.

And I bought my first F-Body when I was about your age...it was a '88GTA, gunmetal grey with grey leather, digital dash, and the L98 350. It had 65k on it at the time, and man I LOVED that car. That L98 was a torque monster...it could do burnouts for days...but was out of breath by 4000rpm (right about where my LS1 is really waking up, lol). I had really wanted a LT1 4th gen at the time, but I couldn't afford it. And I thought the GTA looked better anyway. I sold it about 10 years ago, but to this day I still think those cars look awesome.
 
#20 ·
Nice T/A!

Go LS1 man, you won't regret it. I freakin' love mine.

All stock '00 Formula A4, 2.73 rear, even with all seasons and no traction it still ran a 13.7@103.4 on a 100 degree day.

And I bought my first F-Body when I was about your age...it was a '88GTA, gunmetal grey with grey leather, digital dash, and the L98 350. It had 65k on it at the time, and man I LOVED that car. That L98 was a torque monster...it could do burnouts for days...but was out of breath by 4000rpm (right about where my LS1 is really waking up, lol). I had really wanted a LT1 4th gen at the time, but I couldn't afford it. And I thought the GTA looked better anyway. I sold it about 10 years ago, but to this day I still think those cars look awesome.
Haha yeah thats my brothers LT1. How do you have a 2.37 rear end?? Why would you want to go higher than stock? I thought they were 3.42's? I hear the LS1 is more of a fragile engine... Thats just what i've heard though. Im really looking for a LT1/T56 combo. My jeeps and auto, i want a 6-speed in my car. I guess it just depends on what i can find thats affordable and in good condition. BUT this IS a jeep site so we should prob get back on topic before flamage insues!! hahaha :nono:
 
#27 ·
You can tell it's stiffer back there, esp. when i actually got about 4.5" of lift in the back. The control arm angles contribute to the stiffness for shure. Im very glad i have bilsteins or i would die driving it! lol I will probabily buy some new springs for the back in the future, but for the immideate result and cheap price, its worth the little stivver ride IMO.

looks good now you need to get some cragers and black out those tailights
I have thought about it, but i want to keep my orig. aluminium wheels, I dont wanna pay to down-grade. I am going to get 1.25" wheel spacers though. And with the taillights.... im kinda on the fence. I kinda wanna leave it looking original and clean.

For the love of god please get a 6 speed if you do..... I'm in school for automotive and we've had 98 T/A auto (4L60E) and we've had to pull it 4 times :thumbdown:
O yeah thats my plan.... just gotta find the right one!

looks great man. how do you like the bilsteins?
One word AWESOME. i had them on my old XJ also. They really help the ride and control of the jeep. Well worth the money!
 
#29 ·
They ARE a lot lighter and stronger also! plus i like the look of mine and EVERYONE has steelies. :laugh:
 
#31 ·
i agree. Everyone has steelies. i have the honeycomb style stock wheels and plan on putting them back on once i finish my lift and get new tires. only thing i hate is they are 16" rims so i'll be payin out the butt for a good set of tires compared to ones for 15" rims.
 
#32 ·
you could go on craigs list and get some 15in factory alloys for cheap.
 
#33 ·
i've thought about it cuz they dont look too bad. but i already have stock wrangler wheels with good tires that my buddy gave me so the only way i'm getting new tires soon is if i put them on my stock honeycomb wheels. oh and btw how do you like the guard dogs? after seeing how inexpensive they are i'm intrigued. oh and btw man your jeep looks great. i want to debadge mine too
 
#34 ·
Installed my rear trackbar drop bracket yesterday. Now that axle is centered! Waiting on my front ADJ. trackbar in the mail. Also did Intake manifold plenum pan gasket, valve cover gasgets, intake manifold gasgets, and a TB gasget. Runs great and hopefully itll stop using oil. AND I swapped in front and rear colth seats from a 96 ZJ. SOOOOOOOOOOO much more comfortable! Now i just need to figure out what to do with my heated seats control! lol and the leather seats, anyone interested?:laugh:
 
#35 ·
Yesterday i installed 1.5" spacers into the front and added my adj tackbar. Also changed both my diff fluids. Today i sold the leather seats and went for a little wheeling!! It did awesome, I think its the extra weight of the ZJ over the XJ, but i would just crawl and dig in sand/mud. Tomorrow im drivin it to a friends superbowl party! :thumbsup:
 
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