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Jmart2119's Black Beauty Build

118K views 1K replies 50 participants last post by  AZdEvilYJ 
#1 ·
Here is an index of my Black Beauty YJ Build. I have owned this thing since I was 16 and it has been a joy to drive and build. I will try to keep a running index of major projects posted here in the first post. I will always keep a picture of how she started out and how she looks now. Thank you for following along and enjoy!

Start of build Picture- 9/1/2015

Automotive parking light Tire Wheel Car Land vehicle


Current Picture:

Wheel Tire Automotive parking light Land vehicle Car


Build Bookmarks:
AX5 Internal to External Slave Swap

3.5 Leaf spring Suspension Install

15 Gallon Steel tank to 20 Gallon Poly Tank Swap

Dash Overhaul

Ford 8.8 Rebuild

8.8 Install/Tummy Tuck/Gas Tank Lift

Switch Panel Fab and Install

35's/Front Stretch/5.13 Regear

OBA Intstall

Ruffstuff Heim Crossover Steering

License Plate Relocation

Metalcloak Install

CCFab Corner Armor Install

BTF Cage Install

5.7L V8 Swap

York On Board Air for 5.7L

Tub Swap
 
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#2 ·
Well I have been lurking behind the scenes in the Jeep Forum for about 13 years and just recently decided to start my build and add to any discussion that I think I can be a help to. I know that I will need the help of all the other more experienced forum members out there so I figured I should help where I can.

First a little back story about my Jeep and why I love it...
For starts, I named her Black Beauty, BB for short and it stuck. I have no other reason for this name other than the fact that I think it fit her perfect.

For as long as I remember, I always wanted a jeep and when I turned 16 I was able to finally attain that dream with the help of my parents. It has been a wonderful vehichle for me but has also caused a great amount of madness and frustration but I wouldn't have it any other way.

The main thing I love about my jeep is the opportunity to spend countless hours with my father. I have not always seen eye-to-eye with my dad and we don't have a lot of things in common but one thing that we can do is spend time together fixing, improving and building my jeep. It is something that I cherish greatly and for that reason, I will never ever sell BB.

Here is a picture of BB the day that I brought her home:

Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Motor vehicle


BB had a 2.5 engine and was completely stock and although I wanted a big 4wheeling jeep, my mother thought it was best to start stock mainly because her fear that I would roll the thing. Little did I know that this would work in my favor.

I drove it this way for a year before I got hit on a side street on the front end. We used the extra insurance money after repairs on a 1.5 in suspension lift(I wanted bigger and Mom still said no).

Sophomore year of college the transmission had to be rebuilt then the engine had to be rebuilt. My dad and I had to get her back on the road ASAP hence the reason we just did the rebuilds.

After college I ended up getting a second car and then my exhaust manifold cracked on BB and she sat for about a year because I did not have time or money to fix it.

That changed after I got a new job and my build began about 6-7 months ago. I am going to get this thread up to speed and then maintain it as much as possible. I want a build thread so that I can track and have a record of BB from start to finish.

Feel free to look, make any comments, give advice etc. I don't know if anyone will follow this thread but like many other forums members out there, I love my Jeep and I will enjoy this build thread.

There were many many things that needed to be done but I decided to start with small things. Needed new tires, the interior was trashed, the flares needed to be refinished etc.

I ordered Bestop trail max seats, a new center console and I got some brand new Goodyear wrangler 31x10.5x15 tires. and lined the tub.

Before:

Car Vehicle Motor vehicle Window Car seat cover


Tire Automotive parking light Wheel Land vehicle Car


Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Automotive tire Tire


Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Automotive tire
 
#4 ·
Spent a lot of time chasing down a high idle issue. We finally got it figured out with a lot of help with Que. My dad spent a lot of time on the phone with him. Had to replace a bunch of sensors, IAC, vacuum lines and ECU.

Had to replace the fuel pump and lines as they were all cracked. Also changed the fuel filter as it needed it.
 
#8 ·
Well back in september my daily driver was totaled by a drunk driver. My car was parked on the side of the street and he plowed right through it.

So since my jeep was now going to be my daily driver, I figured it was time to hit craigslist and look for some full doors and a hard top.

Found an ad in Colorado springs and got these doors and a pair of rock sliders for 225 total. I had been searching and searching everyday for a good deal and this one came up right as I was about to purchase a set of doors for 550. Instead a get a set of doors and sliders for half that. I got lucky.

Here are the doors:

Tire Automotive tire Wheel Truck Automotive lighting


They aren't original matching doors but who cares, Ill make them match. The windows all work and the locking mechanisms are in working order but probably need to be cleaned up. The seal are shot. I decided to order all new parts for them and just refurbish them before winter hits.

I ordered new exterior/interior handles, grab handles, door panels, a set of three lock cylinders so I can match the tailgate, new seals, weatherstripping.
 
#9 ·
Once I got my parts in I got to working on the locking mechanisms:

Motor vehicle Bumper Wood Automotive exterior Gas


I got all the new parts in place and it was time to paint. Here is the finished product:

Plant Motor vehicle Automotive tire Bumper Grass


I now have matching, refurbished doors that in my opinion look good. Now time to find a hardtop.
 
#10 ·
Well the search for the hard top was a tough one. On two separate occasions I had a hardtop lined up, only for it to fall through each time.

The first one I was going to be able to get a hardtop for $400 from the same guy that sold me the doors because he was moving and just wanted it gone. A hard top in Denver for $400 is a steal. the average price is between 700-1200. I called him and told him I was coming to pick it up and his farm crew backed into it with forklift and destroyed. Bummer!

The second one was also in Colorado Springs for $550 this time and it is rhino lined. Wasn't sure about this but it was getting ever so closely to winter to so I went for it and drove down to the springs. The top was being stored at the guys second house where no one lives. Pull in the drive way and bam its gone. Stolen right out of the back yard. Strike two.

Kept scouring the classifieds and finally picked up this one for $650. More than I wanted to spend but Ill take it:

Window Rectangle Wood Plant Outdoor furniture


I didn't get a good picture but the paint was cracked and faded and it needed to be spiced up. I took the top over to one of my buddies house so I could paint it in the garage.
 
#11 ·
Time to paint the hard top. I picked up some scotch brite pads and 4 cans of rustoleum satin black and went to work. I will be painting the inside and the outside because I think the white is terrible looking.

Began the masking process:

Hood Blue Bumper Vehicle door Automotive exterior


And started shooting the paint:

Wood Bumper Automotive exterior Gas Hardwood


Wood Gas Tints and shades Flooring Composite material


And the finished project:

Wood Bumper Floor Rectangle Automotive exterior


On BB:

Vehicle Hood Automotive lighting Motor vehicle Car

Good as new! I plan on tinting the top and doors at some point.
 
#12 ·
Well now that I have the Top and Doors for the winter, I decided it was time to upgrade my blower motor. Got the PM102 from autozone took the battery tray out and started the project. I will also be replacing my heater core because it won't hurt to put a new one in.

Automotive tire Motor vehicle Vehicle Automotive exterior Gas


Plant Shipping box Gas Bumper Wood


Musical instrument Office equipment Electronic instrument Plant Wood


Used a hole saw to cut a bigger hole in the firewall to fit the new motor, put it in, got the heater box back in and the battery tray and voila! Lots of heat in BB now. Its quite amazing the difference that blower motor makes!
 
#13 ·
Before I put the hard top and doors on for the winter I decided to take the jeep up for another wheeling trip one more time. We went to the Middle St. Vrain/ Coney Flats trail. Man it is beautiful up there!

Water Plant Tree Nature Natural landscape


Wheel Tire Automotive parking light Plant Sky


Cloud Sky Mountain Plant Snow
 
#39 ·
Before I put the hard top and doors on for the winter I decided to take the jeep up for another wheeling trip one more time. We went to the Middle St. Vrain/ Coney Flats trail. Man it is beautiful up there!







And took a different Betty, My current girlfriend.

I agree Coney/MSV a great trail! Definitely was one of my favs while out there!
 
#16 ·
Well I was driving back to Denver from my parents house (about 45 mins away) and about halfway there my clutch went all the way to the floorboard. Uh oh. Internal slave cylinder blew and was shot. This is my DD so turned around and drove it back to my parents house with no clutch to pick up my dads truck.
 
#17 ·
He wanted to get it fixed at the shop and all I had to say was Dad, this our thing. I like spending time with you. And that alone convinced him to tackle dropping the transmission to fix the issue.

I decided there is no sense in replacing the internal slave and it was time to to the external slave mod. And I went part searching...
 
#18 ·
I picked up a bell housing, clutch fork, external bearing retainer and release spring from Jeremy at Jeeps Unlimited for 150 bucks. Great deal. I ordered a LUK clutch kit for a 94 Wrangler and a pre-filled, pre-bled master/slave combo from amazon for a total of 150ish. So this mod only cost me 300 bucks total and I won't have to drop the tranny if the slave goes out again. I also picked up a tranny jack from Harbor Freight for 100 bucks
 
#19 ·
Bellhousing comparison:

Tire Automotive tire Nature Road surface Wheel


Tranny/ internal bearing retainer:

Vehicle Automotive tire Wheel Plant Motor vehicle


Tranny/external bearing retainer:

Automotive tire Automotive lighting Wheel Motor vehicle Vehicle


New clutch fork:

Grey Wood Road surface Rim Automotive tire


Draining the tranny:
Plant Grass Outdoor recreation Motor vehicle Asphalt


Luk Clutch Kit:
Font Circle Art Electric blue Vehicle door


Got everything installed and I now am proud to say I dropped the tranny and did a drivetrain repair for the very first time. I also want to thank all those who contributed to the forum for providing great write-ups and advice so I can use them for my personal benefit.
 
#21 ·
I started hearing a terrible rattling sound toward the back of BB so i did some investigation and found this:

Automotive tire Fixture Wood Bumper Gas


The tailgate seam weld had broken off and the rear corner was rattling against the hard top.

I do not have any experience welding nor do I own a welder so I decided to hit up in the area forums to see if anyone wanted to assist me with welding the seam back up.

Jeepster93 took me up on the offer and helped me get it welded back up. He wouldn't take any money and in my book is a great guy! Thanks again!

Automotive lighting Automotive tire Hood Motor vehicle Bumper


Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Bumper Tread
 
#23 ·
Since i have owned this jeep I have never had interior lighting. I didn't even think jeeps had them because mine is so old. But I started searching the forum and found otherwise. I decided to follow Mike134's LED interior lighting thread and get them ordered up and installed.

Automotive tire Automotive lighting Tread Hood Motor vehicle


Sleeve Chair Bag Automotive tire Electric blue
 
#24 ·
I installed them under the dash:

Automotive lighting Hood Corded phone Automotive design Eyewear


In the console:

Gas Gadget Space Darkness Automotive exterior


Under the back seat:

Automotive lighting Rectangle Automotive exterior Vehicle door Tints and shades


I put a quick disconnect on the back seat light for the summer time when I take out the back seat and switch in my full cargo area bestop trunk. I have to keep things locked up during the summer and it works great. I can hook this lighting up in the trunk so I have light to work on things on the trail.

And in the Dome light:

Automotive lighting Headlamp Gas Electricity Lens flare


I ordered a clear plastic dome light lense to replace the yellow pee color and broken lense. This will give all of the LED lighting the same tint.

I also have LED lights to replace the dash but Ill wait to put those in when I fold the windshield down for my new cowl seal that is sitting in my APT and when I remove the dash to paint it.

I have slowly moved everything in the interior from gray to black and the very last thing on the list is the dash.
 
#25 ·
I have always had issues with my windshield wiper nozzles never spraying anything except for the windshield frame. I would have to be driving above 65 to get any fluid on the dash. If you live or have been to CO and other wintery places, you know that in the winter, if you don't have any fluid on the windshield it is near impossible to drive. The plows dump so much sulfur on the road that it automatically sticks to the windshield and makes it impossible to see.

So I finally decided to find a workaround/ solution to this problem. I decided to rig up some cheap replacement nozzles from O'Reilly's:

Motor vehicle Font Gas Electric blue Rectangle


I knew the angle on these wouldn't spray the windshield any better than what I had before so i decided to combine them.

First, I sanded down the old nozzles to get the angle right. Then I used a hacksaw on the bottom portion of the nozzles where the hose connects the nozzles to make it flat.

Secondly, I drilled a hole right in the middle of the old nozzles to allow for the hose connection on the new nozzle to come through the old nozzle to combine them. There is a plastic nut that slides over the hose connection on the new nozzle and that holds the old and new nozzle together.

Thirdly, I used a grinder to cut down the nut to fit inside the stock nozzle retainer.

Here is the finished product:

Automotive tire Hood Motor vehicle Road surface Wood


I ran short of time as I had other projects but I plan on make these look like a once piece by filling the seam between the two nozzles with silicone, sanding flush and painting them to look like one piece.

I now can spray the fluid at a standstill and it sprays evenly across the windshield.
 
#26 ·
This post will catch me up on my build. I know a lot of the stuff that has been posted already is very menial but I had to get BB functional again before diving into the fun parts of the build. Everything I have done so far has served a very important purpose and I have been researching nonstop about the next phases on my build which I will get into in the next post.

Here is how BB looks today:

Wheel Automotive parking light Tire Car Automotive side marker light


The goal for BB is to look almost exactly like Dirtkar's jeep in the YJ section:

Wheel Automotive parking light Tire Vehicle Automotive side marker light


In my opinion, BB already looks drastically different with the work that has been done in the past 6 months to what she looked like when I first got her!

Now the fun begins!
 
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