Howler_GT
05-27-2011, 08:28 PM
a.k.a. where has Howler been?
Well, Im not really MIA, as the email I received is asking.
I have just been VERY busy.
With what?
JEEPWORK. More specifically...XJ replacement.
We have TWO XJ's both DD status. My 94 Sport and Her 91 Laredo.
Last year, around this time, I checked in and let everyone know what I was doing with our XJ's
Since then:
Mine-
Started the boatside rocker panels
Installed an AA SYE on a newly refurbished NP231 TC w/ front DS.
NEW radiator
Hers-
Finally got the 2.5 BB in and installed white wagon wheels (no surprise there) and wrapped them with 30x9.5 Firestone Destination A/T's
SWEET
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/4410/24345773.jpg
And this is where it went DOWNHILL......FAST.
About 2 weeks (3 days before Thanksgiving) "Jeepster" decided it no longer liked 2 of its connecting rods about 15mi from home.
With only 196K on the odometer...the 4.0L was SHOT. As I later found out during the autopsy- #5 piston was cocked at a 45* angle in the cylinder and this basically shattered the water jacket.
Remember BOTH XJ's are DD status. I have an "open-air" garage...its COLD and the flooring is crushed stone.
Solution: REPLACEMENT. But with winter quickly approaching, "decent" XJ's at "decent" prices are far and few between. After almost a week of searching high and low, endless "Are you for real?"s and a ton of "What the heck are you smoking?"s , Maryann came thru with a tip.
TIP: 1991 Cherokee Laredo, 4.0L HO, AUTO, NP242 ,191,000 mi. Some rust. Needs radiator. $800. Seller is a friend of her boss, and it turns out I know him.
Needless to say, I drove the 50mi to check it out.
It was...lets just say- ROUGH. But the engine was strong and most of all...QUIET. Big plus: 2 week old state inspection.
Everything it needed, her DOA Laredo had.
Since then, heres a list of what has been done.
Keep in mind, very little extra $$$ has been spent as we have a COMPLETE parts vehicle. (*) will indicate a NEW part
4 NON-powered doors replaced with WHITE doors w/power windows..wired up.
Both front fenders
Hood, hinges, hood release cable, underhood light
Fully loaded header panel
Front bumper w/ pushbar & off road lights
Radiator/ elect. cooling fan
*Serp. belt
180* T-stat/ t-stat housing
*Battery
1 week old tune-up from DOA motor
Wheels/tires/ center caps
Exhaust manifold/*gasket/ *DS motor mount
Complete exhaust system
Intake manifold w/ "almost new" injectors
Wiper arms/ wiper motor/ linkage
*Valve cover gasket/ *new CCV and an *HCP fresh air tube oil separator.
Air cleaner and *filter.
2.5" BB (all 4 corners) w/*shocks
Master cylinder*
Brake booster
*Calipers/*rotors/*brake pads
Rear hatch with wiper
*Rear brake lines/*wheel cylinders/*brake shoes/*hardware
Transmission lines (both)
*PS rocker panel/*lwr quarter/*dogleg
Rear PS corner (had a nasty wrinkle and a hole from attempted fix)
Patch PS floor
Patch raer cargo area
Woodgrain dash bezel/ Sony Xplod CD player
Turn signal switch
Rear shock BPE using swaybar endlinks
6* anfle shims for slated HnT SYE
Redone headliner
*Heater control valve
All this and a ton of "little stuff" takes THIS:
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/2614/75267208.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7903/16377409.jpg
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5138/27685902.jpg
What we ended up with (NOT recent pics...these are about 3months old. I will upload newer ones when darkness is not a picture-taking obstacle)
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/8625/18434531.jpg
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/9396/30331481.jpg
Some NICE things I found:
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1482/63151694.jpg
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/1509/73994176.jpg
And the scariest of all:
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1206/53915523.jpg
NOTE: This XJ received a clean bill of health for PA State Inspection 2 weeks before I bought it. And this is the rear drum that was pulled, according to the inspection sticker. But the other side was in the same condition.
Its a labor of love.
LEAVE NO JEEP BEHIND
Well, Im not really MIA, as the email I received is asking.
I have just been VERY busy.
With what?
JEEPWORK. More specifically...XJ replacement.
We have TWO XJ's both DD status. My 94 Sport and Her 91 Laredo.
Last year, around this time, I checked in and let everyone know what I was doing with our XJ's
Since then:
Mine-
Started the boatside rocker panels
Installed an AA SYE on a newly refurbished NP231 TC w/ front DS.
NEW radiator
Hers-
Finally got the 2.5 BB in and installed white wagon wheels (no surprise there) and wrapped them with 30x9.5 Firestone Destination A/T's
SWEET
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/4410/24345773.jpg
And this is where it went DOWNHILL......FAST.
About 2 weeks (3 days before Thanksgiving) "Jeepster" decided it no longer liked 2 of its connecting rods about 15mi from home.
With only 196K on the odometer...the 4.0L was SHOT. As I later found out during the autopsy- #5 piston was cocked at a 45* angle in the cylinder and this basically shattered the water jacket.
Remember BOTH XJ's are DD status. I have an "open-air" garage...its COLD and the flooring is crushed stone.
Solution: REPLACEMENT. But with winter quickly approaching, "decent" XJ's at "decent" prices are far and few between. After almost a week of searching high and low, endless "Are you for real?"s and a ton of "What the heck are you smoking?"s , Maryann came thru with a tip.
TIP: 1991 Cherokee Laredo, 4.0L HO, AUTO, NP242 ,191,000 mi. Some rust. Needs radiator. $800. Seller is a friend of her boss, and it turns out I know him.
Needless to say, I drove the 50mi to check it out.
It was...lets just say- ROUGH. But the engine was strong and most of all...QUIET. Big plus: 2 week old state inspection.
Everything it needed, her DOA Laredo had.
Since then, heres a list of what has been done.
Keep in mind, very little extra $$$ has been spent as we have a COMPLETE parts vehicle. (*) will indicate a NEW part
4 NON-powered doors replaced with WHITE doors w/power windows..wired up.
Both front fenders
Hood, hinges, hood release cable, underhood light
Fully loaded header panel
Front bumper w/ pushbar & off road lights
Radiator/ elect. cooling fan
*Serp. belt
180* T-stat/ t-stat housing
*Battery
1 week old tune-up from DOA motor
Wheels/tires/ center caps
Exhaust manifold/*gasket/ *DS motor mount
Complete exhaust system
Intake manifold w/ "almost new" injectors
Wiper arms/ wiper motor/ linkage
*Valve cover gasket/ *new CCV and an *HCP fresh air tube oil separator.
Air cleaner and *filter.
2.5" BB (all 4 corners) w/*shocks
Master cylinder*
Brake booster
*Calipers/*rotors/*brake pads
Rear hatch with wiper
*Rear brake lines/*wheel cylinders/*brake shoes/*hardware
Transmission lines (both)
*PS rocker panel/*lwr quarter/*dogleg
Rear PS corner (had a nasty wrinkle and a hole from attempted fix)
Patch PS floor
Patch raer cargo area
Woodgrain dash bezel/ Sony Xplod CD player
Turn signal switch
Rear shock BPE using swaybar endlinks
6* anfle shims for slated HnT SYE
Redone headliner
*Heater control valve
All this and a ton of "little stuff" takes THIS:
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/2614/75267208.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7903/16377409.jpg
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5138/27685902.jpg
What we ended up with (NOT recent pics...these are about 3months old. I will upload newer ones when darkness is not a picture-taking obstacle)
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/8625/18434531.jpg
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/9396/30331481.jpg
Some NICE things I found:
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1482/63151694.jpg
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/1509/73994176.jpg
And the scariest of all:
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1206/53915523.jpg
NOTE: This XJ received a clean bill of health for PA State Inspection 2 weeks before I bought it. And this is the rear drum that was pulled, according to the inspection sticker. But the other side was in the same condition.
Its a labor of love.
LEAVE NO JEEP BEHIND