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Back to Basics: Building on a Budget

52K views 439 replies 36 participants last post by  daddyjeep 
#1 ·
1-15-11​

Ok so I traded a running truck for a non running 89 Jeep.
(read my profile for the story)

Some tweaker got ahold of the YJ that had a knocking motor.

THE BAD:

He tore the motor down, pulled the trans/tcase, pulled all the seats, raditor gone, rims and tires gone, the softtop shredded, Hood is creased from windshield impact at highway speed, and he pulled the rollbar out to take out the carpet.

THE GOOD:

NO RUST!!!!!!
The guy kept all the parts( except for the radiator and rear dshaft)
the body is good with all parts and plastics.(save the hood needs replaced) the wiring harness is all there.

THE PLAN:

I have a 95 XJ with a 4.0 and auto trans, its unibody is structrally shot,one or fifteen Maryland winters to many. Its served its useful life well, and will now give up its organs for a good cause.

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#2 ·
Seems like a fun but difficult project... Just make sure you have fun doing it and then playing with I after it's done:)

One question: how do you plan on putting the Cherokees organs in the YJ?
Isn't the transmission different which means your going to need different size drive shafts too. And are you going to keep the YJ harness or use the XJs?
 
#3 ·
Remember the BudgetBuiltRig series that ran in petersons offroad or maybe JP mag?
It's going to be something like that.............

As I look through this site and others, there are frame offs and giant builds that are posted, but very few of these seem to be done by the shadetree type. I recoginize these projects are out there, however, nobody keeps track very well. I intend to fix that.

Sure, some guys wrench in the residential garage and do incredible things. I've been that guy. Then there are the guys that have or have access to the garage/shop that wet dreams are made of, the rest of us just want to stand next to a guy that cool. I've been that guy as well (yes, been, damn Socialist in the Office) .

Let's face it, times are tight, real tight, not only for me but others as well. So what about those of us that don't have either? What about the ones that have very little expendable income? The high school kid that flips burgers so they can save up for there first car, because Mom and Dad can't put them in a brand new jacked up 4door oil burner? The individual that has to buy pampers and formula and pampers and babyfood and pampers and clothes and pampers and all of lifes other expenses and pampers? These folks still read the mags and surf the sites, and they can have there cake and eat it too.

I am getting married in April so all funds go there first. Meaning there isnt a budget for the build, except for what I can trade or swap. Granted I have had a few years to accumulate items.... Sorry, sometimes you got to ante up before you call'em. It's not really cheating to stack the deck in your favor if you are the one playing against yourself. HOWEVER, I will not use any outlandish, highdollar, unattainable items. As far as tools, I will only use basic wrench sets and hand tools. Any other tools I will find a source to borrow or rent (for beer) from.

As for a shop............NONE.


Thats right, In the yard right where they sit.

I don't mean to come across as a jerk, My intention is to inspire those mentioned above. Those of us who have it abit easier know how rewarding just the smallest bit of wrenching can feel.
 
#4 ·
THE COST RUN DOWN:

95 Cherokee 4x4- 36 hours labor and <-$200.00>
Labor: I removed a bathtub and installed a showerpan, patched the walls, and painted the bathroom. The $200.00 was spent on the Cherokee to make sure it could make the drive of 1100 miles from Maryland to Georgia(oilchange, radiator flush, tire rotation. Oh, and Brake pads because, Before you roll make DAMN SURE you can STOP!!!)

89 Wrangler- $0.00
traded 84 F-150 title for title for it.

84 F-150- <-$250.00>
$1250.00 Original purchase price of truck
$1000.00 Sold 35"MTR's on Eagle II rims on truck (had bald 32's on steelies in
=$250.00 bed of truck when bought)



Subtotal as of 1-15-11 <-$450.00>




 
#5 ·
:banghead: Always hit post before you change sites...... Here I go again, on my own, looking down , uh I think I just dated myself....


To the Admins- Sorry I am still trying to catch the hang of the forum layout, not trying to junk up the site. Bear with me.
 
#6 ·
1-22-11 score!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Craigslist can be a pain in the..............

However, For all those, uh, bad business fellas out there, you will find an outstanding person every once in awhile........

That said.........

The following parts came from either a 92 or 88 YJ

Hood $50.00
21 gal tank $30.00
Headlight bezels and grill signal lights $FREE.99
Rear Bumperettes $10.00



98 Tj seats(both fronts and the rear) $150.00

So add it up and it is-------> $240.00


If anyone ever sees a black full on bedlinered 88 YJ riding down the road throw him the FULL jeep salute.:punk: Mark is awesome!:cool: Thanks for hooking a guy up!!!!!!!!:D



$450.00
$240.00
Total out of pocket $690.00
 
#7 ·
Knocking the cost back down.

So, I sold a 3" XJ lift for
$125.00
And, some window panes from a job I did for a church
they didnt want to get a dumpster so I had to get rid of
them myself.....I hate to throw away decent stuff.......
its the Jeeper/junker in me.:rolleyes:
$140.00



Back in the pocket.Shweet!!! $265.00






$690.00
$265.00
Total invested as of 1-22-11 $425.00
 
#9 ·
Geared up for next weekend!!!

So, It's now Sunday night. It really sucks that working for a living gets in the way of a project. Didn't get much done on the Heap today. However, I've been talking to my buddy from MD. You know the first guy you call when you find an awesome deal on a jeep project:punk:, or sell one of your jeep projects:(, or have a kid:rolleyes:. It's been awhile since he has come down, I start getting this project together, and loandbehold...He will be coming down on weds....

It ought to be a really productive weekend.


Let me mention this.....I met this guy when I was stuck at the bottom of a hill on a mudtrail in a 2wd ranger(dont ask). The guy I was with was like "I'll call Turner.". He will come drag us out. That was 12 or more years ago....he's pulled me out of a pinch more times then I can count....and I dont believe I've ever had to bail him out.

Could be my driving style??????????????:doh:
 
#12 ·
1-27-11

So the Wingman showed up lastnight after a 13.5hr drive........Today I had to work and when I got home, He had recuperated enough to ride around.......and get started.

I borrowed a engine hoist froma nieghbor, the charge either a heater blower resistor pack out of the Cherokee or a 30pack of Nattylight....Cheap enough

Bought a socket set for $60.00........couldn't find any of my 3/8 rachets so I bought another set. When I get back home and find 2 within 5 mins.

Got a fire barrel set up, and some lighting rigged up.

AND THEN>>>>>>>>

We pulled the block out of the Wrangler....5 mins....done...really.

Then proceeded to dismantle the front clip of the Cherokee and get rid of some of the hinderances that will not be reused.

About an hours worth of work and set up for a running start tomorrow.
 

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#15 ·
One hell of a Friday night

Friday: I had to work so we didnt get started till 4 and stopped at 1030, but in those six and a half hours..........oh yeah.

Laid a little OSBdown so we were not rolling, laying, kneeling, and losing nuts and bolts inthe gravel.

We pulled the complete harness free from the cherokee frame and pulled the entire drivetrain.....:thumb:

Stabbed the entire combo in the Wrangler........:D

Problemo numero uno: Transmission out of Cherokee is 3" longer then the Trans in Wrangler. (This is the one reason I dont plan on a lift, short driveshaft. I know I could SYE and a CV driveshaft.....BUT remember BUDGET rig. oh yeah its an Auto if I haven't mentioned that before.):banghead:

A little uh CREATIVE modifaction to the skid plate to mount the trans.:dance:


Pic One. The Workshop, Be jealous...............
Pic Two. The last time the Cherokee ran under its own power.........probably ever.
Pic Three. Isnt she a beauty?
 

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#16 ·
This is the one reason I dont plan on a lift, short driveshaft. I know I could SYE and a CV driveshaft.....BUT remember BUDGET rig. oh yeah its an Auto if I haven't mentioned that before.

A little uh CREATIVE modifaction to the skid plate to mount the trans.:dance:
.
Hey. You can still have big tires on there with out lifting it...you just have be ohh how do you say it......CREATIVE. ;)
 
#17 ·
This guy is pretty dang creative...haha I bet he could run 35s if he wanted to
 
#18 ·
Saturday.....

Wire harness......FMR

Na, It really wasnt that bad.

Took a little engine new a tee, but we got the cherokee harness under the hood. The fuse block was removed from the wrangler and cherokee was installed in the hole. The only wiring that I am saving goes to running lights and AMC was kind enough to put all that on one side of the fuse block. AWESOME!!!:cool:

Used the stock fuel tank pickup lines and the hardlines that run down the framerail.....Happened to have a 125psi fuel pump from a CJ project mounted it on the drivers fender where I can reach it easy if there is any issue in the future....PPPPR=Prior Planing Prevents Piss Poor Results.

Snagged the entire interior wire harness out of the Cherokee, this meant TOTAL unstallation of the Cherokee dash and more. well worth it though.

Used the keyed ignition switch out of the cherokee to start, yes start, the motor...:punk:


Gotta get a radiator for a Wrangler and the driveshafts modified/welded this week...and figure out a cooling fan somehow....the cherokee fan is offset and small with a small electric fan...not sure if I will go full electric or use the HE fan I have from a Grand Cherokee.

And Vaccum lines(sp?), I will not surrender. ALL, every last one was so brittle the just crumbled...:facepalm:

pic One: Wire harness.
pic Two: Fuel pump.
pic Three: Removed the stock wiper fluid res to install engine computer. I will relocate the wiper fluid res....somewhere??????
pic Four: Meticulously pulling interior harness.
 

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#19 ·
Sunday Funday

Today we snagged the floor shifter out of the Cherokee and mounted it in the Wrangler floor. Tried to reuse the Cherokee console but I decided it was to much hassle and looked like T TOTAL SH#@!!! I think I am going to be just fine with the exposed cables and such kinda gives it a tough rugged look. We then spent the rest of the daylight putting up tools and accounting for all sockets/wrenchs. Picked up all the spare parts and piled the in the Hobo Heep <New name as assigned by my daughter today. (Hey if the shoe fits right?):rofl:

Working out the rattlecan paint job.....You all will enjoy this........:dance:



Picture: Turner being from MD where the hardest/heaviest snow of the winter hit last week came to GA where it has been mid 60s low 70s. So we sprayed a little "snow"(fixaflat) on the GA red clay.
 

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#20 ·
YJkid95 and Osagejeep... big tires for another project. this one is goingto be the runaround.


Picture:'84 CJ7 The last time she was on Her feet she had a 5.0 under the hood with 38s with 6" of lift. Notice the '76 J10 in the background? Yeah 360/Turbo400 w/dana44 front and dana60? rear(it might be dana44, havent researched it yet)

As yall can tell im all about organ donors:cool:
 

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#23 ·
Thanks krzyg67, all I could find was the front axle harness. Looking for the motor vacuum lines.

General question: As long as I have all lines hooked up, even if it is in series, everything should work correctly? Or is there different pressureson different items?
 
#24 ·
I got the shaft!

Ok, took the Cherokee rear shaft to my future brotherinlaw, he has a miter bandsaw and we cut the driveshaft down. I then made a stop at my buddy Scooby's house where we welded it up. 17 1/2" overall length, 14 7/8" from static slipyoke to rear of I.D. bearing cup, only 7 inches of tube. I just thought a stock Wrangler shaft was short.....




Picture: shaft before it was welded up
 

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#25 ·
Project Update

Made a few purchases today..............

New ujoint for rear driveshaft. I dont trust the one there, even less with the heat that was generated during welding of the shaft.

<$15.00>

New Radiator......sure I coulda gone to a junkyard....but would I felt good trusting it...no... sometimes a warranty is worth a few bucks.

<$150.00>
Misc odds and ends- rubber vacuum boots, butt connectors, heat shrink tubing,anti seize, ect.........
<$25.00>

Just because this is a budget build doesn't mean that duct tape will work for everything.....:hide:.......even McGyver had other ingredients.






 
#26 ·
Driveshaft weld

I forgot to mention........the other night when Scooby and I welded the DS, it was raining. That being the case we worked in his basement....Set off the FireAlarm 3 times:banghead:.....His WTB may never allow me to come over again.:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
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