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New Project:

13K views 66 replies 21 participants last post by  Sir Sam 
#1 ·
New Project for me!

2001 WJ, 138k, 4L NP242.

Besides the obvious damage it looks like the front axle housing is bent, so I'm going to grab one tomorrow morning for it, hopefully I can find a complete axle assembly so I can throw the brakes onto my XJ.

It came with one transponder key that has not been programmed into the SKIM, so I will probably pick up another from Jeep, have it cut via the VIN, and get the 4 digit PIN then find a mobile locksmith who can program both at the same time. I found a guy who had a DRBIII for sale at $500 and I was ready to buy it just for this use(and future use for keys and remotes) when I found out he sold both of them that he had. It was a heckuva deal, so I shouldn't be surprised that they were gone. Found another guy with one for $1800, but I just don't think I can make my money back quick enough to warrant purchasing it.

I managed to start it up enough times at 3 secs each to pull it out into the street and turn it around, still kinda hard to do though.

When I got it the shift cable had popped off down at the tranny so it wouldn't turn over, I suspect thats why the sentry key never got programmed, they figured there was no reason to program it if the Jeep was going to start, too bad it would have saved me a bunch of hassle.

The Front seats have some cig burns, I might throw some new cloth covers on it or throw some leather on it to spiffy it up, I haven't decided yet.

Someone installed an electric fan on it, when I popped a new battery in it this morning something started shorting out and I let the smoke out of some of the controller wiring. If I could find a new mechanical fan to throw on I would, but I don't recall there being any 4Ls at the yards right now, is the fan/clutch the same between the 4L and the 4.7?


Anyone know if I can use a header panel from a 2004 without much issues? I understand that most people are talking about putting a 2004 setup on a 2003- setup for the grill, but I just need a good header panel and may be able to get my hands on a 2004 header.



Pics:









Unfortunatly it looks like some body work was done a long time ago that while being a GREAT spray and bodywork, was never sealed correctly and rusted from the inside, I guess I get to be the guy to strip it off and fix it, I'll probably just pickup a new rear door to call that one good.








Dumbass wasn't wearing their seatbelt when it happened and hit the steering wheel and bent it. Ya the airbag may save your life, but if you hit the steering wheel hard enough with your chest to bend it your probably gonna wish you had your seatbelt on. Dumbass. I guess now I HAVE to put that Overland Steering wheel on.


It was also a smokers car so there are cig burns on the seats as well a smell to it. I swear smokers cars are always so revolting, I have to get the smell out of the thing to sell it. Between Homicide, Suicide and Smokers cars I tell ya the smoke is the nastiest, its much easier to get out other smells than smoke smells.





Someone stole the faceplate off of it between when I saw it and when I got it delivered to me this morning, *******s, I might see if I can get a new one, or I might just throw in a 6 disk changer I have here from a KJ and call it good, depends on if they hacked the wiring behind the radio or not.


More to come tomorrow after a junkyard run.
 
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#2 ·
Just Empty Every Pocket !!!!


What are your ultimate plans with this WJ?
 
#6 ·
Grabbed a unbent steering wheel today, and a silver passenger rear door. The same jeep had a perfect rear hatch on tuesday but it was gone today.

From another yard off of a 02 overland I grabbed the front bumper bar I need.

Looks like I'm going back soon to grab a rear hatch and a front axle, so plenty more work to be done.
 
#9 ·
Went down to get a rear hatch for my WJ, lucked out that it was still there and managed to grab it, it was cheaper without the glass so I removed the rear glass.

Ending up being a pita to carry out by myself so I stuck my head through the window hole and rested it on my neck like I was some sort of beast of burden, walked right up into the office and paid without ever taking it off. $45 later I scored a undented correct color hatch to replace the one on my WJ.

Then we headed back over to the other yard that had a WJ dana 30 that I needed, started pulling that and freerider hurriedly came back over telling me, "We're pulling another axle!"

Turns out he found an XJ 87 with a Dana 44, so I moved our tools over there real quick and 25 mins later we had a Dana 44 pulled.

Went back over and worked on the WJ, racing against the clock of the anouncments of 45 mins till close, then 40, then 35, then 30.

Got everything loaded on the cart and out the door. $290 for 2 axles.

Hopefully I cant find a core to bring back and I'll bring back the bent WJ D30 and get $60 back in cores.

I'll take the brakes and high steer off of the old WJ Dana 30 and throw those on my XJ......BIG BRAKES for my XJ woot!(and highsteer but I don't care about that).

So I got my front axle for the WJ(that might have 3.73s and I need 3.55), got a XJ Dana 44 to sell to recoup the purchase price of the WJ D30, and I got a matching color silver door.

It was a good day.
 
#15 ·
looks awesome, I wish I had the know how to do that stuff, its an amazing tallent and it takes some serious skill... its looking amazing, ill be checking back for updates!
 
#17 ·
Looks like they ran off the road and landed in a ditch and fence. They landed hard enough to bend the front axle housing(but you can look wrong at a D30 and they will bend).

Got the old axle out today and will start work on getting the donor ready to go.

I took some pictures of a JK Dana 44 front from a rubicon next to the WJ D30. The JK D44 front would make a good upgrade for the WJ with relatively minor work, and it shares on the 5x5 bolt pattern. The JK D44 front is a little more work to swap into an XJ/TJ/ZJ.
 
#18 ·
Well I spent yesterday fighting the stupid thing because the tube was so badly bent I couldn't remove the carrier because the passenger side axle shaft wouldn't come out, endup up pulling the CV apart trying to get it out(which I might use to rebuild the drivers side CV now.

Since the rollpin to remove the cross shaft can't be removed unless the carrier is removed I couldn't get a steel rod in from the other side to tape the axle shaft out, so I ended up welding a bar onto the end of the inner axle shaft and trying to get it out that way. That didn't work and it ended up ripping the bar at the end of the HAZ.

So in desperation I cut it. Well that took much less time than I thought, I was thinking I was going to be spending an hour cutting through that tube, but the cutoff wheel sliced through it like butter!

Took about 3 minutes total to cut through it, then the axle shaft pulled right out. I had been thinking of cutting through the tube as a last resort, because I figured it would take much longer than it did, but man, I should have done that sooner! Lessen learned I suppose:





This is what I had tried to do by putting a bar on and welding it:


Also I have decided that I HATE CV's.
 
#20 ·
New member here. Really digging the amount of work you're putting into this project (I love projects filled with tons of pics, it shows that you take pride in what you do) If I may ask, how much do you have invested and how much are you planning to make on it? I just purchased my first Jeep yesterday (2001 WJ also), so I'm just kinda curious.
 
#22 ·
New member here. Really digging the amount of work you're putting into this project (I love projects filled with tons of pics, it shows that you take pride in what you do) If I may ask, how much do you have invested and how much are you planning to make on it? I just purchased my first Jeep yesterday (2001 WJ also), so I'm just kinda curious.
Right now I stand at about $3000, purchase price was $2k, plus about $500 in fees and taxes to get it home($75 for a tow, buyer fee, state sales tax, etc etc).

I was originally hoping for $3200 to 3300 to repair it, but between paint, a windshield, radio, and the key programming, I'm going to hit 3500.

In my region 4200-4300 would be on the very low end, similar vehicles to mine are in the asking price of 5-6. I think $4500 would be a fair price for it. I know my XJ pricing better than WJ, but I think I priced my last three XJ's well, my last XJ sold for $3600 in three days(asking 4k), the one before that sold in 11 hours(from 3k to 2600), and before that in 6 days from asking 4200 to 3700). Final asking price will be determined by condition when I'm done with it, and what I feel the market will support at the time.

To determine price generally I look at what all comparable vehicles within a 1 to 2 year range(so 2000 to 2002 or 1999 to 2003) with similar mileage and options, I plot this data and then use a linear regression to find a general trendline, and run that for my mileage and options. I think it works well and I usually underprice my vehicle from what that shows so that it sells quick. Being just a little bit cheaper than the other guys works wonders.

My favorite thing is the set of WJ gauges on the counter behind your beer. Hahaha
Actually those are a set of KJ gauges for another project - I am installing a 2.5 CRD motor from an 2002-2004 KJ 2.5 w/manual trans into an 88 MJ with a 2001 XJ interior. Since the XJ uses the CCD bus(like the ZJ and many older Chrysler vehicles from the 90s) the gauge cluster will not work with the PCI bus(like the WJ, 2002+ TJ, KJ, WK etc etc use). I originally planned(and still will give it a try) to use 2002 TJ PCI gauges, these are dimensionally indenticle the XJ gauges, but use the PCI bus. I found a 2002 KJ at a yard and decided that it would be a good idea to grab those gauges since I know they are compatible to the Bosche EDC15 PCI bus I can at least adapt them somehow if the TJ PCI cluster is partially or wholly incompatible with the KJ PCI bus. Generally those things are fine, but it only takes one gauge being funky to make the whole cluster unusable.
 
#23 ·
I spent more time than I should have fighting the old windshield to get it cut out, and after much glass and much cleanup I got it cutout and got to the jacking:









So its mostly jacked back into place, going to do a little more, then I'm going to think about going and getting a new windshield to size up and make sure my jacking is good, then when thats all good go ahead and glue it in.
 
#28 ·
Both headlights were busted when the vehicle came to me.

I have had that drivers side headlight sitting in my garage forever(like 5 years now), so it has a pretty nasty layer of dust and paint overspray from all the vehicles I have painted in that time(maybe 6 or so). The headlight would clean up and look perfect with a little bit of sanding with 2000 grit sandpaper and some polish. I've buffed plastics before and you can get some pretty amazing results.

So I was going to buff and clean up that one, but I goofed and bought a new drivers side(for a limited) that had the black inside, not the chrome inside, so now I have mismatched headlights. So I will just spend another $63 and get a correct matching new drivers side headlight.


Wow dude...you're serious! Amazing work (and patience!)

If you need a WJ 3rd brake light, or a Diff cover for an XJ 8.25, I'm your man...

Good luck!!!!
Thanks. And no, I don't think I really need either of those.
 
#27 ·
Wow dude...you're serious! Amazing work (and patience!)

If you need a WJ 3rd brake light, or a Diff cover for an XJ 8.25, I'm your man...

Good luck!!!!
 
#29 ·
@#!$!@#$

So the key got programmed yesterday, this morning I went to move it around and the vehicle wouldn't stay running, shut off after 3 seconds just like it were an unprogrammed key.

Called up the locksmith, he came back by and cut a new transponder key, programmed it and it worked just fine, tested the old key out and it worked just fine too.

So I got no idea, I just hope it's fixed. If not this is going to be a painful learning experience.

To top it off I'm starting to get sick so I might loose the next few days to illness, yarg!
 
#32 ·
Does this thing have a clear title or a salvage title? When you mentioned the previous Jeeps that you have sold, were they in need of as much repair as this current one? To each his own, but this seems like an awful lot of work to try and sell for a profit when you already have $3500 invested in it. With things like CARFAX, readily available, people shy away from wrecked vehicles like the plague. Why buy a repaired vehicle for $4k, or $5K, when there are plenty of unwrecked ones for the same price? I'll give you props for your repair skills, but it just seems like a waste of time to me.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Clean title.

You think this is a lot of repair work? Man I should dig up some photos of some of the others I've done.

Ya its hard work and the profit margins are getting slimmer and slimmer these day. Anyone want to hire an entry level Mechanical Engineer with specialization in IC engines and diesel engine calibration?

Old off:


New donor ready to have unused guts removed:


Old off of vehicle, needing to be cleaned up a bit with the grinder:


You need to grind down the nubs from spot weld cutting:


I then use a weld through primer to coat both mating surfaces:





Clamp it in place:


A spot welder works wonders for stuff like this:



Then some small tacks where you can't get the spot welder in(if you do this right you will have no swiss cheese where you can get the spot welder too, and will have plug holes to use to weld onto the existing metal, just takes a little bit of planning)


And then you testfit everything together and wow, look at that, it lines up nicely!


Then I hit the area with a little bit of primer to seal it up good(after cleaning the heat affect areas well and with a self etching primer):



and then a bit of rattle can matching paint:



Then you keep putting back together:



If you do it right all your gaps will come out really nice:


And then shoot some paint(hopefully in a less dusty environment than I have):



And then keep putting it back together:


So from this:



And then clean it up and take pictures for sale:




@TheGeek:

@Sir Sam:

1) Congratulations on the work so far, it's really coming together. Good luck!
Hopefully I can actually make some more progress soon, I've been out sick for the past week and I've lost a lot of time because of that, need to start busting my butt. Once I get the roof cosmetic work done I can start assembly and then spray new paint. Really, it ought to go together quickly once I get through the bear of the aesthetics.(for anyone who has ever done body you can appreciate how much prep time goes into making a repair like that glass smooth)
 
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