A few questions about XJ interior options...

I have a 98+ sport, for xmas, gf bought me a all black interior out of a 01. It's nice, wood insets in the door, leather powered/heated seats, everything. I didn't get the wood bezel, someone I guess already jacked it. But this had led me to ask a few questions...

1. Was there more than one wood color for XJs? Mine is pretty dark, didn't know if they made a lighter wood.

2. They never had wood grain steering wheels for XJ's?

3. Would an Overland steering wheel (doubtful I could find it) work in a 98 XJ?

4. Is the overland wood different color than the XJ?

5. Do the wood inserts (piece they are attached to) come off the doors? I ask because the door panels in the front are cracked from the previous wreck.

I'm on a huge bender to fix up my car, make it as nice as possible, and fix everything that has ever been wrong with it, so I'm headed back to the JY tomorrow. Thanks guys.

It sounds like you got the interior out of a Limited. The heated leather seats aren't terribly common; hopefully you got the switches with them as well (and don't mind losing the front ashtray to them). More:

VestaviaPirate said:

1. Was there more than one wood color for XJs? Mine is pretty dark, didn't know if they made a lighter wood.

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Nope. There was only one type.

2. They never had wood grain steering wheels for XJ's?

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Leather only.

3. Would an Overland steering wheel (doubtful I could find it) work in a 98 XJ?

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No idea.

4. Is the overland wood different color than the XJ?

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No idea, but my recollection is that only the WJs got the Overland package - and even then, only after the XJ was out of production. Door panels, etc. aren't swappable between WJs and XJs.

5. Do the wood inserts (piece they are attached to) come off the doors? I ask because the door panels in the front are cracked from the previous wreck.

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Sort of. I can't remember if they use snap studs or if they're glued in place (been a while since I had to look at the back of my door panels), but they're not really designed to be taken off.

casm said:

It sounds like you got the interior out of a Limited. The heated leather seats aren't terribly common; hopefully you got the switches with them as well (and don't mind losing the front ashtray to them).

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I did get the switches, my interior before was the gray, so almost everything is new now, including center console, as the new interior is all black

casm said:

No idea, but my recollection is that only the WJs got the Overland package. Door panels, etc. aren't swappable between WJs and XJs.

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I guess it would help to explain what I want, I want a wood trim steering wheel, didn't think XJs ever had them, so I was gonna take one from an Overland or some type of WJ. I also need the wood center bezel, but I've never seen one, so assume they are rare and the first thing to go.

casm said:

Sort of. I can't remember if they use snap studs or if they're glued in place (been a while since I had to look at the back of my door panels), but they're not really designed to be taken off.

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I don't think they are snap studs in (assuming that's the name for how the door panels connect to the door), so I guess they're glued. I've heard/read how people have swapped them out, but don't know much about it.

Grant makes some woodgrain packages for airbag wheels

http://64.60.165.189/c-60-Air-Bag-Solutions.aspx

ehall said:

Grant makes some woodgrain packages for airbag wheels

http://64.60.165.189/c-60-Air-Bag-Solutions.aspx

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looks good, I'd rather have it stock, and hopefully match my existing wood grain

VestaviaPirate said:

I did get the switches, my interior before was the gray, so almost everything is new now, including center console, as the new interior is all black

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Cool, and be sure to grab the wiring harness for the seat heaters as well. They were only an option in 2000 and 2001, and not all Limiteds got them. Your '98 definitely won't have them.

I guess it would help to explain what I want, I want a wood trim steering wheel, didn't think XJs ever had them, so I was gonna take one from an Overland or some type of WJ.

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I want to say that some years of the Limited-spec XJ in the UK got them. That's a really hazy memory on my behalf, though, and even if it is correct, good luck tracking one down. As for swapping out an Overland steering wheel, someone else can pipe up on that one - it's not something I've ever had to think about let alone try.

I also need the wood center bezel, but I've never seen one, so assume they are rare and the first thing to go.

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I'm kinda surprised by that. The only reason I can think of for it going is that it's the easiest to remove; door panels require substantially more effort and nothing else has the fake wood on it.

I don't think they are snap studs in (assuming that's the name for how the door panels connect to the door), so I guess they're glued. I've heard/read how people have swapped them out, but don't know much about it.

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I'd say just swap the full door panel if that's on the cards. The wood may be cracked, but one big advantage to the Limited door panels: map pockets. I can't believe Chrysler didn't put those on the other models in the range, or at least offer them.

casm said:

Cool, and be sure to grab the wiring harness for the seat heaters as well. They were only an option in 2000 and 2001, and not all Limiteds got them. Your '98 definitely won't have them.

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Yep, got that too, spent a ton of time researching. Although the seats only work sometimes, always throw me that "open circuit" code, easy fix now that I have a soldering gun.

casm said:

I want to say that some years of the Limited-spec XJ in the UK got them. That's a really hazy memory on my behalf, though, and even if it is correct, good luck tracking one down. As for swapping out an Overland steering wheel, someone else can pipe up on that one - it's not something I've ever had to think about let alone try.

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That would be sweet!

casm said:

I'm kinda surprised by that. The only reason I can think of for it going is that it's the easiest to remove; door panels require substantially more effort and nothing else has the fake wood on it.

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That's what I thought, I take mine out all the time, working on my radio, switches, ect.

casm said:

I'd say just swap the full door panel if that's on the cards. The wood may be cracked, but one big advantage to the Limited door panels: map pockets. I can't believe Chrysler didn't put those on the other models in the range, or at least offer them.

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the front door panels from the 01 are cracked/broken. The driver's doesn't look that bad, esp. if I glue it back, but the passenger's is missing a piece, about the size of egg or so. it bothers me, and my gf (my main passenger). thought that maybe if I grab some other plain black door panel (easy to find compared to ones with wood) and switch the insets out.

going to the JY tomorrow to see, hope this works.

Can anyone comment on the wood matching from an Overland, or if the Overlands even came with black interiors?

OR, if UK/European XJ's had wood grain steering wheels?

EDIT: they did have a black interior Overland... but I don't think the wood would match the wood from a 01 XJ

VestaviaPirate said:

Can anyone comment on the wood matching from an Overland, or if the Overlands even came with black interiors?

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Take a look at this:



It doesn't appear to be very close. The 'wood' fillets also aren't moulded to match the spots they fit into on the XJ. Not sure if those could be reshaped to fit, but it sounds like you're going to be better off transplanting everything from your broken XJ door panels to a different set of XJ panels.

casm said:

Take a look at this:

It doesn't appear to be very close. The 'wood' fillets also aren't moulded to match the spots they fit into on the XJ. Not sure if those could be reshaped to fit, but it sounds like you're going to be better off transplanting everything from your broken XJ door panels to a different set of XJ panels.

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that kind of answers my question. my only intent is to take an Overland's steering wheel, and hope it matches the wood from an XJ. The doors I currently have, I'm not going to take wood from an Overland, just try to find plain black XJ doors, and switch out the padded inserts that all doors come with, that mine have wood on, since the doors the wood inserts are on are cracked from a wreck.

but if you think the wood from an Overland doesn't match to that of the XJ, then I guess I can't snag a steering wheel, and it'll look good in an XJ Limited/wood

VestaviaPirate said:

that kind of answers my question. my only intent is to take an Overland's steering wheel, and hope it matches the wood from an XJ.

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Ah, OK. I'm with you now. Still have no clue if a WJ wheel will swap to an XJ column or not, though. If I had to take a random guess at it, I'd say that the wheel from a 6-cylinder would be more likely to swap since there very well may have been a difference in columns between the late XJ and the 6- and 8-cylinder WJs - but as the Overland was only available with a V8, it may kill that idea.

Again, though, that's speculation on my behalf. I just don't know enough about how the WJs are set up in that regard to make a reasonable call on it.

but if you think the wood from an Overland doesn't match to that of the XJ, then I guess I can't snag a steering wheel, and it'll look good in an XJ Limited/wood

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To be honest, I can't tell for certain on that one either. They don't look the same to me, but that's comparing pixels to my centre bezel. My best recommendation would be to pull the wheel then compare it against what you've got now, but I can understand not wanting to risk being saddled with a wheel you then have to try to resell (assuming the yard you're getting it from won't let you do a return).

casm said:

Ah, OK. I'm with you now. Still have no clue if a WJ wheel will swap to an XJ column or not, though. If I had to take a random guess at it, I'd say that the wheel from a 6-cylinder would be more likely to swap since there very well may have been a difference in columns between the late XJ and the 6- and 8-cylinder WJs - but as the Overland was only available with a V8, it may kill that idea.

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I didn't even think of that, I bet the steering and all that comes with a V8 would be bulkier, more heavy duty. Although, my brother (drives a WJ) said it should work, and he knows a lot about Grands. So, maybe...

Has anyone done this???

casm said:

To be honest, I can't tell for certain on that one either. They don't look the same to me, but that's comparing pixels to my centre bezel. My best recommendation would be to pull the wheel then compare it against what you've got now, but I can understand not wanting to risk being saddled with a wheel you then have to try to resell (assuming the yard you're getting it from won't let you do a return).

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I think they would be willing to take it back, if not, they go for $$$ online. Saw one for 600.00. Not expecting to get that, but you get the idea. The real problem is to find one, they're very rare, and usually first to go on Overlands. I think it's pretty close, I've looked at pictures side by side, the WJ wood is more red and lighter than XJ wood I think, our wood is pretty dark I think.

Again, does anyone know the specifics, esp like the name of the different woods? They gotta have names.