FIRE!!! What year donor for a 99 classic

I'm too depressed to do any searching right now. I'm out of town and my wife was driving our 99 XJ. Short story, it started leaking gas under the hood and caught fire. Had to have the FD come and put it out. The reports I get are that everthing under the hood is gone. Smoke, water, & heat damage inside. Trans wont shift, emergency brake won't work.

What years would I look for in donor vehicles for the most relevant replacment parts?

Thanks for your help?

FNF

Craigs listhastaBuy a new to you one

My guess is, If it burned untill the FD showed up. Its a goner.

File with Insurance and Get another one!

nw-xj-scott said:

My guess is, If it burned untill the FD showed up. Its a goner.

File with Insurance and Get another one!

Click to expand...

Now that makes sense! I would be suspect of any components from the front end and that includes suspension items/tires/wheels/brakes.

I'd agree... sorry man. Your frame and most of the other sheetmetal is likely de-tempered and its strength will be significantly reduced, unless the paint is still on it (or not, but this is the easiest way to be sure.)

For the transmission to match you want a 98 or later. For the brackets and intake, a 99 or later. To avoid getting the 0331 head, you want a 99 or earlier. Wiring harness, 97-99 (00 and later have different O2 sensor stuff.) Most of the rest of the underhood stuff, 97 or later is all the same. Really the best donor year would be a 99.

It looks like the hood has discoloration over the area of the fuel rail. A friend said that the heat pretty much melted everything under the hood. The grill and headlight buckets did not get. The fan shrouds had some heat melting. The shock boots didn't melt.

From what I can find out, most of the fire was confined to the engine bay with heat affecting the dash and windshield plus a lot of smoke inside.

The good part, if there is one, is that I was just getting ready to do a bunch of upgrades including in my garage, a stroker, new suspension from the upper shock mounts down, new axles, steering, radiator, etc, etc, etc, so alot of what could be affected was scheduled to be pulled anyway. At least the grease in the engine bay has been burnt off. lol

Considering the reports I get as to the apparent modest temperature of the fire, I don't know if I would be concerned with metal temper.

Dr. Moab has a 2000 he is parting out with all of the under hood electricals and under dash electricals. Kastein has touched on a concern about the O2 sensor but if I changed out all of the electricals, would it know what year it was?

FNF

Well after first hand inspection, It is too far gone to repair. The entire engine compartment is a wasteland. It burned through all the fluid hoses and lines including A/C and steering. The entire dash is literally melted. Everything behind the dash face on passenger side is pooled on the floor mat. What ever the FD sprayed it with seems to have corroded most metal parts inside.

I picked up a battered 1999 limited for $1500. The good body parts from the old one will repair the new one.

Luckily I had not yet installed the new suspension, drive train, or the stroker I'm building.

Stay tuned for a build thread.

FNF no more:flame: