Sell or Keep? 96' 2dr w/ rust

[blackandblue]

Hey y'all,

I've been struggling with the decision to keep or sell my XJ. I bought it two years ago, blissfully unaware to how much rust it had (previous owners did a good job hiding it with undercoating).

Since then, I have been dumping money into it. It has received a new axle out of a 99', frame repair, floor pan replacement, and a bunch of lift components, among lots of other things.

I posted it for sale and want to be honest with buyers about rust and what its been through. I've been looking for rust-free replacements, but there aren't many clean ones left. I'm pretty sure I could get in the $4k range for it as it sits. 127k original miles, 4.0 aw4. Its somewhat a unique jeep.

What would you do? Worth keeping, or just try to start over? I love it and have planned to keep it a long time, but as a broke student it just sucks up all my damn money. Photos for reference

 

[blackandblue]

 

[blackandblue]

Can't post photos. Maybe this share-able link will work?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uE2D61k6N4zMyaYm6

 

[RCP Phx]

Yikes! I've never seen anything like it, so unless your going to build a tube buggy, your'e done. I don't see anything worthy of saving.

 

[smokeyyank]

Ditch it....rust repair on a XJ is a ton of work. Unless you burning desire to fix it just move on.

 

[Black1990jeep]

Your before photos are scary, but you got the floors replaced already. The frame looks bad, but if you intend on welding more that too can be fixed, and messed up rockers replaced with square tubing, 4x6 inch I think is typically used for rockers.

Since you are already into it, it all depends how much more needs repair. Hard to judge from afar. you have done a lot of work on the floors, looks nice! hows the bottoms of the frame rails? the insides? this might be a good candidate to cut and weld beefy underside to. often the square tube is used to replace rusted rockers, and doing so stiffens the whole frame. Add frame stiffeners and you maybe o.k.! how are the suspension mounting points? I see the forward leaf spring mount, it looks ok, just tie it into the frame stiffener. add metal as needed. You can go to town with a welder and make a solid trail proof underside
is she so rotted out that she is gent? how are the door gaps? Do gaps change when one corner raised?

Another option is to buy a mechanically dead, or cheapo 2wd, rust free XJ to swap your running gear into. Consider smog testing if choosing different year to swap parts with, at least engine wise.

if you end up junking the XJ so sad, but save the front seats, or offer for sale. unlike in four door XJs 2 door and Comanche seats tilt forward, this is a great upgrade to install in a 4 door, allows folks over 5'6" to sleep lengthwise in the back, and allows easy access to luggage, or gear behind the seat from the front doors.

Anyway, I hope you can save her, it is a cool looking ride, the color is killer too.

Have welder, have fun!

 

[Black1990jeep]

Oops, typo..., is she so rotted out that she is bent? Sorry gents!

 

[madmax]

Rusty floors and firewall are common.

Really not. that big of a deal to fix

 

[Anak]

Beautiful paint job, and you have already done the floors.

There are plenty of options for reinforcing the frame rails and the rear leaf spring mounts.

2x6 rockers would take care of the rocker panel rust.

I would be for keeping it. However, your budget may dictate otherwise.

I certainly wouldn't send it to the boneyard though. That is too nice of a one to totally give up on it. I can't imagine the boneyard will give you $4k for it. If you are desperate find out what you can get from the boneyard and then offer it for sale for that price.

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

What about buying a rust free 2wd 2 door and swapping your parts over?

 

[sdspearo]

Since then, I have been dumping money into it.

I'm pretty sure I could get in the $4k range for it as it sits.

... but as a broke student it just sucks up all my damn money.

If you truly can get something "in the $4K range" for a rusted mostly stock XJ, I'd sell it in a heartbeat and replace with a much less rusted platform. If you plan on keeping it for a while, your other two quotes above would seal that decision for me.

 

[blackandblue]

If you truly can get something "in the $4K range" for a rusted mostly stock XJ, I'd sell it in a heartbeat and replace with a much less rusted platform. If you plan on keeping it for a while, your other two quotes above would seal that decision for me.

Thanks, I think this is what I needed to hear. I've recently done shocks, SYE, tires, and all that repair to the tune of roughly $2.5k. Can't keep throwing everything I have into it. Posted it online and already have a few people coming to check it out. Eyeing some stock rust-free ones around here to start over with. Just hard letting go due to the sentimental aspect - I learned so much with it and put 100s of hours in the garage towards fixing it. And I mean look at the paint and 2dr-ness:bawl:

 

[lazyxj]

Yikes! I've never seen anything like it, so unless your going to build a tube buggy, your'e done. I don't see anything worthy of saving.

Strip off all the good parts and send it to the wrecker, it's rusted beyond practical repair, IMO. There are rusted spots you can't see too, in the frame rails, where multiple layers of sheet metal are spot welded together and are just about impossible to repair.
I wouldn't want the responsibility of selling it to someone considering the shape it's in.

 

[RCP Phx]

Thanks, I think this is what I needed to hear. I've recently done shocks, SYE, tires, and all that repair to the tune of roughly $2.5k. Can't keep throwing everything I have into it. Posted it online and already have a few people coming to check it out. Eyeing some stock rust-free ones around here to start over with. Just hard letting go due to the sentimental aspect - I learned so much with it and put 100s of hours in the garage towards fixing it. And I mean look at the paint and 2dr-ness:bawl:

It could be repaired but you would need to cut out all the junk work you've already done and do the proper repair work and that could take a long time!

 

[blackandblue]

It could be repaired but you would need to cut out all the junk work you've already done and do the proper repair work and that could take a long time!

I've kind of come around on keeping it. Would the plan below firm it up enough to be an acceptable DD? I got a good luck at the inside of the frame rail when replacing pans and its surprisingly solid. Applied a heavy amount of rust neutralizer in there as well.

Plan - 2x6 rockers with frame tie ins, along with center IRO center frame stiffeners. I like they have the lip connecting to the floor, further tie-ing the frame in. Stiffeners would also reinforce the frame repair that has already been done. The 2x6 rockers would then go in and tie in directly to the stiffeners.

Potential issues - If I strip the interior again to weld the lip of the stiffeners in from the top, would it make sense to weld the lip of the rail itself as well? I have a buddy that could do the welding, but I'd need a shop to fab up the 2x6 tie ins.

Maybe this is overkill? Huh, this got long. Maybe I should just start a new post.

 

[blackandblue]

Your before photos are scary, but you got the floors replaced already. The frame looks bad, but if you intend on welding more that too can be fixed, and messed up rockers replaced with square tubing, 4x6 inch I think is typically used for rockers.

Since you are already into it, it all depends how much more needs repair. Hard to judge from afar. you have done a lot of work on the floors, looks nice! hows the bottoms of the frame rails? the insides? this might be a good candidate to cut and weld beefy underside to. often the square tube is used to replace rusted rockers, and doing so stiffens the whole frame. Add frame stiffeners and you maybe o.k.! how are the suspension mounting points? I see the forward leaf spring mount, it looks ok, just tie it into the frame stiffener. add metal as needed. You can go to town with a welder and make a solid trail proof underside
is she so rotted out that she is gent? how are the door gaps? Do gaps change when one corner raised?

Another option is to buy a mechanically dead, or cheapo 2wd, rust free XJ to swap your running gear into. Consider smog testing if choosing different year to swap parts with, at least engine wise.

if you end up junking the XJ so sad, but save the front seats, or offer for sale. unlike in four door XJs 2 door and Comanche seats tilt forward, this is a great upgrade to install in a 4 door, allows folks over 5'6" to sleep lengthwise in the back, and allows easy access to luggage, or gear behind the seat from the front doors.

Anyway, I hope you can save her, it is a cool looking ride, the color is killer too.

Have welder, have fun!

See above reply. If you have a sec I'd love to get your opinion on that plan

 

[Black1990jeep]

See this analysis of stiffeners i did post #11...https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1156588


I am not sure of the value of floor mounting tabs out weighing the stiffeners by Hooligan, which wrap around the bottom of the frame more. I got the Hooligan style stiffener.

You can always add tabs to a stiffener as needed for the floor, or even run a full length of angle as a floor tab if needed. I just really like the Hooligan way of wrapping the stiffener around the bottom and then up in spots to the inside of the frame. this seems to me will help a lot if the bottom of your frame has corrosion weakness. I assume the frame sides are not near as rusty as the bottoms, right? if the sides are solid, weld to them, if the bottom is rusted, thin, full of holes then you best weld to the sides, not the compromised bottom of the frame. does that make sense?

do more checking for hidden rust, what of the door bottoms, look under them carefully, use a magnet along door bottoms to check for Bondo. how is the metal under the plastic "step" that is fastened to rocker top panel at door openening that is exposed when the door is open? look for hidden rust under there, remove that plastic "step" to inspect

Got to ask how you jeep got rusty, is it salt road damage, or damage from cockpit leaks that settled water under the floor mats?

 

[blackandblue]

See this analysis of stiffeners i did post #11...https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1156588


I am not sure of the value of floor mounting tabs out weighing the stiffeners by Hooligan, which wrap around the bottom of the frame more. I got the Hooligan style stiffener.

You can always add tabs to a stiffener as needed for the floor, or even run a full length of angle as a floor tab if needed. I just really like the Hooligan way of wrapping the stiffener around the bottom and then up in spots to the inside of the frame. this seems to me will help a lot if the bottom of your frame has corrosion weakness. I assume the frame sides are not near as rusty as the bottoms, right? if the sides are solid, weld to them, if the bottom is rusted, thin, full of holes then you best weld to the sides, not the compromised bottom of the frame. does that make sense?

do more checking for hidden rust, what of the door bottoms, look under them carefully, use a magnet along door bottoms to check for Bondo. how is the metal under the plastic "step" that is fastened to rocker top panel at door openening that is exposed when the door is open? look for hidden rust under there, remove that plastic "step" to inspect

Got to ask how you jeep got rusty, is it salt road damage, or damage from cockpit leaks that settled water under the floor mats?

Haha, I didn't realize that was you in that thead. I've looked it over several times - thanks for the analysis! I checked out the rockers closer, it actually doesnt look bad under the "step". Made an album to show you - https://photos.app.goo.gl/EsdWewLXihHhjrJR7

To be honest, not sure how it got rusty in the first place. Picked it up 2 years ago in southern VA. Previous owner passed away, and his family garaged it for a long time. There was undercoating applied before it sat and I believe it just trapped moisture which ate away while it was sitting. It was in pretty rough shape when I found it.

 

[Black1990jeep]

ok, I see now. in first image it appears a bit of the original floor is left under the new floor. that original floor is pretty rusty, and as is now is a double layered water trap that should be dealt with.

Id go thru every bit right now before starting metal cutting and plan how each area will be repaired, what metal too buy, assure what areas the new metal will cover, and assure that the stock metal is present enough to be welded to. also how to deal with the spring mounts area, thus area deserves special inspection.

then check the rest if body, look in the wheel wells, check the rain gutter area, the roof rack hardware mounting to body areas for rust, bondo check around windshield specially the lower corners, use a magnet, check for rust and bondo on the cowling. check the steering box mounting area of the uniframe.

you want to know all the trouble spots, and have a plan to repair for th entire jeep before you do any work. write it down, make the list. evaluate each area, for instance you have a bit more work to do on the center frame stiffeners because of the rust near the leaf spring forward mount.


Also you need to do things to prevent future rust, so have a plan to use weld thru primers, urathane seam sealers epoxy primer, etc... simply spraying on thick coats of under coating is not enough, have a total,plan right own to the final paint.