Hello from Massachusetts!

After enjoying the glut of information here for quite a long time, I've finally joined up to get in on the conversation. Hello from the Boston area! I'm a bit of a tech guy, but have been working on cars since I bought my first project at 16. My life philosophy is that the only thing separating myself from a mechanic, plumber, etc is knowledge and possibly specialty tools. So I set out with a service manual and wiring diagrams, and soaked up the info. Reading manuals, learning technical info and applying it is my way of meditation. I'm also a vintage-tech junkie, refurbishing and putting to use vintage computers(think 70's, 80's), and antique radios as well(HAM/SW/CB). I pine for the days when things were made well, and to be repaired rather than replaced.

I'm a fan of the reliability of the Jeep XJ, and after owning many GM's and Fords, I finally nabbed an XJ in August of 2016; A 2-owner '94 with a 4.0, Auto, and 4x4 for $1100. The lady I purchased it from had two for her farm; one in great shape cosmetically, running well, but without receipts. Of course, the other was a little faded, but with a thick stack of paperwork back to '95.

The '94 treated me well, but with 230K and needing alot of cosmetic work, I set out to find a more clean XJ. I was looking for one that was scuffed enough that I could take it off-road, or use it for dirty work, but clean enough to look well represented as a "respectable" vehicle. I acquired a 2000 XJ in June to the tune of $500, with a near-new head, main/rod bearings, oil pump and rear main seal, new fluids and in-box fuel injectors.

I've pieced the two together, and still ended up with two well-running Jeeps in the end. Below find the two together, followed by a shot of the '00 with the '94 rims. Future plans include a 2-3" lift for the '00, and a slow rebuild one system at a time.





J

Welcome! This is the place to solve some problems and get brand new ones.

Welcome aboard.

I wish you were a close neighbor. My Varmint #1 would love to be able to pick your brain on the electronics side of life. He is getting deeper into ham radio by the day and is also trying to figure out how to piece together an older computer (not as old as what you are doing, but at least old enough to need to find drivers).

I am of the same mindset as you, appreciating that which is repairable and much preferring to do it myself.

Send Varmint #1 after USB drivers for Win95.

I still have An edition or two of Windows 95 here, but I actively run Win98 on my "gaming" laptop, which runs Doom, Duke 3D, Unreal, etc. I've had surprising luck finding old old drivers on manufacturer websites-or if the company is defunct, find out who's design they put their name on, then use those drivers.

Fill the inquisitive mind with knowledge. With computers, even learning the old stuff transfers over to today's Windows.

Looking forward to being in the community a long while.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bent said:

Send Varmint #1 after USB drivers for Win95.

Click to expand...

I actually have USB support for Win95....

Yzzerdd said:

I actually have USB support for Win95....

Click to expand...

Interesting. I obviously didn't look very hard. Don't know where my head was at the time.
:doh:

Bent said:

Interesting. I obviously didn't look very hard. Don't know where my head was at the time.
:doh:

Click to expand...

It was more of an offer to send you (edit-Anak)the info to obtain the drivers, or I'll dig through mine to see if I can locate it. (Edit: brain fart on the intended recipient , but I'm leaving this here anyway).

Once you have USB support, it opens up options to do many cool things with the unit, such as adding network support and going through the trouble to get it connected to the Internet successfully. In doing so, Varmint #1 (Number one son!-Charlie Chan reference) will learn important diagnostic technique.

Jack

Thank you for the follow up. I might have some questions to pass on to you on the Varmint's behalf.

At the moment I need him to stay focused on another project, a paying one in fact. He is supposed to build a rotating directional antenna to go in a friend's attic. I am not letting him play with his computer project until he gets this other one on track to be finished.

And of course another friend just gave him a 35mm film camera (and bag full of accessories), so he is off on another tangent.

SQUIRREL!!!



Whatchagonnado?

Anak said:

And of course another friend just gave him a 35mm film camera (and bag full of accessories), so he is off on another tangent.

SQUIRREL!!!



Whatchagonnado?

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Sounds like the correct answer to that question is darkroom.

Yeah. Right.

I can put that right between the rock tumbler, the two oscilloscopes and three power supplies that have recently taken over the family room.

Kids aren't expensive. It is just all their accessories. It starts with diaper bags and car seats and just gets worse from there on out.

Boston area? I'm in Revere! Nice to meet ya!

Welcome aboard, J.

You guys talking about old drivers ought to take a look at https://winworldpc.com/, which describes itself as follows:

WinWorld is an online museum dedicated to the preservation and sharing of vintage, abandoned, and pre-release software, as well as any and all knowledge associated with such works. We offer information, media and downloads for a wide variety of computers and operating systems. Our collection includes abandonware operating systems (like Windows 3.1 or 95), beta operating systems (like Chicago, Whistler, and Longhorn), abandonware applications (like AfterDark, the epic screensaver software we all grew up with) and more.

We offer all of our content free of charge to any interested party. Whether you're doing looking to go down memory lane and re-visit Windows 3.1, do some research on computing history, or repurpose an old system that can't run the latest and greatest, WinWorld is here to help by providing unrestricted access to our entire library at no charge. We do not accept donations, just download and enjoy. WinWorld provides you with large amounts of downloads and high quality information that other sites can't compare with! Get Windows Abandonware, Games, Macintosh old software and more from our software library right here at WinWorld!

This site and a good virtual machine setup should channel the Varmint's "ADOS" (Attention Defici---OOH, SHINY!!!) for a spell...

Rob- Great info there, I appreciate the link, it's new to me.

I see a lot of XJ's in SE MA and NH, too bad there's not more going on this way for the 4x4 community. Well worth the drive to NH's trails though.

On a side note, I installed a VHF radio in the XJ today, now to get a UHF in there too and really have a mobile station going. Right now the CB and VHF run the same antenna, but I'll be adding a second antenna to run UHF/VHF, that way I can run CB independently plus one other band. Little projects to keep me busy in my spare time.

Which radio are you running the matcher on?

Boston? I try to stay away from there these days but I'm an electrical engineer in the Worcester area.

four_shot said:

Which radio are you running the matcher on?

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No matcher, but I'm also not transmitting on all bands. I have a 4' Firestik on the DS taillight set up for Rx/Tx on CB, but for Rx only on UHF (I only monitor in-county, works fine for this purpose; I also only use one or the other, due to limitations of my setup), and am adding a 2 meter on the roof for the next radio. For symmetry, I might stick it on the passenger taillight instead, though at 60 watts or so, I'd like a proper ground plane. Time will tell.

Jack

I just did the razor back thing and ran mag mounts down the center of the roof. I miss those radios.