Project " Buckboard" ..

[Jram00]

I recently inherited my dads 2000 XJ. Rather than selling it ,I've decided to turn it into a project he would've dug. Although I'll be doing this project with my 8 y/o son.
She seems to be in great mechanical shape , with 49,000+ miles . I haven't done a build in a while , and those were all older R22 Toyotas, and older FJ's . Therefore ,I'll ne sponging knowledge from here .:dunce:.
I'm going to try to do this right , the way I have before , and not race into a lift and tires , just to have to go back amd change things again and again. I'm looking to start with the axles and frame , and build out from there.

 

[Jram00]

I'd post photos , but can't seem to make it work with my iPad ..

 

[yossarian19]

You have to post them to Photobucket or similar and link from there.
Sorry to hear about the circumstances of the Jeep but look forward to seeing what you come up with.

 

[POSJ]

49k miles? Can I buy it from you? That sounds mint lol.

 

[Jram00]

 

[xcm]

I love that your doing something your pops wouldve dug with it, especially since youll be doing it with his grandson. Obviously i never knew him, but im sure he wouldve liked that. Great link to the past!

Since your starting slow with a nice unmolested body, frame stiffeners welded on first thing should keep things mint. HDOffroad engineering, ruffstuff, and tnt all make them, some more elaborate than others. Good luck.

 

[Jram00]

Thanks for the kind words gents.. I had offered to pump up his XJ about 10 years ago , he didn't bite ,lol. Last time I stiffened a frame on my FJ, I had to fabricate my own. Nice they are ready to weld now .. Novel idea lol. Trying to coax a rear Dana 44 out of a friend as we speak. He's been sitting on the thing for a year .

 

[Johnlurp316]

Sweet looking xj.

 

[DeftwillP]

Work on finding a suitable front axle as well. The dana 30 can be polished sure, but you've got a low pinion 30.

 

[ftwelder]

It sounds like a great project and opportunity to strengthen the family unit.

 

[cal]

i have rather serious car envy

that doesnt happen very often.

 

[Jeepedo129]

49,000 miles! Wow that in and of itself is amazing. Keep it clean! I'm super jealous.

 

[Jram00]

Only mods he had done , Flowmaster exhaust. There's a couple nuisance things that need to be fixed . I'm going to start with the frame rails , and trying to work a deal with old wheelin friends on front and rear D44's to build up ( lockers a must ) My pop and I used to wheel up at Fordyce , Loon , Stags .for all you West coast guys. I'd like to get this XJ into a streetable ,but very capable trail rig, able to tackle all the old haunts . He'd like that .
After kids and career , it seems I had lost time some years ago to build up a new trail rig. I've always had Toyotas as trail rigs, but been a huge fan of my friends XJ's , and CJ's .. Love having 4 doors though.
I'll make time for this one .

 

[cal]

Where in nor-cal are you?

 

[Jram00]

Cal, I'm in Livermore . I also spend a lot of time in Plumas county . My Dad lived east up 50 out of Placerville.