Project FRANKENJEEP- 99 Jeep TJ 'Sahara'
Different major upgrades.
Each section here shows some details of what went into the upgrade from start to finish.
Aug 04, 2014. I answered a kijiji ad. This was the first time I went to look at Her... She is a beat up 1999 TJ Sahara Edition
I went back later that evening...
Sept 02, 2014 She sees the garage for the first time. She will spend the next 13 months here
Aug 04, 2014. I answered a kijiji ad. This was the first time I went to look at Her... She is a beat up 1999 TJ Sahara Edition
It was like the beginning of the Christine movie
Buying it, getting it moved and running.
Ok So I already had a Jeep. A 97 TJ that was hurting. I was shopping for a parts donor when I came across an ad for this one: A 99 TJ Sahara. 6 cyl, 5 speed, everything I needed
Upon closer inspection I found that the white one was in better shape so I made the decision to work on this one instead. This would involve removing all my goodies from the green one.
It's a 99 TJSahara.
And so the story begins..
$$
Once I got her running it was time to swap out the suspension & tires with the green one. The green one was dead now so I had to truck the parts and tools back and forth to do the swap
...and we begin
Taa...Daa.... Total about 8 1/2 ' higher. THAT'S what I'm talking about!
Once I got her running it was time to swap out the suspension & tires with the green one. The green one was dead now so I had to truck the parts and tools back and forth to do the swap
Lift kit by Skyjacker
Removed the tired old stock suspension and replaced it with New Skyjacker components.
2 1/2" lift total.
It was supposed to be a swap but several of the parts on the Green Jeep were toast so I ended up replacing them.
In the end I should have left it. A complete lift kit would have been cheaper in the end than buying the parts separatey
$$$$$
Used and abused
Front brakes had their day- about 5 years ago
The End
Used and abused
Dem's the Brakes
First thing I found out doing the lift was this thing had no brakes.
I am amazed that I didn't drive straight through the back wall of the garage.
I literally pulled out some of the steel lines with my bare hands.
Everything was replaced. Lines, hoses, master cyl, wheel cyls, hardware, pads, shoes, springs, drums and rotors. The proportioning valve was toast (seized up) and needed replacing.
$$$$$$
Reconditioned the battery tray, new alternator, coil & Starter
Heater pipe from the water pump
Rugged Ridge 3/16" steel skid plate
Reconditioned the battery tray, new alternator, coil & Starter
Other Misc Stuff
Other misc things I fixed as I went. Stuff I found doing the lift, doing the brakes, and after the fenders were removed.
I cleaned up and re-tapped the bolt holes where nuts & bolts couldn't be replaced
I used stainless fasteners wherever I could
Crappy frame. These rot in the inside of the box frame especially on rigs that get wheeled and submerged a lot. Mud and crap gets inside and gets trapped there by the skid plate bolts
1" X 2" steel tube. sliced in 2" pieces
And done!
Crappy frame. These rot in the inside of the box frame especially on rigs that get wheeled and submerged a lot. Mud and crap gets inside and gets trapped there by the skid plate bolts
Frame repair & Drop Skid Plate
Instead of buying repair kits for this I decided to fabricate the repair parts
I custom fit flatbar and built a skidplate drop. This corrects the driveshaft angles and I'm hoping it wlil help prevent the frame from rotting again
Fenders are done for
small hole on the rocker. The rest is solid
I bought this paint in 2002 for the YJ. It is still good!
Fenders are done for
Body & Paint
I bought new fenders and so far I have only one hole to patch. There is some surface rust to sandblast and some dents to pound out.
I welded new nuts around the fenders in place of the stock threaded inserts to use to attach the new flares
New headlights are in and I painted the trim rings
Restored the driving lights and replaced the park light bulbs
BUILT NOT BOUGHT There is a difference. This is the first project I completed entirely by myself
New headlights are in and I painted the trim rings
Reassembly
Finally the end is in sight!
Paint is on and dry. |Now it's time to get out all my toys I've been collecting for the last year!.
Finishing touches time!
I'm doing a lot of extra detail here too.Reassembly is the time to do these often overlooked things.