XJ: A Start to my first Jeep

[Sandbox]

Well this is what I purchased. These are the advertised pictures, found her for $800 bucks unlicensed.

http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/8d1aedb7-6386-41a0-a4e0-f05524ed94ac_zps8af6be62.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/8d1aedb7-6386-41a0-a4e0-f05524ed94ac_zps8af6be62.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/_203_zps13a7a048.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/_203_zps13a7a048.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/_20_zps718e7f8c.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/_20_zps718e7f8c.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/_202_zpsd8d1731f.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/_202_zpsd8d1731f.jpg.html)

These are some more pics that I took a few days later.
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06255_zpsffbc51e4.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06255_zpsffbc51e4.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06253_zps41594eb6.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06253_zps41594eb6.jpg.html)
I took these after I already started work on it as you can see the newer door trim. So ignore that lol. This is supposed to be as I go pictures but I forget to take them at the right time.
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06254_zpsc1a2c0f7.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06254_zpsc1a2c0f7.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06282_zpsc953c73a.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06282_zpsc953c73a.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06266_zps66c48aa2.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06266_zps66c48aa2.jpg.html)

Artificial Lawn in the back lol. Actually it's pretty good liner to use, I think Ima keep it.
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06264_zps918e89be.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06264_zps918e89be.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06263_zps0796b064.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06263_zps0796b064.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06259_zps64c5311b.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06259_zps64c5311b.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06261_zps3b1d3b3b.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06261_zps3b1d3b3b.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06258_zpsc9523c6d.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06258_zpsc9523c6d.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06256_zps8d70b1a8.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06256_zps8d70b1a8.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06250_zps899dab71.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06250_zps899dab71.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06248_zpsde598f5e.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06248_zpsde598f5e.jpg.html)

Here's some stuff I found to go on it. The project begins...
Interior plastics, centre console, seats, door trims, side steps, rear speaker moulding and carpet. All from a 2000 XJ that had been written off and had done only 50,000 k's. Was a useful find. I only was after door trims and the guy had all this too!
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06269_zpsf30fbdb6.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06269_zpsf30fbdb6.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06268_zps6ad3b458.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06268_zps6ad3b458.jpg.html)

Here's the first thing I've finished. 1 out of 4 trims done, wired and functional. I thought everything would fit perfect and bolt on... I WAS SO WRONG. I didn't want to give up because I was so happy on the buy, so i HAD to get it all done and finished. The door handles are in a different spot, the wiring for the switches are different, the connector is different, trim clips in different spots, everything is different apart from the shape. But... I did it.
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06284_zpscec07124.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06284_zpscec07124.jpg.html)

This first door took me a while to figure out and finish so I took a break and did a few more things.

It was so noisy in the cabin so I had a look under the hood, couldn't see any cracks so I took a guess and figured it was a crack in the header. Went and picked up new manifold gasket, pulled everything off, replaced it, found no cracks, STILL NOISY! Unbolted where the header joins to the downpipe, found the problem! That metal gasket there is shot, only half of it still exists, replaced that, put everything back together and now sounds like a totally different car.

I've done a few more things to the car but I've yet to take pictures and will do shortly and post up my progress. Not as snazzy as some of these other buildups but I thought I'd share anyhow.
I chose to do the interior because it looks so dated and everything feels old and dirty.

[Sandbox]

Got the seats, carpet, centre console, plastics DONE~!

http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06287_zps107ada23.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06287_zps107ada23.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06289_zps9da3d937.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06289_zps9da3d937.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06294_zps7686afc1.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06294_zps7686afc1.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06295_zpse48042f9.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06295_zpse48042f9.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06291_zps064fcbb1.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06291_zps064fcbb1.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06288_zps273a30b9.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06288_zps273a30b9.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06293_zps516b6f38.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06293_zps516b6f38.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06292_zpsfd8135d6.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06292_zpsfd8135d6.jpg.html)


Found this cheap galvanised steel tray for $200, mounts only fit on the front but too short in the middle and rear so I had to mount it like this for now. Plus my rear window spoiler hits it if it was lower. I don't mind it tilted anyways.
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06296_zps50a3a29b.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06296_zps50a3a29b.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06297_zps1928adc0.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06297_zps1928adc0.jpg.html)
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06298_zpsdd271131.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06298_zpsdd271131.jpg.html)

I painted the wheel arches to just make it a little cleaner as it was pretty stained from red dust.
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/HS_Chan/DSC06278_zps96669c36.jpg (http://s963.photobucket.com/user/HS_Chan/media/DSC06278_zps96669c36.jpg.html)


Getting there slowly...

[mika]

great work so far! I love seeing old, run down cars get a new lease of life.

[roscoea26]

You are doing an excellent job !

[Sandbox]

great work so far! I love seeing old, run down cars get a new lease of life.

You are doing an excellent job !

Appreciate it guys.
I didn't do it because it needed it, I just don't like that hell old dirty feel it had. I like to keep the car tidy and neat inside and no matter how I tried, it just didn't feel it before so I done this. For a 96 car, it really feels a lot older they are, semi nostalgic feel to it.

Not all the plastics fit, mainly from the backseats to the back so I ended up just rattle-can painting the originals from the back seat to the back in a satin black.

I'll be going to spotlight soon to choose my own material I want for the roof lining. I was thinking of cutting the lining where the cross bracing is welded on the roof. Sink the lining in lower and expose the braces. I'll probably try make a wood box that covers the bracing. It would easily hide wiring and screw things into as I want to build a centre console from the front to the back seat on the roof. Having a box built to cover the cross braces make it easy for me to screw on a console I make and easy to take off and remove and wire stuff up without having to remove the roof lining again.
Just an idea I'm throwing around, the more I think about it, the more I want to do it. I really want to mount a 10" android tablet for GPS, movies etc on the roof or even web surfing on the move as I use mobile internet everywhere I go.

Plenty of ideas still bein thrown around. =D