My Ultimate XJ Build

[CumminsXJ88]

Nothe noob

My version of "The Ultimate XJ Build."

Start with a stock `88 Phase I Jeep Cherokee XJ Laredo, strip her down to bare metal. Then rebuild into a bio-diesel electric (California PZEV certification is a "goal" ) daily-driver, adventure/overland/expedition, BOV (SHTFV ) around a Cummins 6BT 12v delivering 500+ hp/ @1000 tq on WVO and an ac motor ("peak" power rating of 250+ hp/ 550 tq) delivering 100 hp/ 290 tq. Coupled to an "8-speed" manual-automatic and a BW 1339 t-case. Yes, a Borg-Warner QuadraTrac t-case. Delivering all that to a pair of portal SUA f & r (not SOA) 5.66 oa geared d60's with lockers. (If I can re-locate the shop on the east coast that builds d60 & 9" rear wheel steering and rear tandem 9" axles, it will have limited four-wheel steering as well.) Riding on Hutchinson 16" 2-pc beadlock rims and 33.5" Toyo's for dd/aoe/bov use { and, maybe, a set of Interco's 35x10.5x16 TSL boggers (finding great tires that properly fit 16x7 rims is not easy - must have those rims ) "if" I decide to risk the body work and paint job }. The portals will give @ a 5" lift, coupled with the 1 - 3" body lift ~ haven't started detailed measurements yet ( less fab work to put the XJ uni on a frame to handle the wt and tq ), 35" - 37" tires would be the max without cutting up the body further. As it is, I am 99% sure I will need to extend the body@ 9" - 12" at the C-pillar( hence the serious consideration of 4-wheel steering... I really like the maneuverability the XJ has with its 101' wheelbase ) in order to keep the rear drive line at a good angle. And there are 1 to 3 other body mods I want to do but I am like 50/50 on doing any of those . I will be doing a form-fitting full-body interior roll-cage with 1" tubing; primary function for structural integrity since this is a family dd, not going to be doing hardcore rock climbing nor trying to recreate Fast & Furious scenes! The major issue with this build is time constraints - I want to take her to the 2015 Easter Jeep Safari beginning on 3/28. By my calculations this build will handle trails with a 6 rating easily. Trails rated 7 or 8, I become the weak link and she isn't being built to do trails rated 9 or 10.

It has taken me 3 years of research to put together the "right" combination of components to accomplish what I want to be able to do with my Jeep. The most time consuming aspect has been due to the lack of specific and CORRECT information regarding, weights, measurements, and actual dependability/reliability of those parts. For example, my first choice of engines was Subaru's EE20 flat-4 diesel, the cummins was #2 - there was more detailed info on the ee20 than the 6bt. Silly me instead making a hard copy of the data I just kept bookmarked pages. When I went back to Subaru's site the page was gone So began the month long process of searching the net trying to find that info elsewhere - I didn't. I did stumble upon some homebuilt experimental aircraft site where I learned the ee20 has a fatal flaw... after 40 to 75k miles the crankshaft breaks apart. One of the links on that page lead me to a european subaru forum with a ton of subaru owners.

I plan on starting this build in November. Given my frustration in trying to get facts and not a re-hash of billy bobs' rendition of what some one else said about the d60 being a bit heavier than a bale of hay... I am giving thought to compiling, as I go, the measurements and weights of every part coming off my Jeep and every part going into the Jeep ~ along with the standard pics & youtube vid's. That will be time consuming. So before I let my ocd nature take over, I want to find out how many people actually want to have that info available and in which forums/sites.

I set-up a facebook page, a youtube channel, and posting this in the various online forums I'm in. Which, if any, of these venues I document this build will be up to those of you who have read this far. October will be spent making the final list and ordering those parts. Depending on were and how much positive feedback I get will be the deciding factor on where and if I'll post this build start to finish. I can do either 4 forums or, 3 forums, facebook and youtube. Up to you boys & girls.

https://www.facebook.com/CumminsCherokee

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC__...Q9Z-LLuJjDl3OA

Oh, who am I? Just an automotive junkie/backyard mechanic currently functioning as a retired A&P and unemployed Substance Abuse Counselor. Started out rebuilding my first engine at age 7 ~as directed by step-dad ~ a 170 straight 6 in a `63 ranchero. Co-built a 1977 Vega and a 1978 Plymouth Duster for Pro/Stock, the driver never got them under 11 :brickwall: I have done frame up restorations on a 1939 Cord Phaeton, a 1955 DeSoto Firedome with a 291 hemi, 1962 Thunderbird, 1967 Camaro RS, 1968 Buick GTX California Edition, 1970 Charger RT, 1974 Super Beetle AutoStick, and 1975 MG Midget. I have rebuilt everything from a Franklin out of a bell 47 (MASH helicopter, air cooled engine used by Tucker) to a flat-6 lycoming B-52 apc; from Pratt & Whitney R1830 twin wasp 14-cylinder radial engine used in B-24's & DC-3's to Westinghouse J34 out of a P-2 Neptune. Other than refurbishing/rebuilding an Airstream Sovereign for this Jeep, this will most likely be my last build ~ whether or not this will be the first and only one documented is yet to be seen...

Now I just have to figure out to put up some pic's

(I'm sure I'm adding these wrong... I'll figure it out later)

Here she currently is...

https://plus.google.com/u/2/photos/1...49065301093349

These three give a general idea how it look when completed...

https://plus.google.com/u/2/photos/1...49065301093349

https://plus.google.com/u/2/photos/1...49065301093349

https://plus.google.com/u/2/photos/1...49065301093349

and this one just because it is awesome!

https://plus.google.com/u/2/photos/1...49065301093349

[Ken L]

Can't view your album.