1995 Jeep Wrangler YJ 4.0L Sahara Edition - Jurassic Park Style

[Bryan]

Did a bit of cleaning on the Jeep today (something I don't enjoy and am not very good at!). Interior came up pretty good but I don't know what to clean the rollbar covers with - they're still grubby looking. Seats and carpets really need shampooed but I don't have a machine. I've also refitted the passenger side step as the previous owner removed it for some reason.

Also dropped the top - this is what the Jeep was built for! It's just a shame we don't get enough good weather here.

I've also finished coating the chassis with schutz. It's almost ready for MOT but I'm still doubting whether the exhaust will pass or not in its current state even though it doesn't leak.

I'm hopefully close to striking a deal for a new set of wheels and tyres that'll set it off nicely.

 

[Bryan]

New boots arrived today

Following their arrival I managed to get an MOT cancellation for tomorrow so fingers crossed!

 

[mike_2]

Good luck tomorrow, Jeep looks great.

 

[Bryan]

Well, it failed. On the way there I knew there was something wrong because it was strugging to get over 55mph but I hadn't really driven it that fast so I thought maybe it just lacks power. But by the time I got to Armagh this morning I knew it was going to fail - the front left brake caliper had started to stick and not release. This was realised by the smoke billowing from that general area outside the MOT centre That was the reason why it wouldn't go above 55.

Anyway, he failed it on the steering shock absorber leaking (which I didn't notice TBH), corroded brake pipe (of course the one that runs the full length of the thing from front to back) and he did not like my black body schutz all over the brake pipes so he failed it on the pipes not being clean. It did pass the brake and emission tests which was encouraging.

All in all, though, not bad for something that had been off the road for 8 years. He didn't even mention the very rusty exhaust that I was worried about.

I've already freed off the front calipers properly and the power difference is crazy now that its not fighting with itself. I've ordered the steering damper and I'm just going to replace all the brake pipes for copper ones to keep them happy and then there should be no reason why it shouldn't pass the retest.

 

[MarkyMck]

class!! Id love a Wrangler.

 

[Rocko]

Get one. They are hilarious to drive.

 

[Bryan]

Get one. They are hilarious to drive.

Hilarious is about right

The YJ model is about as basic as they come.... it's like the equivalent of an upmarket Land Rover Series III. With cart springs all round the suspension is quite choppy and the soft top means that I'll need to wear ear plugs at anything more than 60mph (if it can go that fast since I haven't tried yet!). If you only drive short trips here and there and don't go above 40/50mph then you could live with one on a daily basis. I guess the TJ model (1995 on) will be more refined having coil springs all round instead.

The cool factor outweighes all of the above though and I love driving it - especially parking in a space not having to worry about ploughing over the kerb.

 

[Bryan]

Spent about 4 hours today fitting all new copper brake pipes and new flexis all round. New steering shock also fitted. Just have to wait until Wednesday for the retest now

 

[Bryan]

Finally passed MOT on Wednesday and thanks to the online taxing facility it's now taxed as well

I've been contemplating taking it up to Portrush today for the air show but it will use so much fuel I don't know if it's wise

 

[Coog]

Lol we used to put £100 through mine towing to Cookstown and back. They're hard on the juice but so is any 4x4.

Well done on the mot. Will be useful over winger for sure.

 

[Nicky]

Great to see it on the road.

What's it's sole purpose now then? Just a different machine to drive about in?

 

[Bryan]

Yea, just something different although I do have a few plans for it

I might do a bit of light off roading at some point as well.

I took it to Portrush in the end. I put £40 of juice in it at Ballinderry and it's still got about a 1/4 of a tank left so it wasn't as hard as I suspected it would be but then I didn't really go above 60mph.

 

[Bryan]

Been enjoying the weather over the past two days and took the opportunity to get the roof down and the half doors on.

The ignition switch is now faulty as well so I've had to wire in a push button starter temporarily to get it going. I thought these things were supposed to be reliable

 

[Rover Repair]

Hurry up and jurassic Park it.

 

[Bryan]

Got a bit busy today with the Jeep since the weather has remained quite nice. Those fender flares were a nightmare to get off. Thankfully, though, the bodywork isn't too bad and won't require too much tidying up before paint. Those hideous sidelight/indicator units on the front of the wings will not be going back on (indicators will be relocated to wings and in the grille American spec) so those holes will need welding up. All in all though I was quite pleased with the condition of the body.

 

[Bryan]

Been very busy over the past few days... stripped right down ready for new paint

I've also welded up the holes in the wings where the indicators used to be and primed the bonnet.

There's not much left of it now!

 

[Bryan]

Been very busy over the past few weeks flatting, filling and priming. The prep work seems never ending. I had hoped to get the final coat of primer on it today but my spray gun gave up the ghost so I tackled the floor instead. I had to weld up the holes that had been drilled for the old side steps and tidy up the drain holes. I then schutzed most of the floor - the driver's side will be done when the red paint is dry (red was the only colour I had to hand but it doesn't matter since it's getting covered in schutz anyway.

Also - see attached sneak peak of the new colours

 

[weeloaney]

Ohhh this will look class

 

[jordan 375]

Cool we jeep that

 

[Rocko]

Been very busy over the past few weeks flatting, filling and priming. The prep work seems never ending. I had hoped to get the final coat of primer on it today but my spray gun gave up the ghost so I tackled the floor instead. I had to weld up the holes that had been drilled for the old side steps and tidy up the drain holes. I then schutzed most of the floor - the driver's side will be done when the red paint is dry (red was the only colour I had to hand but it doesn't matter since it's getting covered in schutz anyway.

Also - see attached sneak peak of the new colours

 

[Bryan]

The weather was great today so we were able to get the base coat colour Sand Beige painted.

It looks very silvery in the photos but in real life there is a tint of beige/gold.

I've still got the other fender flares, both side steps and the windscreen frame to paint. I've ordered a new windscreen frame but I'm still waiting on it to arrive from Germany.

Hoping to get it completed for Kilbroney.

Better idea of the actual colour (iphone photo versus android above!)

 

[Bryan]

We've had a nightmare of a time with the base colour - painted it three times since the photos above. Just couldn't get a decent enough finish. Anyway today we moved on to the red. It took all morning to measure up and mask everything.

Major milestone reached though...

The red obviously needs to dry and then it'll be flatted back and polished so it won't be as shiney. It's too shiney at the minute in contrast to the beige.

 

[Bryan]

Got the side number painted on today although I got a run in the paint and it will need done again :-(

Also took the roll cage out and gave it a lick of this lovely sand beige colour as well. I'm glad I took it out because when these jeeps were new they must put the roll cage in and then paint it so under the mounting points was covered in surface rust. I've already dealt with that and the roll cage is ready to go back in again.

Had to fabricate little brackets to mount the fog lights to the front bumper

And with the brackets painted the fog lights can be mounted to the bumper. The fog lights aren't the correct Jeep sahara fog lights but these are impossible to come by in the UK so these will do fine.

It's starting to take shape now. I'm just waiting on the seal for the windscreen and the adhesive to come in the post before I can put it back in again.

 

[Jamie-g]

Just read through this all. You're actually going Jurassic park style. You sir are a legend.

 

[weeloaney]

Just read through this all. You're actually going Jurassic park style. You sir are a legend.

That's it, been racking my brain since he put the red on trying to figure out what I recognized it from.