98GCLimited Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 I guess we start off at the beginning with the Heep as it sat when I first purchased it. I had already removed the ugly azz factory running boards they put on for the grandmas and soccer moms. No pics with them on they are long gone. Along with my 98 Neon I had at the time as well. Flexing it a bit on stock suspension LOL One of the first mods I did before I sold it was tint the tail lights. Not a very good picture of them in a dark basement. Just washed them and cleaned them up well and did one nice coat on them. They seem to have faded to not as dark anymore after a few years of sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98GCLimited Posted May 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 I bought it for $500 needing a rebuilt rear axle and decided to swap a junkyard axle in rather than rebuild. Dumb idea because turns out the "tested good" rear axle I bought from the JY had failing bearings in it as well (WTF). So she sat for a year or so while I just drove my Neon. I ended up selling it to my buddy and he bought and had installed the lift wheels and tires I wanted to get for it. I ended up moving across the country from WI to AZ and sold my Neon before I left WI. Being without a vehicle when he decided to sell it, I bought it back. He had the lift wheels and tires installed that I wanted to originally get for it when it was mine so that was a plus buying it back and the rear axle had obviously been rebuilt too. This is how it was when I bought it back. She was leaking every fluid possible other than diff fluid and the tcase wasnt leaking but she leaked coolant, oil, tranny fluid. She was in need of some TLC. I hated the chrome around the headlights so I scuffed the chrome plastic trim up with a scotchbrite pad, masked them off and sprayed the trim with Krylon for plastics Gloss Black. MUCH better. Also forgot to mention she had 4 blown shocks when I bought her and replaced with Bilstein 5100s as soon as she got back to AZ with me. You can kind of see the shiny front shock tube in this pic I had already painted the wheel weights with some of the left over Krylon Gloss Black. Much better blend to match the rim color instead of seeing big azz silver wheel weights on the rim edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98GCLimited Posted May 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 At some point soon after the last pic I had taken a black paint pen to the white tire lettering and had the front windows tinted with 18% film to match the factory rear tinted glass (actually I think the factory tint is 20% but close enough of a match). And some crappy quality camera phone pics of a random stocker I saw one day while heading out to wheel a little bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killallblue Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Nice so far needs more lift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifted2000Ford4x4 Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 I bought it for $500 needing a rebuilt rear axle and decided to swap a junkyard axle in rather than rebuild. Dumb idea because turns out the "tested good" rear axle I bought from the JY had failing bearings in it as well (WTF). So she sat for a year or so while I just drove my Neon. I ended up selling it to my buddy and he bought and had installed the lift wheels and tires I wanted to get for it. I ended up moving across the country from WI to AZ and sold my Neon before I left WI. Being without a vehicle when he decided to sell it, I bought it back. He had the lift wheels and tires installed that I wanted to originally get for it when it was mine so that was a plus buying it back and the rear axle had obviously been rebuilt too. This is how it was when I bought it back. She was leaking every fluid possible other than diff fluid and the tcase wasnt leaking but she leaked coolant, oil, tranny fluid. She was in need of some TLC. I hated the chrome around the headlights so I scuffed the chrome plastic trim up with a scotchbrite pad, masked them off and sprayed the trim with Krylon for plastics Gloss Black. MUCH better. Also forgot to mention she had 4 blown shocks when I bought her and replaced with Bilstein 5100s as soon as she got back to AZ with me. You can kind of see the shiny front shock tube in this pic I had already painted the wheel weights with some of the left over Krylon Gloss Black. Much better blend to match the rim color instead of seeing big azz silver wheel weights on the rim edge. NICE MAN!!! i LOVE older lifted jeep cherokees! always wanted to buy one and lift it and put a nice system in it... ended up buying a 2000 F150 that im going to lift soon with wheels and tires, and wall it off with 4 DC XL 15's on 10k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98GCLimited Posted May 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Then I decided to mod the grill. Started by cutting out the factory plastic louvers in the grill openings and sanding smooth. Then washed the grill well to remove any dusts from sanding. Then taped off all the gold areas leaving only the centers of the grill openings exposed to paint over the dark grey plastic color with Krylon for plastics Gloss Black again lol. Pics after painting and unmasking. Test fitting the unpainted mesh screen pieces I had cut and formed around the back of the grill holes. Then painted the mesh pieces and installed them with 5 minute epoxy on the back side of the grill and installed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom50cal Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Are those Cragar V5's or Black Window D's? Truck looks sweet! $500 for a solid 4.0l is a HELL of a deal. On 1/4/2013 at 9:31 PM, HatersGonnaHate said: Wow. 184 posts and I think you're a fucking asshole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98GCLimited Posted May 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 And decided to debadge it and dont know why I didnt do it sooner. Dont know why this is the only good pic I find showing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98GCLimited Posted May 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Upgraded the fuel injectors. Stockers on left and upgrade on right. Also replaced transmission output seal (a common issue on these) which is a pain in the azz taking the front and rear drive shafts off, cross member, and transfer case just to get to the seal. There is the culprit Also replaced the cracked factory manifold with a newer replacement with the flex sections on 1 and 6 cylinders. Heres the tiny crack at the collector another common issue with these. The replacement cost $82 I think with shipping included FTW. Also have replaced off the top of my head: did a tuneup with new spark plugs, wires, and distributor rotor transmission filter and fluid transfer case fluid front and rear diff fluids with heavy duty synthetic a few gallons of new coolant (its fairly clean and green so no need to flush) replaced a/c condenser (punctured it on accident doh) and recharged shocks were blown so upgraded with new Bilstein 5100 shocks and rear trackbar bushings were shot upgraded to IRO heavy duty adjustable the exhaust manifold was cracked so replaced that had replaced the water pump right when I sold it to my buddy upstream o2 failed so I replaced both the upstream and downstream o2 sensors replaced with genuine Mopar sensors (pricey) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98GCLimited Posted May 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 The ac condenser replacement job. Kind of a PITA but not too bad. Have to take the grill off, upper radiator support, disconnect tranny cooler lines from radiator, drain coolant and unhook upper n lower hoses. I also had to remove my fan shroud and clutch/fan too because the upper tranny line wouldnt loosen on the radiator side FTL. The old condenser for some reason I dont have a pic of the new one but its in that box in the picture. The new one looks nicer through the grill its more silver than black and the fins arent bent up with pieces of bugs jammed in it lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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