'97 TJ named Rooster... it's a girl!

Chasitek

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
655
Location
Chapel Hill, NC, USA
I'm new to this forum but have used it for about a year. I'm a freshman in college so funds are low but whatever isn't used on food and school is used on my jeep. Her name is Rooster because when I got her she didn't have a working horn which turned out being the relay. I bought a relay, she worked. Then at 6am one morning she decided to ground herself and put out a constant blare that woke up all my neighbors. I as angry as everyone else, went outside to see what the noise was to realize it was my own vehicle. Very mad, I yanked out the relay and her name became rooster as everyone kept calling her that. I got her March 2017 for $3700 dollars because she had absolutely no rust but was cosmetically rough. I think she may have had an engine rebuild as the engine is powder coated but i'm not sure. She's a 1997 Jeep Wrangler se (4 banger) with about 230,000 miles on it. When I got her I had zero knowledge on cars but have learned and done everything on it myself minus the transmission rebuild and new clutch. She has stock suspension and 4.10 Dana 30/35 with rear yukon axle shafts

As she sits now:
31" wrangler all terrains on 15x8 wheels
Smittybilt stinger
$280 dollar hard top find on CL (I basically stole it)
Banks cat back exhaust
Flowmaster muffler
4.0 throttle body and spacer
Full center console (came with shorty console)
Painted the whole dash and trim, bezels, console, doors, everything
2 10" Kicker compr subs
Door hinge locks
Bilstein 5100 shocks
Bedlined the back seat area of the tub (still gotta do the front)
Monstalined the entire outside of the tub and hard top
Cut the rear render flares
Cut the front fenders to be flat
Cut CJ style turn signals in the front
Repainted certain parts of the frame
Replaced the fuel pump with a Bosch one
Got new 31" tires
Custom decals :)
Rustys off road tie rod/draglink
New rotors and pads
New steering wheel
New rear driveshaft U joints
Transmission rebuild and new clutch

Near plans:
Custom tool box for the back
Save for the new Cummins R2.8 turbodiesel engine
New speakers for the sound bar
New wheels
New front driveshaft U joints
New trackbar
Ford 8.8 rear
Warn winch
2" suspension lift (until engine swap)
1.25 body lift

Future plans:
Save some more for the Cummins R2.8 turbodiesel engine
New seats
roll cage
rear bumper
CAI
metalcloak fenders
hood louver
CB radio
Cummins R2.8 turbodiesel engine swap
and much much more

Here are some pics of how she looked when I bought her, I know, she was rough. No interior pics but it was rough as well. And what she looked like a month ago. She now has a matching hard top.

IMG_0552.JPG


IMG_0555.JPG


IMG_0556.JPG


IMG_0557.JPG


IMG_0561.JPG


IMG_0562.JPG


IMG_0569.jpg


IMG_0579.JPG


IMG_0914.JPG


IMG_1104.jpg


IMG_1108.JPG


IMG_1424.JPG


IMG_1534.JPG
 
LOL I think the origin of the name Rooster has to be the best I've heard. Great story, and love what you've done with it. The shot of it in the snow is awesome. Thanks for sharing the pics!
 
You don't happen to be the kid I bought the short console from? At NC State? I swear I've seen this jeep in raleigh a few times, that bedline blue can't be a common color.
 
those fenders sharpened for pedestrian interference? LOL

Every pedestrian is 10 points. Lol. They’re curbed in person. Not sharp at all. Also the stock fenders when cut like this are extremely weak. I Just cut them because I didn’t want to but flat fenders. Waste of money in my opinion


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: KCsTJ
I love the color!

You must be saving up some serious coin for that Cummins R28 swap. I priced one of those out myself, and by the time everything is said and done, you're looking at around 12k give or take! Still, if that plan ends up coming to fruition, then I'll really want to hear your feedback!
 
I love the color!

You must be saving up some serious coin for that Cummins R28 swap. I priced one of those out myself, and by the time everything is said and done, you're looking at around 12k give or take! Still, if that plan ends up coming to fruition, then I'll really want to hear your feedback!

Yeah. I got it priced at 14k but i’m only 19 so I got a bit of time to save.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yeah. I got it priced at 14k but i’m only 19 so I got a bit of time to save.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep, 14k sounds more realistic! Always got to shoot high when it comes to things like engine swaps.