Looking for some counsel here. I've got a buddy who has a very clean 2004 LJ. The hood and fender paint is faded and cracked, but there's no rust.
Jeep Specs:
- 2004 LJ (Light Khaki Metallic Paint) with 123K miles
- Mostly stock
- Full doors (original) and 1/2 doors, fantastic shape but not color matched
- Automatic
- Cruise Control
- Factory Hardtop (with wiring) & Soft top
- Clean interior, with Bartact seat covers
- New Bedrug, still in box
- No significant rust, with a good frame and body. There's a little surface rust here and there, but nothing that concerns me.
- Lots of parts, including a new Mopar radiator, water pump, and more
- Warn front and rear bumpers
- Not installed but goes with the Jeep, two Warn winches (XD and XP)
- New rotors, calipers, and pads (Front are BMB pads)
What the Jeep needs:
- Heater core, which he has the part for (not sure what brand but can check)
- Large evap leak, which I've diagnosed as a broken fitting on the gas tank (fixable)
- Install the cooling system parts
- Replace steering components, i.e. tie rod and drag link
What would I do with it?
Not being morbid here, but my 30+ year old son has been talking about wanting to restore/build a vehicle with me before it's too late. He is the one I gave my TJ to and while he loves that Jeep, I built it, not him. He originally wanted to build something together like a IH Scout, Jeep Commando, or Bronco. However, I've talked him through the practicality and cost of doing that. Coming at it from a different angle, I asked him about restoring an LJ together and he liked the idea.
The catch is I'm not getting this to have a second Jeep for myself. We would work on it together and it would be his vehicle. What that means is he'd have to sell the TJ and drive the LJ as we work on it. That way, I don't have another Jeep sitting in my driveway. The build would basically be a stock (32" tire) refresh, with a few minor tweaks, based on his ideas.
What am I asking for from you?
I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. I am a little concerned about the work to do the heater core, cause I've done one before, but it's doable. As a final note, the price would be somewhere around $11k. In my mind, even with a heater core install, the price is reasonable. Especially given the lack of rust and pile of parts. Thoughts?
