Wife just asked me when I was heading to OR “to fix that jeep…the one where his wife plowed him?”
Operation Phoenix
- Thread starter macleanflood
- Start date
OP
Mid day update for Saturday...started around 6 am and tore into the new to me 99 4 cyl tub and frame... Phoenix...red and it'll help my Jeep rise from it's ashes.
Got the dash completely pulled out along with all the wiring. B and R cut the plug off the gauge cluster or it would have been a completely unmolested harness. Air box is completely intact sans the dash controls...guess I can't get greedy...but if my 97 air box craps out I believe the 99s are available and now I have a box I can set aside JIC.
Tub body bolts came out like a dream. Hardly any rust on anything. The battery tray is immaculate. I can't believe how good this paint is. Cowl is the only spot the sun ate the paint...and I might just color match the red and spray my 97 cowl so I can be cool and have three vents. One ding where B and R bounced off the transmission tunnel while pulling the engine.
Neighbors came over and helped me lift the tub off the frame and the frame off my trailer.
Got all that done while that side of the yard was in the shade.
Afternoon plan is to strip my 97 interior and move it all over piece by piece. Makes it easier.
Phoenix identifies as a golf cart by the way...I found balls, Ts, score cards and almost an entire set of pink nails. Only thing missing was a cardigan sweater. This Jeep lived a country club life...poor thing doesn't know what the woods and trails can do...
Meanwhile my fireworks video dropped this morning...
-Mac
Got the dash completely pulled out along with all the wiring. B and R cut the plug off the gauge cluster or it would have been a completely unmolested harness. Air box is completely intact sans the dash controls...guess I can't get greedy...but if my 97 air box craps out I believe the 99s are available and now I have a box I can set aside JIC.
Tub body bolts came out like a dream. Hardly any rust on anything. The battery tray is immaculate. I can't believe how good this paint is. Cowl is the only spot the sun ate the paint...and I might just color match the red and spray my 97 cowl so I can be cool and have three vents. One ding where B and R bounced off the transmission tunnel while pulling the engine.
Neighbors came over and helped me lift the tub off the frame and the frame off my trailer.
Got all that done while that side of the yard was in the shade.
Afternoon plan is to strip my 97 interior and move it all over piece by piece. Makes it easier.
Phoenix identifies as a golf cart by the way...I found balls, Ts, score cards and almost an entire set of pink nails. Only thing missing was a cardigan sweater. This Jeep lived a country club life...poor thing doesn't know what the woods and trails can do...
Meanwhile my fireworks video dropped this morning...
-Mac
I'm impressed with how quickly you pivoted since the wreck. Sometimes work is cleansing for the soul; I can see how it would be beneficial to dive headfirst into something like this considering all the heartache you've heen through recently.
Still, it's impressive what you've gotten done in such a short time. If I were in your shoes, it probably would take months from the wreck to get where you are today. Hats off to you.
Still, it's impressive what you've gotten done in such a short time. If I were in your shoes, it probably would take months from the wreck to get where you are today. Hats off to you.
OP
I'm not one to sit there and cry. The harder I work the easier it is to bottle up all my emotions. Completely healthy!
The more I look at this it's almost a good thing...I ended up with buckets of parts of the 99 that were missing from my 97. The 97 was turned into a beach buggy...the 99 was almost completely unmolested sans a stereo installed circa 2007 and trailer wiring. As I pulled apart the 99 I kept going ohh...so that's what bolted here.
I now have a complete set of all the rear seat brackets and seat belts should I want to or come across a rear seat.
Really looking forward into tearing apart my 97s wiring harness. I really suspect that's why my oil pressure gauge is so intermittent. At the very least I'm delooming, cleaning and retaping after a visual inspection...I really should do a pin to pin continuity test.
Clock is ticking...gotta keep this simple. Focus. Can always tear it apart later.
Concrete is curing on my shop pad... ironic I'm doing all this in the gravel in front of the new foundation for my 36x48 shop.
-Mac
That is a horrible story. The saving grace is finding the dog and getting into the right color TJ (red). What a mess though. Man, I feel sorry for you having to go through all that. Especially since it's still not over.
Dang good work getting everything moving. It's amazing what you've done so far!
Dang good work getting everything moving. It's amazing what you've done so far!
OP
Ok... quitting at 9 PM.
Spent the afternoon stripping the 97 and getting seats, console dash and tub wireing out.
Moved the 99 close and started laying out and attaching 97 wiring...99 was completely stripped this morning.
Dash was complicated to remove because of my switch panel. I think there's at least 30 wires. Plus USB chargers in all four corners, cb, GMRS, dash cam, aftermarket defrost...the nice thing is I can get everything I installed piece meal into nice clean bundles. Wish I could get some 30-50 pin connectors in time.
For the most part I left spade connections in smart places. Lots of labeling and diagraming. Cut a few wires and I'll splice them back with heat shrink epoxy spade connectors.
Tomorrow morning I plan on getting the passenger fender off, then engine wire harness mostly removed... probably going to leave everything on the engine connected and just get the harness in a safe and strategic spot. Then tub off. Stretch goal will be removing the engine/radiator/transmission/transfer case/wiring harness/headers with the tractor.
Concerned about the nutserts in the 99 frame. But so far the 99 hardware has been pristine. I've never had an entire day with only one stuck bolt.
Might have this starting/running Monday.
Barnes is going to slow me down...need those brackets. Hopefully they'll be here Thursday/Friday or I'll be smacking the old ones back into position. I really don't want to do that.
Wish I had an AC machine. No mobile service around here. Going to have to vent to atmosphere.
Lots to do. Tired. Keep on swimming...
-Mac
Spent the afternoon stripping the 97 and getting seats, console dash and tub wireing out.
Moved the 99 close and started laying out and attaching 97 wiring...99 was completely stripped this morning.
Dash was complicated to remove because of my switch panel. I think there's at least 30 wires. Plus USB chargers in all four corners, cb, GMRS, dash cam, aftermarket defrost...the nice thing is I can get everything I installed piece meal into nice clean bundles. Wish I could get some 30-50 pin connectors in time.
For the most part I left spade connections in smart places. Lots of labeling and diagraming. Cut a few wires and I'll splice them back with heat shrink epoxy spade connectors.
Tomorrow morning I plan on getting the passenger fender off, then engine wire harness mostly removed... probably going to leave everything on the engine connected and just get the harness in a safe and strategic spot. Then tub off. Stretch goal will be removing the engine/radiator/transmission/transfer case/wiring harness/headers with the tractor.
Concerned about the nutserts in the 99 frame. But so far the 99 hardware has been pristine. I've never had an entire day with only one stuck bolt.
Might have this starting/running Monday.
Barnes is going to slow me down...need those brackets. Hopefully they'll be here Thursday/Friday or I'll be smacking the old ones back into position. I really don't want to do that.
Wish I had an AC machine. No mobile service around here. Going to have to vent to atmosphere.
Lots to do. Tired. Keep on swimming...
-Mac
OP
I've fallen in love with the red. For now it's going to be patchwork...but as soon as I have my shop done I'm color matching the red and I'll try and match the candy in the clear.
Red body, white half doors, white 97 cowl. I'm 50 50 on which hood to use. My 97 just got a roadkill sticker...this whole thing might be Finnegan and Freiburger's fault. I figured under the hood was the safest place for the sticker since they can't seem to drive a vehicle with a hood attached. 99 hood has a couple of rust spots and a couple of creases on the edges. 97 hood probably had a few topless women dancing on the hood at an Oregon beach. At least that's the only acceptable reason to dent a hood. White Jeep was also once black and was Earl Schweib'd white with a hose by Ray Charles and Ronnie Milsap.
I'll take pictures tomorrow and y'all can help me decide.
-Mac
OP
One...tired on all day road trips to fetch parts. Banks is at least $300 in gas away.
Two...it was also posted on FB marketplace and the Oregon Jeep page mentioned lots of rust.
Three...the 99 came with an incredible bonanza of parts. My 97 wiper linkages were broken and I was contemplating spending $250 on a new replacement...99 had a perfect set.
99 has all the roll bar padding.
I've seen a couple of rear seats for sale...but sans hardware. 99 came with all the belts and brackets. Now I'll never see a rear seat for sale again.
I got a 99 HVAC box should it become necessary to convert to the later HVAC panel since there are no aftermarket 97s.
Did you see the picture of the body mount bolts? I didn't even need a breaker bar to remove them. This Jeep was a golf cart that went from a swanky house in a subdivision to the country club and back on the weekends when they parked the daily driver Jag or the Porsche...it was a 4 cylinder so maybe Lexus or Infinity.
I love this shade of red... what's the paint name for it from Jeep and was it available in 97? I'm not a puritan but I'll at least pretend like I'm trying to do a numbers matching restoration.
I've got a bucket of pristine hardware. Oodles of other parts.
Have to decide which mid shaft to use...mine or the 99s.
-Mac
OP
Here's another one for you east coasters. Sure there's a forum member close enough to make a deal and a hotshot willing to drive it out for a decent price...or road trip it...but give me a month or two before I do another marathon wtench thrash.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1025383911712636/?mibextid=dXMIcH
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1025383911712636/?mibextid=dXMIcH
OP
Mine? They're actually pretty good. I'll take pictures here in a bit. I think this is a classic case of cheap uppers ripping brackets.
Wish I could snap my fingers and get a Saavy mid arm kit.
-Mac
Flame Red. Ask me how I know.
My 97 is Flame Red, too. Jeep also offered Chili Pepper red in 99, but that's a darker shade. I do love a red Jeep. It feels like the proper color for a Jeep.
OP
Flame Red. Ask me how I know.
My 97 is Flame Red, too. Jeep also offered Chili Pepper red in 99, but that's a darker shade. I do love a red Jeep. It feels like the proper color for a Jeep.
I agree. Problem is my wife's JK is red. So's my truck.
I started off buying black toolboxes...now I'm getting different colors...so much easier saying it's in the yellow box top drawer or the blue one.
Not sure how well TWO red Jeeps will play on videos...you can quickly visually see the difference... everyone else might get confused.
For now the white doors and hood will help.
Red with candy is almost impossible to color match. You can get away with murdering paint with white.
-Mac
OP
Mid day plus update...tub is off the 97. Still need to pull the HVAC box and move it over. Struggled with disconnecting the e brake cables until I used the hose clamp trick to compress all four barbs. Stienjager cable shifter bolts are 5/32 Allen and have been in and out enough they're done...will replace them with 3/16 ones so they match everything else. Put weather pack connectors on my locker control wires at my relay box over the battery so I can attach the cable down and disconnect both ends. Removed my front sway bar. Power steering.
Next up is get the engine mounts disconnected from the engine and frame and get them welded on the 99 frame.
Progress. Tell me if my bars are straight enough.
-Mac
Next up is get the engine mounts disconnected from the engine and frame and get them welded on the 99 frame.
Progress. Tell me if my bars are straight enough.
-Mac
OP
Ok...put the tires back on the 97 rear axle and the engine transmission and transfer case are ready to be pulled.
Reloomed and inspected the engine wiring loom and was happy...greasy and oily and some debris in places but I cleaned it all up and wiped everything down and wrapped it all up in Super 33. Bad news is I can't blame wiring for my oil pressure sensor issues.
Driveshafts out. Transmission mount bolts out. Nuts off the engine mounts. Everything wrapped and secured on top.
99 frame 2.4 mounts are gone. Wire wheeled, primed and painted some minor surface rust.
Going to roll the 97 parallel with the 99, pull the engine etc with my tractor, roll the 97 chassis out of the way... template the engine mounts with cardboard or weld some scrap pieces on that locate it to shock towers or something...then grind them off and weld them to the 99.
With any luck I'll have a power train in the 99 tomorrow and a stretch goal of buttoning everything up enough to put the tub back on, connect wiring and confirm turn over.
Think I can save my bumper...
-Mac
Reloomed and inspected the engine wiring loom and was happy...greasy and oily and some debris in places but I cleaned it all up and wiped everything down and wrapped it all up in Super 33. Bad news is I can't blame wiring for my oil pressure sensor issues.
Driveshafts out. Transmission mount bolts out. Nuts off the engine mounts. Everything wrapped and secured on top.
99 frame 2.4 mounts are gone. Wire wheeled, primed and painted some minor surface rust.
Going to roll the 97 parallel with the 99, pull the engine etc with my tractor, roll the 97 chassis out of the way... template the engine mounts with cardboard or weld some scrap pieces on that locate it to shock towers or something...then grind them off and weld them to the 99.
With any luck I'll have a power train in the 99 tomorrow and a stretch goal of buttoning everything up enough to put the tub back on, connect wiring and confirm turn over.
Think I can save my bumper...
-Mac
OP
Barnes rear axle brackets will be here Friday.
Called Bedrug and I'll have front and rear bedtread this week too!
Do I dare wait for Brown Dog raised motor mounts?
-Mac
Called Bedrug and I'll have front and rear bedtread this week too!
Do I dare wait for Brown Dog raised motor mounts?
-Mac
You're making quick work of it!
Frames and tubs sitting there with easy access sure would make a tj-6 conversion simple!
Frames and tubs sitting there with easy access sure would make a tj-6 conversion simple!