VM 2.8 turbo diesel frame-up TJ build

Just about finished with the wiring....If you look closely at left hand side of the jeep you'll see a trailer module...We need to use the module because the Liberty has a separate brake light and tail lights while the TJ does not. The TJ tail lights are just like a trailer where you have the signal light and the brake light share the same bulb and the body control module turns the brake light off on the side that's signalling. Got the tail lights and reverse lights working so far....still working on signal and brake lights....The wires on the right hand side of the photo are for the airbag system....we need to mount side impact crash sensors even though we're not using side curtain airbags....going to wire in resistors to the side airbag wiring to simulate working airbags...Hope to have the wiring all wrapped up by week's end....

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Stilll lots of work left to do but also lots of progress made.....taking an extended spring break because of Covid-19.......gives me some time to prep for the last phase of the build...need to order a sip yoke eiminator for the NP242 transfer case...then measure it up for custom cv front and rear driveshafts. Intercooler needs auminum elbows welded on in order for it to work...power steering pumbing, tranny cooler, engine cooling and a few other odds and ends to go.

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Super excited to be back in the Auto shop in face to face classes. We hope to finish most of the work on the Jeep before the middle of November when the term ends.

Over the summer I gave the intercooler to a real good friend of mine along with a couple aluminium elbows. the in and out ports on the intercooler need to be perpendicular to the plane of the intercooler. He gave it back a couple weeks ago and it looks amazing....he did an excellent job. This morning we began to fabricate and install the intercooler into the grille. It fits like a glove.....the grille needed a tiny bit of trimming on the inside to make it fit,,,,,we fabricated the upper and lower brackets that hold the intercooler....they just need to be welded to the inner grille bracket. So far things are going great!

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I’ve been wanting to get a mesh in front of the inter cooler. Nothing like a big stone getting thrown in there from a passing dump truck.

the JK was so easy to install one.

you might want to consider that while you still havethe front clip blown apart like that
 
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Thanks..I’m the teacher , not the student...and I agree with you..
Cheers,
Mike

Sorry Mike, got it mixed up.

The best job I ever had was working at the military auto hobby shop while I was waiting to discharge from active duty. I fixed cars for a living prior to serving, so I got on there & spent my days showing young airmen how to work on their cars, boats, 4 wheelers, or whatever project they had going on. I loved every second of it. When I'm finally retired I would love to do something like that again. Hopefully when I'm finally done I'll have enough management experience to put something together like you.
 
Can't wait to see the finished result, what a cool TJ this will be!

Who gets to drive it full time? ;)
 
Can't wait to see the finished result, what a cool TJ this will be!

Who gets to drive it full time? ;)
I have about 7 thousand into the project so far...have had a few people already asking me if I would be interested in selling it. It would take an awful lot for me to part with it. I can’t wait to drive it...it’s all mine!
 
I have about 7 thousand into the project so far...have had a few people already asking me if I would be interested in selling it. It would take an awful lot for me to part with it. I can’t wait to drive it...it’s all mine!

Yep, don’t sell it unless someone offers you something stupid. Drive the hell out of that thing, this is hands down one of my favorite TJ builds I’ve seen.
 
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I just watched the video of the first start. I had a moment of true anxiety when I saw the hand reaching into the engine compartment holding that long flailing item while the engine was cranking. Whew-lucky this time!

Anyway, great job and an interesting build, and well done to you and your students.
 
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This build is an inspiration, And thank you Mike for taking time and sharing it with everyone. i came across a 2006 liberty crd at salvage auction last winter and bought it thinking i would fix the front end collision damage it had and be able to drive it but i soon realized I was not excited about the fact that it was a liberty, and was only excited about the powertrain in it. last week i bought a really clean Mj and ready to start the swap, i joined this forum just to be able to follow your progress and become inspired and learn from you
How’s things going with your diesel swap?
 
Ran into a little problem with power steering plumbing...thought we could just join two halves of the power steering pressure line (steering box half from a TJ and the pump half from a Liberty) with a brass compression union. Turns out we can’t because the two halves have different steel line thicknesses. Looks like I need to get one made at the Parker store. Getting excited to see the light at the end of this long tunnel.

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Ran into a little problem with power steering plumbing...thought we could just join two halves of the power steering pressure line (steering box half from a TJ and the pump half from a Liberty) with a brass compression union. Turns out we can’t because the two halves have different steel line thicknesses. Looks like I need to get one made at the Parker store. Getting excited to see the light at the end of this long tunnel.
Garage fatigue is real.
 
Wipers, power steering, tranny cooling all done. Seats are in, lower rad hose is also in. Pretty much all that is left to do is heater core plumbing, upper rad hose, intercooler plumbing, hood and mounting of the cabin fuse box. Drive shafts have to be made from scratch so will have to trailer it to town to get it measured up for new shafts. A few other little odds and ends to do but it’s mostly done

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I can’t say WOW enough! Your build/swap is truly amazing!

I’d love to do something like this someday. But I’m busy right now restoring my son’s ‘73 Nova. Replacing all the rusty body parts, tubbing it, and stuffing a 383 stroker in it.
It was his first car. I gave it to him when he was 16.😸
 
Damn it's really coming along rally good. You've attacked each problem and figured them out. Your students are learning and you are building an AWESOME TJ at the same time. I wonder how many of these young people will go on in life and do something similar to this? I know you have no way of knowing but I think it's great.
 
Damn it's really coming along rally good. You've attacked each problem and figured them out. Your students are learning and you are building an AWESOME TJ at the same time. I wonder how many of these young people will go on in life and do something similar to this? I know you have no way of knowing but I think it's great.
Thanks! Students definitely had a great time building this thing!! A good number of students that have graduated have kept in touch and are patiently waiting for the shakedown trials.....they want to be present for the first run.