ORFXJ

Well...I figured i would wait till i was pretty much done with my XJ before i posted the entire build from start to finish. Just like any build I had an idea of what i wanted it to preform and function like when i was done, but honesty...things can get a little out of control when your wife doesn't mind how much you spend on the jeep "as long as it has a roof rack and we can go camping some where fun"....lol!

I built another 96 XJ a couple of years ago and was, unfortunately, forced to sell it a little over a year & a half ago....(had an offer we couldn't refuse...at the time)

Here are a few photo's of it day's before my wife and i sold it...




These two axle shots were shortly after i finished rebuilding the suspension, tossing the HP30 & 8.25 and putting a set of JK axles & 37" mtr's under it...





I was content for about a year...it did last to long though...A friend of mine asked me to do some big upgrades to his LJ Rubicon...and of course, after finishing his build, we went out and did a day run through "smasher canyon" (AZ), the itch really hit me again...I'm fairly certain its a diagnosable disease for us Jeep guys! My wife thinks so too...

So shortly after our trail run i started looking for a fairly good 96 XJ platform to build a simple little wheeler on some 31's...i vowed to my self that i wouldn't build another ridiculously undaily drivable XJ, but something simple and "daily" drivable...at this stage my wife says i'm in denial...I'm pretty sure she was right...their always right...

(game changer) I didn't have any luck for weeks and was getting pretty discouraged about the whole thing...but, of course fate stepped in...another friend of mine was having some car trouble and needed me to help them out; so i traded out some work and fixed up there car for them. They didn't have any money, at the time, to pay me for all the parts & labor...but, they did have a beat up old '76 F-150 with a 351 in it...we agreed it was a fair trade and they signed the title over. I parted out the entire power-train and kept the HP44 & 9" and scraped the rest of the truck...

As soon as I ended up with those axles...my idea of a simple daily driver were mostly out the window...a few weeks later a local forum user posted up a 1996 red XJ with a blown motor for a couple hundred bucks...so starts the new beginning for this little red 1996 Cherokee...

Tim W

I saw your old blue xj in a thread on pirate the other day, made me feel funny in my pants

ORFXJ

(-Side Note- This build took me about 4 months to complete...between ordering all the components and finding the time to work on it after work...I think it went fairly quick & smooth...)

Well lets get started with the details then...I bought the XJ just before Thanks Giving, Nov of 2011, I got started on the tear down the following week...placed the XJ on some stands and dug right into her...striped down and gutted the entire XJ exterior, interior, motor, transmission, etc...I kept the axles in for the time being so i could get her on and off the trailer and mover her around the shop until all the body work was done...



Pulling the poor old 4.0L out...making room for something a little more sufficient...



Making some head way on it...New ATK engine sitting in the crate...



Winched her on a trailer and dropped her off at Beal's Auto Body in Prescott, AZ for all the body work and painting the top half...





About ready to tape her off and spray the top half Ferrari red...



On the trailer and back from paint...



Back in the shop for a little extra work before it heads down to inyati...

mcguyver_xj

So you owned that blue xj but did not mention that if you look at product info for OR-Fabs rear bumper and their quarter guards that exact jeep is seen and you just happen to make your username ORFXJ...whats the deal do you work for OR-Fab or just bs'ing about owning the previous cherokee (not trying to start a problem just curious)

ORFXJ

Yes, I work in R&D...when i sold my blue jeep i kept the plates (ORF XJ) which is why i made my user name ORFXJ a few years ago...so i decided to reuse them on this new XJ over a year later...but, I built my(this) XJ outside of OR-Fab...at my shop, my time and money...I'm 100% "off the clock" on this forum and build-up...I only use some of there product/resources and of course marketing uses it for all there new images. Even though you'll see some of there product during this build thread...OR-fab has nothing to do with my "build"...good question though, I honesty should have probably started a new screen name and account...I'm really not trying to plug or sell anything for them...just trying to show how i spent the last four months building our (wife and i) family rig...maybe it will help give other XJ lovers some ideas for there build

Always helps to clarify!

ORFXJ

Picked up a set of ARR XJ hood louvers, making the final cuts to the hood...





Cut out my rockers and picked up some 6x2 .188 wall square tubing for my rockers, turned out nice...







Dropped the transmission off at Certified Transmission in Prescott, AZ for a fresh rebuild, those guys to awesome work on AW4's!...



Loaded up and dropped the XJ off at inyati in Chandler, AZ to have their special blend military grade kevlar armoring sprayed on the entire bottom half and interior...









Got my TR Beadlocks back from powder coating & mounted up on some 35" mtr kevlars...

hansen19

awesome build, cant wait to see the rest of it....get some ideas for my build as well

Atmos

this is gonna be amazing I just know it. very skillful work
how much did you get for the old xj you had to sell if you dont mind my asking?

XJ BoSS

hurry up and post some more pics! i got a hardy after this

Atmos

yikes. if you need a spoiler for this build go check out TOTM quarter panel guards..

Darko

yeah, that's where I saw it first. one hell of a good looking XJ. very similar to what I'm going for in mine. I'm very excited to see the step by step process. you've already given me a few good ideas! keep it up

mcguyver_xj

Sweet deal man I only asked cause im a fan of OR Fabs and have their rear bumper used to have the front too and I recognized the jeep cause of the rear suspension and stuff...

digger21

That paintjob is badass! How much did that lower half run ya?

mrfajita

Kevlar bedliner...That is sick.

TheCK4x4

Rigs looking sick dude !