Calgary Jeep Association

Author Topic: 93 YJ Buildup  (Read 2182 times)

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Offline Timok

  • Winch Wench
  • Posts: 28
93 YJ Buildup
« on: September 24, 2010, 01:27:40 AM »
As the story goes:

Years ago, as a child, I decided I wanted a Jeep. Shortly before my 16th birthday I had gained enough goodwill with my folks (and a couple nickles in my bank account) to convince them that I should actually get a new one. So off to the dealer we go and purchase a brand spanking new 1993 YJ. Being young (and generally at the mercy of my mother's signing authority), I opted for the optional hardtop/back seat/carpet instead of the 4L. Ah live and learn.

After several years of it being my DD, I moved onto other vehicles but couldn't bring myself to sell the thing. So it got parked out at my parent's acreage and generally forgotten.

Fast forward a bit. My wife decides she wants the YJ to putt around town in. The Jeep was in fairly rough shape after (ab)use/neglect, so we started swapping stuff in to try and get it road worthy.

Done so far:

4" suspension lift (stock leafs were flat, except for the bends where there shouldn't be bends...)
Swapped in some cloth seats from a Sunfire(?) as the original seats were beyond caring to save
Pounded out some "character" in the front fenders
Wire wheeled a bunch of rust off various parts
Applied a liberal dose of black rust paint to the frame in the easy to reach areas  ::)

Still to do:

Replace windshield
Replace hood as original has some "character" from a tree that just can't be pounded out
Replace fender flares
Rhinoliner (or something similar) the inside of the tub

Should have the rest of the list done by sometime late October. However the story doesn't really end there.

As a buddy and myself were installing the suspension lift, we decided to tease my wife a little. Basically we told her that she was going to wake up one day and find her (not very) shiny white Jeep a nice pink color. Malibu Barbie style. She didn't say no. Now we're stuck for it...

So after looking around and pricing some stuff out, I think we've just decided to go the spray bomb route. There's little point in spending $1000+ on new panels to get everything mint, and then another $2000+ on a complete body spray.

The way I look at it is that she'll drive it this winter and next summer and then make me buy her something else for winter 2011. You know, something with decent heat that doesn't snow inside the vehicle as well. As this point I imagine I'll get bored, tear it apart and spend a bunch of cash making it silly. V8, 8.8, etc. et all.

I have about a billion more pictures, but I don't want to go overboard with them.

Original Front


Original Side


New front brakes. Check the leaf...oops, my bad.


Rims and rubber cleaned up better than expected

« Last Edit: September 26, 2010, 11:41:15 PM by Timok »

Offline Timok

  • Winch Wench
  • Posts: 28
Re: 93 YJ Buildup
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2010, 11:40:46 PM »
Yummy. Rot.


Front suspension on


Rear suspension on


Final ride heights