Why not build an XJ? STOP LAUGHING!!

[Hickey]

EFI XJ's are getting pretty cheap to find. Was it 91 that the HO came out in them? If you wanted to build a budget 5 seater buggy, why not snag one for the drivetrain/electrical/steering/misc. donor? Herzog did it.... It's pretty easy to find an older stock XJ between $1200 and $1500 bones. Discuss.

 

[Caleb]

I would still rather get an older EFI s-10 blazer (like you have talked about)...4.3L 700R4 231/241...great package and I am sure you can get one as cheap if not cheaper than an XJ...also you have a frame with the Blazer...don't get me wrong, the Jeep drivetrain is a great drivetrain but starting with nothing I would rather go chevy...

 

[Hickey]

I would still rather get an older EFI s-10 blazer (like you have talked about)...4.3L 700R4 231/241...great package and I am sure you can get one as cheap if not cheaper than an XJ...also you have a frame with the Blazer...don't get me wrong, the Jeep drivetrain is a great drivetrain but starting with nothing I would rather go chevy...

The S10 frame is pretty durn heavy though.. and the HP ratings for the 4.3 were kinda weak until 95 or 97, I'm not sure which. XJ HO was 210 from 91 on, I beleive. XJ's are also a lot easier to come by, oddly enough, at least in that price range. Plus, I am not real trusting of the 700r4 until 95 and newer vehicles.

 

[Cody]

The blazer frame may be heavy, but it's not like that inline 6 block is a feather.

Zj's can be found cheap---318, 46RH, 249---231 swaps are simple to do. From what I remember, the 318 block actually weighs less than the 4.0 block and once it's all dressed up, there isn't that much difference. I bet you could cut the fat out of the newer 318's and lose a little weight to. I see 93 v8 ZJ's going for 1500-3000 all the time. You can pick up some with slight body damage for super cheap too.


That being said, I think the s10's w/ the 4.3 vortech would make a killer platform.

 

[Hickey]

The blazer frame may be heavy, but it's not like that inline 6 block is a feather.

Zj's can be found cheap---318, 46RH, 249---231 swaps are simple to do. From what I remember, the 318 block actually weighs less than the 4.0 block and once it's all dressed up, there isn't that much difference. I bet you could cut the fat out of the newer 318's and lose a little weight to. I see 93 v8 ZJ's going for 1500-3000 all the time. You can pick up some with slight body damage for super cheap too.


That being said, I think the s10's w/ the 4.3 vortech would make a killer platform.

I definitely would not rule out ZJ's... I've just had my eyes out for S10's for a while.... and they just aren't that plentiful, and most need trans work. Is it tax return time yet? Cody, would you prefer a ZJ ovr an XJ? I do love the sound of a V-8.

 

[Cody]

What do I prefer--hmm I bet you can guess.

I guess it depends on what you will do with it. I like the WB of a ZJ better, I like the v8, I like the novelty and the lines of the ZJ better. I like the softer ride of the coils front/rear better. However, the XJ has a better axles/t-case most of the time (HP30 front, 44 rears), is cheaper, lighter, etc. But everyone has XJ's these days.

If you are going to hack it all up and swap axles and get generally nasty with it, then it doesn't really matter what unibody vehicle you get. It's not like you can't push an XJ out to 107 and link up the rear....

There are positives and negatives to both. I deffinatly don't like the size of my hood, the unibody, or how front heavy my rig is. A normal ZJ doesn't have the weight bias issues that I have. I would love to see somone lay into a Durango or a newer WJ with a sawzall, a vengence, and a vision. I know there have been a couple wrecked WJ's out there that went for around 1500 comlete with the super-sexy 4.7 v8 and such.

Having a frame just makes things so much easier. Will you be driving it or trailering it?

Cody

 

[Hickey]

and get generally nasty with it,

trailering it?

Trailer queen. Originally, The idea was to build something that would be barely road legal, so I could drive it to work to save miles on the tow rig. I've thrown that idea out the door, since it would cost a fair bit of money per year to insure, maintain, and gas a vehicle of that size per year, plus it would severely limit the hackability of said rig.

It all comes back to that damn frame though.... stupid frame...

Another donor option could be 1988 and newer Bronco. Quite plentiful, EFI V8, early ones had the C6 auto/with fixed output t-case, solid frame, good steering setup. I wonder what the weight difference would be between a stripped ZJ and a stripped Bronco.

Like this...

I'm not crazy about the look of this one, but it gets me thinking. I would address that departure angle first thing. Coils in the rear.

 

[James K]

BWAHAHAHAHA

I WIN

 

[Spork]

ZJ go with the V8 you know you want to.

 

[Herzog]

The 4.0L's are long, heavy bastards. That's for sure. I still love'm though. I probably have around 210,000 miles on it and it doesn't hesitate.

 

[N-Smooth]

i thought about fs broncos as a trail rig, i think it would be badass. my dad has one and it is a sweet ride. would be fun to use the drivetrain for a buggy imo. both the 302 and 351 would be fun and fast in a buggy!

 

[Hickey]

BWAHAHAHAHA

I WIN

You win what? Go practice riding your quad that's already broke

 

[Bart]

I could be really wrong here, but aren't S10 IFS? I'd take an XJ/ZJ anyday over something I'd need to do a solid axle swap onto.

 

[Hickey]

I could be really wrong here, but aren't S10 IFS? I'd take an XJ/ZJ anyday over something I'd need to do a solid axle swap onto.

All rigs being discussed would suffer severe p-cutter action, to the point where they would no longer be recognizable.

 

[mbryson]

All rigs being discussed would suffer severe p-cutter action, to the point where they would no longer be recognizable.

Yo. I have the perfect candidate for you. I wish I wouldn't have bought those other axles, now.

 

[utahxjer]

sounds like you need to visit the xj_punk

 

[Hickey]

sounds like you need to visit the xj_punk

Shoot, that punk kid is just a punk... with an XJ... sorta.

 

[Hickey]

Yo. I have the perfect candidate for you. I wish I wouldn't have bought those other axles, now.

If the price is right, it could be.

 

[N-Smooth]

well said!

i was about to say that he doesn't need any advice from me... go back to all my threads where i was asking questions to him and other respected members of the board.

no need to talk to me, i just wanted to agree with the fs bronco idea.

 

[Hickey]

After talking with Andy about his "Hero" XJ, I am leaning towards the XJ.