A GREAT 4X4 IDEA CAN NET YOU $75,000
Modifying vehicles are all part of wheeling and this dedicated DIY’er takes us through some paces of bringing ‘the old back to almost new' and ready to run.
during the first wave of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020, I started thinking about how to best pass the time other than communicating on social media, watching Netflix and reading through a stack of novels. My solution was simple - purchase a used Jeep JK to get it ready for the better days of summer 2021.
With the many benefits of buying a ‘project Jeep,’ I quickly learned it’s important to determine a budget, decide how much dedication would be required, and do proper research. There’s nothing worse than an ol’ heap that you had grandiose plans for just to sit in the driveway for months on end collecting rust after losing interest. It’s also important to do a complete vehicle inspection, and learn what the vehicle can and cannot accommodate, which is also a great way to prevent any of the ‘buyer beware’ surprises and the oh-so-common disappointments down the road.
For me, the decision to buy and take on a project Jeep came easily. As I am fortunate to have an empty clean, bright, and heated two-car garage, I had space, means and, of course, the time to take on such a project. I must admit it wasn’t without a little effort, research, patience, and a good ol’ fashioned perseverance to get the results I wanted. So, in hindsight here are a few of the trials and tribulations I endured and steps to consider for your project jeep.
THE SEARCH AND WHAT I BOUGHT
What I needed to do was find a project vehicle suitable for my purposes. I decided to focus my search on a 2-door Jeep Wrangler JK since there are many choices between 2007 to
2018, and there’s an abundance of new OEM, aftermarket and used parts readily available. I then created a list of personal parameters for the vehicle. These included no corrosion damage, a base model with a manual transmission, the ability to start (and stay running), driveability, and low mileage. I also wanted it to be as near to stock as possible.
I knew that with these parameters, a project JK should be affordable, especially an older model. It took me approximately a month to find a vehicle that I was ready to test drive and possibly purchase. It was located in Bancroft, ON, approximately three hours from my residence in Fergus.
It was a mid-series, 2011 base model, 2-door JK (with the old-style 3.8 L Pentastar engine that Jeep updated with a 3.6 L) with a soft top and 75,800 km (47099 mi) on the clock. Although it only had one owner, the chassis was rusty (but the body was in OK shape), and it still had the original 16”
(yet rusty) steelies with 29” OEM tires – 225/75/16. It was perfect. I test drove it, paid cash and took it home.
OK, maybe it wasn’t perfect. In fact, it was evident that the only maintenance that was completed was changing the engine oil. Its suspension was soft and weak, there was a broken front spring, the brakes were indifferent, steering was vague, the soft top zippers were seized, and it definitely needed new wheels and tires. It also had heavy surface rust, the engine compartment was gritty, and the chassis and frame were coated in sand and mud. But, it did start and the 4X4 functioned well. I was confident I could perform all the necessary work to give this rig many more years of dependable use.
THE BUILD
The beauty of a basic JK is it’s based on a simple 4X4 platform. Modifications, upgrades, and repairs are well within the skill set of a tech-savvy, untrained mechanic (such as myself) and with the right mods, it could be a trail-worthy rig. With that in mind, my thoughts were to create a clean, dependable daily-driving Jeep that my wife and I could enjoy during the summer, take on some mild trails and make trips to the beach with the top down.
THE PROCESS
My modest goal meant project costs would be minimal and a plethora of used JK parts were available. For example, halfway through the winter, I purchased a complete, almost new Rubicon suspension for $200. Plus, repairs and routine maintenance involving changing fluids and filters would be minimal work.
My first task prior to placing it on jack stands in my garage was to pressure wash and degrease the chassis. This is an important step after purchasing an older, used vehicle as it minimizes dust later in the shop. I also knew at some point I wanted to descale the surface rust on the chassis and axles, and apply a semi-gloss black chassis paint – POR 15. So, blasting off 10 years of mud, grit, and crust off the underside was going to be necessary anyway.
SURPRISES AND LESSONS LEARNED
There’s always a ‘buyer beware’ mentality when purchasing any used vehicle. Someone famous once described geopolitical uncertainty in terms of ‘known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns.’ The same could be applied to used Jeeps. Fortunately, most of the work on my project Jeep fell into the category of “known knowns.” However, four issues still surprised me including:
• I knew the soft top zippers were seized and after a good soaking, applying lubricant, and thorough cleaning, I realized they were beyond repair. Fortunately, I was able to find an almost-new Bestop NX Supertop at a very modest price. Nevertheless, it was still a cost I wasn’t anticipating.
• While the rear calliper pins were seized, I was able to free up one side but I broke a worn pin on the other creating a domino effect. This ultimately resulted in changing both rear brakes. I purchased new ones for safety’s sake but it was another cost I wasn’t expecting.
• My initial plan was to purchase new tires and wheels. However, during my many Kijiji searches for other parts, I found a set of low mileage, take-off 17” OEM wheels from a 2017 Sahara that came with OEM Goodyear Wrangler SRAs 255/75/17, a 32” tire, which is the maximum OEM size for a stock Jeep. While not suitable for a hard-core trail rig, they are nice tires for daily driving. What I didn’t realize was that the TPMS sensors were changed in 2013 from 315 MHz to 433 MHz, thus they wouldn’t work on my 2011 Jeep. Since the life of the old TPMS sensors is about ten years, I decided to buy new replacements, which was another unforeseen cost.
• After changing the tire size from 29” to 32,” the speedometer on my JK was inaccurate. I found a local shop to reprogram the speedo for the new tire size but the cost was the same as doing it myself with a dedicated Jeep reprogramming tool. The one I used was a Superchips Flashcal. It worked great, but it was another overlooked detail, and yet one other unplanned expenditure.
CONCLUSION
It was these mods and more that I completed during the winter and my efforts paid off, especially after a summer of enjoying it. With some serious TLC like replacing the suspension, new rear seals, as well as giving it a modest 2.5” lift (and some other ‘surgery’) my 10-year-old project Jeep now looks almost timeless. Although it’s always nice to buy new, project vehicles are a great way to exercise your DIY skills and perfect a rig to your needs and personal preferences. It’s also a an ideal means to save money, and not all that difficult to get great results with a little time, effort and dedication.
The biggest, dirtiest job was descaling the chassis and prepping for paint with rust remover and converter. Safety and health are important. Always use appropriate gear.