Double Dingo's 1991 Jeep Cherokee

[Swearbody]

I love XJs. Ive had two. A 95 and 99. Both on 4.5 rustys lift and 32s. I grew up with the meigos boys in trussville alabama(owners of rustys offroad who specialize in XJs) and we had a blast in the 90s out at Deerfoot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BofvTAwBkn5/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

[DoubleDingo]

I love XJs. Ive had two. A 95 and 99. Both on 4.5 rustys lift and 32s. I grew up with the meigos boys in trussville alabama(owners of rustys offroad who specialize in XJs) and we had a blast in the 90s out at Deerfoot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BofvTAwBkn5/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Looks like a good Jeep. I considered going with a higher lift, but I went with what I like, a little over stock height. So the 2.5 inch Old Man Emu is what I ended up with. A coworker had a 4 inch lift OME lift, with 31's or 32's, I can't remember now on the tire size. I liked the height of his, but for what I use it for, 2.5 was enough, and it is still very capable. A rear locker would be good, although it would have to be a lunchbox locker or something not too beefy to break the weak Dana in these things.

 

[Swearbody]

Looks like a good Jeep. I considered going with a higher lift, but I went with what I like, a little over stock height. So the 2.5 inch Old Man Emu is what I ended up with. A coworker had a 4 inch lift OME lift, with 31's or 32's, I can't remember now on the tire size. I liked the height of his, but for what I use it for, 2.5 was enough, and it is still very capable. A rear locker would be good, although it would have to be a lunchbox locker or something not too beefy to break the weak Dana in these things.

I got the 4.5 cause it was sent back to rustys as a return having a lot of scuffing on it so they gave it to me for $100. I just had to go pick it up at their shop. otherwise Ida prolly went old man emu also. They have the best reputation ive seen amongst jeepers. Mine had to have a oe limited slip cause it just pulled through anything at a crawl. the front was open i imagine. I shocked a couple old timers in 1/2 ton trucks with 38s once at a bog pit by crawling through the middle. Got a couple cheers that night. Otherwise I just trailed mine.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I got the 4.5 cause it was sent back to rustys as a return having a lot of scuffing on it so they gave it to me for $100. I just had to go pick it up at their shop. otherwise Ida prolly went old man emu also. They have the best reputation ive seen amongst jeepers. Mine had to have a oe limited slip cause it just pulled through anything at a crawl. the front was open i imagine. I shocked a couple old timers in 1/2 ton trucks with 38s once at a bog pit by crawling through the middle. Got a couple cheers that night. Otherwise I just trailed mine.

Mine is supposed to have the OE limited slip, but someone either fried it and took it out, or it never came with it. Still pretty capable without it. I'm sure it's even better with it, as you stated going through stuff with ease. I have considered the lock-right, but I have other projects in need of money, so it's a pick-and-choose type of thing.

 

[SquareRoot]

I’ll give you $35 for the steering shaft.

That one made spit my coffee all over my keyboard.

 

[Swearbody]

A Jeep XJ is on my list of vehicles id have if i were rich so id say i like em a lot.
73-79 swb Squarebody pro touring build, supercharged c5 fixed roof coupe track build, lifted XJ, turboed civic ep3,LS swapped 80 z28 on NOS, compound 12v cummins....thats my lotto build list. even as a rich man I would still build those first.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Always wanted a Cherokee, but they're getting stupid expensive around these parts in recent years. They're cool and all, but not cool enough to pay 4 grand for a rusty 20+ year old truck with 200k miles.

I drove a later 2 door sport with a 5 speed that had a smashed front end as a yard car when I worked at a salvage yard back in 2006 or so when they were still relatively current vehicles. The radiator was pushed into the pulleys and it overheated like **** if I ran it for more than 10 minutes or so, but that thing got me around the lot and hauled parts for several months before I finally left the poor thing alone, was a good little truck.

I've got an '83 CJ7 with a ****** ass 4.2l in it, I'm always keeping my eyes open for totaled XJs so I can take the driveline and bolt a proper engine into mine

 

[DoubleDingo]

A Jeep XJ is on my list of vehicles id have if i were rich so id say i like em a lot.
73-79 swb Squarebody pro touring build, supercharged c5 fixed roof coupe track build, lifted XJ, turboed civic ep3,LS swapped 80 z28 on NOS, compound 12v cummins....thats my lotto build list. even as a rich man I would still build those first.

Mine is fairly simple. I want another '56 Chevy Sedan or Nomad. I had a sedan in high school, and I only sold it to take my daughter's mother to court for custody. Only to find out the guy sold it two years later and didn't contact me to see if I wanted it back. All it needed was the engine to be stabbed, and it was driveable, but he didn't stab the engine, and just sold it. That was a great engine, too. He did give me back the Muncie M21, though. I told my wife, the only vehicle that I absolutely want to buy is a '56.

That engine was a great engine, too. Pop showed me how to rebuild it when I was 15. We reused the internals because they were perfect. It didn't even need to be bored over. Basically a hot tank, re-bearing, re-ring, hone, and run it. Ran that engine in the '56 from '86 to '91, when I put it in Mean Green. In '96, I calculated I had put about 194k on that engine after the rebuild, almost all highway miles. I pulled the heads to have them redone, and there was no ridges in the cylinders. We had to cut the ridges when we rebuilt it, but those cylinders looked pristine. After Pop reworked the heads, that thing had some much power increase it was a whole different truck. While it was down I installed a front sway bar and power steering. I could goose it and swing the ass-end around turns with ease after that. So fun!

 

[DoubleDingo]

Always wanted a Cherokee, but they're getting stupid expensive around these parts in recent years. They're cool and all, but not cool enough to pay 4 grand for a rusty 20+ year old truck with 200k miles.

I drove a later 2 door sport with a 5 speed that had a smashed front end as a yard car when I worked at a salvage yard back in 2006 or so when they were still relatively current vehicles. The radiator was pushed into the pulleys and it overheated like **** if I ran it for more than 10 minutes or so, but that thing got me around the lot and hauled parts for several months before I finally left the poor thing alone, was a good little truck.

I've got an '83 CJ7 with a ****** ass 4.2l in it, I'm always keeping my eyes open for totaled XJs so I can take the driveline and bolt a proper engine into mine

That's about what I paid for mine, but it had 88k miles on it, and that was in 2002. I could see paying that much now, IF the engine was fresh, transmission rebuilt, and everything was intact and solid. Unfortunately most of these XJ's have been beat to hell and back.

 

[idahovette]

@DoubleDingo . Ah a fellow 56 lover!! Have had 5 over the years. Started out with a 56 210 4 door hardtop, 265 3 spd,when I was a sophomore, then 210 2 door wagon 301 3spd. NOT my girlfriend's parents favorite car. Sold that and got a nova, sold the Nova and got the wagon back and 1/4 miled it awhile. Then a 56 210 2 door sedan, best, tightest bodied 56 I ever had. Somewhere in there was a 56 short box 235 4spd pu. Now my Bride and I are building a Nomad, hope to get it done before I croak!!!!!

 

[Swearbody]

Always wanted a Cherokee, but they're getting stupid expensive around these parts in recent years. They're cool and all, but not cool enough to pay 4 grand for a rusty 20+ year old truck with 200k miles.

I drove a later 2 door sport with a 5 speed that had a smashed front end as a yard car when I worked at a salvage yard back in 2006 or so when they were still relatively current vehicles. The radiator was pushed into the pulleys and it overheated like **** if I ran it for more than 10 minutes or so, but that thing got me around the lot and hauled parts for several months before I finally left the poor thing alone, was a good little truck.

I've got an '83 CJ7 with a ****** ass 4.2l in it, I'm always keeping my eyes open for totaled XJs so I can take the driveline and bolt a proper engine into mine

As with everything it seems they are half that price here. You can get a non running but rust free and already lifted for under 1k. Just wait for the kid or yuppie who cant fix **** and there you go...cheap jeep.( again thats here)
I like the comanche a lot too. Ive had a 2dr and 4dr xj. I want another 2dr bad enough I almost got one instead of my newest square. I was actually in the market for one when I came across the deal I got on my 84 gmc but the truck was too good to pass up. This gmc is the first vehicle i didnt haggle on. Guy barley made it to the meeting spot with it and I still threw the money at him,LOL

 

[Swearbody]

Mine is fairly simple. I want another '56 Chevy Sedan or Nomad. I had a sedan in high school, and I only sold it to take my daughter's mother to court for custody. Only to find out the guy sold it two years later and didn't contact me to see if I wanted it back. All it needed was the engine to be stabbed, and it was driveable, but he didn't stab the engine, and just sold it. That was a great engine, too. He did give me back the Muncie M21, though. I told my wife, the only vehicle that I absolutely want to buy is a '56.

That engine was a great engine, too. Pop showed me how to rebuild it when I was 15. We reused the internals because they were perfect. It didn't even need to be bored over. Basically a hot tank, re-bearing, re-ring, hone, and run it. Ran that engine in the '56 from '86 to '91, when I put it in Mean Green. In '96, I calculated I had put about 194k on that engine after the rebuild, almost all highway miles. I pulled the heads to have them redone, and there was no ridges in the cylinders. We had to cut the ridges when we rebuilt it, but those cylinders looked pristine. After Pop reworked the heads, that thing had some much power increase it was a whole different truck. While it was down I installed a front sway bar and power steering. I could goose it and swing the ass-end around turns with ease after that. So fun![/QUOTEYeah

I love the 210 coupes also. Would totally rock a pro touring. I really want a 48 coupe pro touring. They arent on the day one lotto list but they ARE on THE list.

 

[DoubleDingo]

@DoubleDingo . Ah a fellow 56 lover!! Have had 5 over the years. Started out with a 56 210 4 door hardtop, 265 3 spd,when I was a sophomore, then 210 2 door wagon 301 3spd. NOT my girlfriend's parents favorite car. Sold that and got a nova, sold the Nova and got the wagon back and 1/4 miled it awhile. Then a 56 210 2 door sedan, best, tightest bodied 56 I ever had. Somewhere in there was a 56 short box 235 4spd pu. Now my Bride and I are building a Nomad, hope to get it done before I croak!!!!!

The bad stepdad bought the '56 210 2 door for mom when I was around 7. I always loved being dropped off at school in that car. Felt like royalty. He modified the rear wheel-wells by flaring them out. It looked cool, and made the car unique. He put the engine from a '76 K10 in it, and it had a 4 speed Saginaw with a short throw shifter. The gas pedal would hang-up at a certain spot and the car would launch once the pedal broke free from that spot.

In '84, mom was out of town and my brother threw a party. Of course I didn't mind, hanging out with upperclassmen and the older hot girls. By that point mom had made it clear the '56 was mine, which pissed off my brother. Mom had the keys, but at that point the ignition was so worn that it didn't need a key. Well, brother and friends took it out after getting good and drunk. They were going around the lake and he was dumping the clutch at the speed bumps. On the second speed bump he did that and the right rear lug studs all sheared, and the car slammed to the ground, ruining that quarter panel.

The way the bad stepdad did the flares, he added metal, and all the auto body guys said it couldn't just be cut out and welded in. Let's just say that the tow truck driver left the car on the flat bed, with the mangled side facing out, and parked the tow truck as close to the highway as possible. Mom saw the car before she even got to the house. Brother was in big trouble!

In '85 mom would let me drive it to auto shop night classes. Well my drunk classmate talked me into ditching class and drinking beer. Hey Shane, let's take off like we're in a race and keep going like we're racing. Okay! Let's do it! I have no idea how fast we were going, but I heard a loud bang, and saw sparks out the back in the rear view. Ruined the 4 speed. Cracked the case. By the time the car got drug to the house, most of the school was outside and mom yelled, "You can all leave, I'm not going to kill him!" She told me to go inside, took the keys, and that was it. She was pissed, but I was safe. I got to look at that car every day, broken.

When we got the rebuilt engine ready, I acquired a TH400, and we converted it to an automatic. Then in '87, right before Grandpa passed away, we swapped in a Nova rear end that had 2.89 gears or something like that. That made the car HAUL ASS!!! Driving that car could be compared to a blind person walking down a street with their cane swiping side-to-side. The stay straight you had to continually turn the wheel back and forth. And mountain roads, you had to make sure you were already set for that direction or you'd end up off the road. Good times!

Brother almost ruined the engine in '88, but we were able to save it. I had developed internal bleeding from a tonsillectomy, and I asked him to drive it home, while mom drove me to the hospital for emergency surgery. He did, but not until he took it for another joy ride.

 

[idahovette]

Great story, it's kinda fun to remember all the crazy stuff that went on. 2 of my really good friends also had 56's. Larry had a 4door Bel Aire and Dave had a 2 dr Bel Aire. Both post cars, and both ridiculously fast for 265s. Both had 3 on the floor, the good old Mystery shifter(it was a "mystery" what gear you were in)!!!! GOOD TIMES!!!!!

 

[DoubleDingo]

Great story, it's kinda fun to remember all the crazy stuff that went on. 2 of my really good friends also had 56's. Larry had a 4door Bel Aire and Dave had a 2 dr Bel Aire. Both post cars, and both ridiculously fast for 265s. Both had 3 on the floor, the good old Mystery shifter(it was a "mystery" what gear you were in)!!!! GOOD TIMES!!!!!

It is fun reminiscing the good old days. The only other tri-five vintage car in high school was a classmate's '57 4 door. It looked pink to me, but the official color was something different. I razzed him all the time about the color of his car. His parents bought it for him, and it was all original. It was actually a really nice car with 283 and powerglide.

Mystery shifter...lol... Is that because the shifter was a 4 speed shifter being used on a 3 speed?