Is this crazy or worth it, swapping bodies?

[cocco78]

Hard to tell from the pics in the other thread but that Jeep doesn't look bad at all. I think it would be a waste of your time especially since is so mildly built to go through all that work. I mean I know people that have used XJ's hard and after a few seasons swapped there custom lift and axles to newer XJ's. I could see if you had thousands tied up into it. Who knows tho, I could see myself doing something like that... I'd probably just pick up a wreck or something to swap in a newer engine/trans/tcase unless it was really to rusted to do that.

Oh, I'm over in the UP so I know rust just as much as you do! It sucks. I've been on the lookout for a decent clean low mileage XJ and haven't found anything decent within 500 miles :Wow1:

 

[Momrocks]

This is a pretty common practice. People I know have done the same thing after a couple of flops. I can understand living in the rust belt that the same thing is required. Money wise I feel it's your best play.

:safari-rig:

 

[troy]

Hard to tell from the pics in the other thread but that Jeep doesn't look bad at all. I think it would be a waste of your time especially since is so mildly built to go through all that work. I mean I know people that have used XJ's hard and after a few seasons swapped there custom lift and axles to newer XJ's. I could see if you had thousands tied up into it. Who knows tho, I could see myself doing something like that... I'd probably just pick up a wreck or something to swap in a newer engine/trans/tcase unless it was really to rusted to do that.

Oh, I'm over in the UP so I know rust just as much as you do! It sucks. I've been on the lookout for a decent clean low mileage XJ and haven't found anything decent within 500 miles :Wow1:

Thanks, the Jeep is really nice all the way around and as I'm looking at what is for sale out there my 240K heep is in better shape than most with 100K (except the rust). I'm in no rush to dump it, it is just after living in the midwest for 30+ years, I know when you start to see rust it will quickly develop into a problem. I'm not talking about a little surface rust. It is not uncommon to find surface rust on things like hood hinges of new JKs on dealer lots up here. That is part of the reason I'd have a hard time dropping $20-40K on a new vehicle only to have it die a slow death in the salt.

There has been a few that have said to not drive the Jeep in winter and find another daily ride. I just can't justify this as I have other vehicles which I consider my fun vehicles taking up storage spaces. I actually view my Jeep as the vehicle to abuse so my other vehciles don't see rain/snow etc.

It will probably be one of those deals where I wait until something comes up that I can't stop myself from purchasing. We'll see. I'm actually surprised at how many people on this board think this is a good idea.

 

[Metal Twister]

Component swaping is fairly painless and makes perfect sense. Take all the good stuff off the old rig chop up whats left and put it in the dumpster. Its a fairly regular event around here. :coffeedrink: I just put a FSJ Cherokee body on a Blazer frame. That took a little fab work as well as mixing and matching of parts. Id do it again but I would give it a lot more thought before doing it again. :Wow1: Swaping over compenents made for the same type vehicle would be easy, fast, and cheap. If ya like the vehicle that much it sounds like a logical plan to me. Take pics so we can watch the progress... Ready, Set, Goooooooo:smiley_drive:

 

[njjeepthing]

You could do everything listed above or just buy this one already done!
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50033:Wow1:

 

[XXXpedition]

i'd swap everything over. a friend of mine did just that - took him two weeks to go from a 89 XJ to a 99 XJ.
he bought a clean low-mile 99 for 4k and he sold the 89 (back to stock) for a grand...

 

[cocco78]

Thanks, the Jeep is really nice all the way around and as I'm looking at what is for sale out there my 240K heep is in better shape than most with 100K (except the rust). I'm in no rush to dump it, it is just after living in the midwest for 30+ years, I know when you start to see rust it will quickly develop into a problem. I'm not talking about a little surface rust. It is not uncommon to find surface rust on things like hood hinges of new JKs on dealer lots up here. That is part of the reason I'd have a hard time dropping $20-40K on a new vehicle only to have it die a slow death in the salt.

There has been a few that have said to not drive the Jeep in winter and find another daily ride. I just can't justify this as I have other vehicles which I consider my fun vehicles taking up storage spaces. I actually view my Jeep as the vehicle to abuse so my other vehciles don't see rain/snow etc.

It will probably be one of those deals where I wait until something comes up that I can't stop myself from purchasing. We'll see. I'm actually surprised at how many people on this board think this is a good idea.

Yep, rust sucks. I don't drive my Wrangler in the winter anymore after I built it to help protect it from the damn road salt. I have a 99 GMC Sierra 1500 I use for yard work, towing the camper or the Jeep, and to drive in the winter months. The truck was well taken care of from the day it was new, it even spent 5 years living in North Carolina. Now its got rust through above all 4 wheel wells, both the inner and outter rockers are rusted away, along with the cab corners :Wow1: But it runs good so maybe after it rusts away I'll pull the 5.3L Vortec and 4l60e and drop them in my Comanche :smiley_drive:

I just recently sent one of the coolest vehicles I've ever owned to the crusher, 83 AMC Eagle wagon... It was beyond saving It looked good from the outside but underneath there was nothing left from the seats on back...

 

[bldeagle10]

IMO i would buy a newer less abused xj. rust free. then before throwing on all the parts strip it down and do as much as you can to prevent rust! spray bedliner or get duplicolors underbody deal done. or Line-X's underbody spray done. do the same under carpets. and any areas you notice rust on your current jeep. scour the vehicle and find anywhere that the factory paint is thin or they missed spraying (i found tons of spots but i dont have much to worry about since im in dry arizona :]...) cover those areas with paint or liner depending where they are. then swap parts over.

its alot of work and money but im VERY OCD about stuff like this and in my mind its worth it in the end

 

[Hill Bill E.]

.

As a backup plan I have a U-pull junkyard about 15 miles from me.

East bethel, or Rosemount?:ylsmoke:

I'd swap the parts, especially if your current ride is set up the way you like it.


This stinking rust of MN is why my CJ gets stuck in the barn this time of year.

I love driving it, but as it's 30 years old, and from TX, it doesn't see any salt.

I use my XJ as my winter DD, and once rusted out, I plan on doing the same thing.

Heading south or west, and finding a really nice '98-'99 XJ and swapping my axles/suspension/bumpers/skids/etc.