Daaayyyyuuuuuummmm!
Very nice! The body style for the Cherokee 4-door is my favorite. A few things come to mind. You want to drive the Waggy several times a week, as you don't want things like bearings and other mechanical parts to take a setting and go out of round, not to mention the powertrain seals need to stay lubricated through running. I don't know anything about the ACs on these things, but one thing I learned from reading online about other vehicles is that people will try to squeeze extra gas mileage by not running the AC at all during the winter, just hot air without the AC compressor running. You end up with unlubricated bearings that wear down or seize up, causing a repair bill of about $3000-4000 to replace EVERYTHING, because the compressor deals with the fluid, and the imploded parts go into it and contaminate every part they get routed through. Just run the AC with the compressor on at least once a week (says so in a 2003 Honda CRV's owner's manual, for example). Had I had a Scout along with my Jeep, I would have been driving both about equally just to keep them in running shape. Another thing I would consider doing is shoulder seat belts if at all possible as a safety mod. You don't want to hit your face against the dash nor snap your passengers' spines in half.
You really did the right thing by buying this Jeep and doing the work yourself. Too bad I don't have these skills and a place for it, as my Scout II never materialized (not known as to what will happen). Too bad I didn't try to go after a Jeep Cherokee Chief 4-door in the first place. A heck of a lot more parts available for it, and MANY more people that have them than Scouts. At least I have my Jeep Wrangler LJ. I love it, and it has been fun driving and camping in the back in Sleeper mode. One thing I have thought about doing is running my LJ through a restoration cycle when it needs it, oh I don't know, 20 years from now.
