The Hooptie Jeep

[Dennis]

Picked up a 1997 TJ with the 2.5L and 5 Speed summer. We needed a third vehicle, kids need to learn stick, it is slow enough to not get tickets, and stick is a good theft detergent.
Spent little enough on it that if it only makes it to the end of August it will totally be worth it. Has a remanufactured engine only 2 years and 2500 miles on it from the paper work. Seems to run strong, but the t-case only goes into 4wd if you shake it, and it occasionally kicks out into Neutral from 4H, have not popped the clutch in 4L to see if it is really 2L or 4L. Will get it looked at if I keep it into the winter.

Frame is pretty solid for a 27 year old TJ. Body has a few issues I can ignore and eventually cheat fix with some diamond plate covers.

Kid I bought it from needed money for school/apartment deposit. Talked him down to a price I felt was fair for both, I think Cobound would be proud. Came with a hard top, and both full and half factory doors, only half doors matched the paint. Gave me a few boxes of parts he had gathered over the six years he owned it, said there was a soft top in one. Under a full cage netting, the "soft top" turned out to be a used Miata top.

Has the camo Willys seats the kid picked up somewhere. Didn't like them at first, but they have grown on me.

Got a damaged box Rampage halfcab soft top for $100 on Amazon. Except for the fact that Rampage is crap compared to Bestop, it was in perfect new condition. Only rained once so far, seemed to keep things dry. Will run topless as much as we can this summer.

Removed the Carr lightbar. So wanted one for my Jeep in 1989, not anymore.
Removed the HiLift and mount from the hood.
Peeled off the Call of Duty stickers.

Just need to get the passenger side marker light working, and it will pass safety inspection. It is now old enough to be emissions exempt.









The odometer shot for Cobound.

Hooptie with the new office in the background and old office in the way back back ground.

*Hardtop pics are from the Facebook Marketplace listing.

[MBood82]

Nice! Jeep looks very solid for the era, and the interior even looks clean! Rather shocking that it was owned by a kid and in that shape.

[6DoF]

freakin proper!

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by MBood82

Nice! Jeep looks very solid for the era, and the interior even looks clean! Rather shocking that it was owned by a kid and in that shape.

Originally Posted by 6DoF

freakin proper!

Thanks! Interior is a hodge podge of collected parts. As is the exterior. The full doors and hardtop are off of a Sahara. The tan looks good on the black, but need to paint the green doors if I keep it past the Summer.

First day with it, the 15 year old said I was making him seasick. Been 20 years since I drove anything stick off of a race track. Got back to some much smoother driving after 24 hours.

Wish it was 18 years ago when I could have picked up some Rubicon take-off springs and shocks on craigslist for a song.

[nblehm]

Nice

My daughter is 13 and has her heart set on a red TJ for her first vehicle. Hopefully pick one up next summer to start on as a project for her. I miss the completely stock TJ I flipped a few years ago. Bikini top and no doors all summer/fall is the best

[Cobound]

Hells bells, brother - that's just flat out killer, on many levels!!!

Nice negotiating, good speedo shot - now you just need to find a factory bumper and get that boat anchor off there

Good lesson for the kid, on stick and repairs ahead - nicely done!

[Dennis]

So, this week's project on the hoopty was trying to figure out the rattle in all four doors. Started with the passenger half door and found the same issue in all of them.

The Jeep is old enough that some previous owner had installed a Viper alarm system and remote locks. Plastic pieces had broken off in all of them over the years. Took out all the crap, wiring to nowhere through out, under carpets, behind the dashboard with a sweet 1990s era Kenwood amp, along the firewall, and a Viper cpu hidden above the steering wheel.

Weighed it before I trashed all but the amp and monster wire power cable, 23.5 lbs lightened from TJ.
I thought the doors felt heavier than they should be. each is at least 4lbs lighter now.

If it cools down enough in the next week will give the hood and cowl a rustoleum spray paint job.