Wrangled into an old YJ

Tyler

New Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2025
Messages
3
Location
North Texas
Hi everyone,

New here, but not new to JEEP LIFE.
A well used JEEP Scrambler was my first “car” & have driven Jeep/Dodge/RAM ever since.
I just brought gifted old 92 YJ back from New Mexico & i’m gonna cut it & cab it with a flat bed.

Was thinking 4BT but i have 95 Grand Cherokee 5.2 (cammed 318) … it runs great but it’s banged up, major sun burned, with major hail damage.
I was gonna make a trail buggy out of it UNTIL Bah bah Black Jeep became part of my “collection.”

i think im gonna pop the body off and basically transplant everything out of the grand cherokee.
I want to also go back with all coil/track bar suspension (use differentials out of GC then go back with single cab, 20” frame stretch 6’ flatbed.
That would make good (useful) run around the light duty farm truck, trail buggy etc.

I was using Side by sides but i’m done with those nightmares. I sold all three of them (best day of my recent life!)
Constantly have to trailer them, something constantly wrong, & repairs are stupid expensive… done
BESIDES MY OPEN UTV HATE RANT… 😖 They have gotten so big that an old CJ, YJ, TJ is a smaller much saner option.
PLUS just throw down a tow bar & roll.

i’m by myself a lot (out in the middle of nowhere) so i can take whatever needs to be moved (with jeep in tow) & jump in & head home.
I was going to doing convert my Behemoth 2018 4 door Rubicon… but not a great option, plus it’s still basically like new.
i just get tired of having to use big pickup for mostly small quick jobs, like hauling feed/seed, checking fences/ water, etc.

i found this forum & figured its gonna be worthy because the old YJ has lots of issues. Most should vanish with swap but i already see lots of good information here.

I figure i might post this insanity as its about to roll in the shop & hopefully not become a regret… I’m gonna try & do this sorta low budget simply because it’s mainly a work/trail ride, but do it right because if it’s not dependable then it’s pointless.

Hope to learn some stuff while i create something that can’t be bought. Here is Blak Jeep & sort of what i’m wanting to turn it into…
I know that’s a JK but couldn’t find many pics of what i’m talking about

Be safe
Tyler

IMG_0269.jpeg


IMG_0266.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: ACKyj and ytradio
Fellow 92 YJ owner here. This looks like a hell of a project! Looking forward to following your progress.
 
Never should i say what i think im gonna do UNITL its done… 😖
Crazy how fast plans change.
No cut, slap on flat bed, no 4bt cummins.
No more crazy talk about sacrificing my still great old Grand Cherokee for Black sheep Jeep : (

I gathered up a super cheap 2006 z71 Tahoe rollover RIGHT in the middle of a fit of rage & yanking the Pentastar out of my 2018 Rubicon.. 2018 is in the process of 393 scatpak out of wrecked low miles Challenger.

In the purchase of the Scatpak, a Tahoe sitting on the trailer to be sold to Copart was out front.
It got mentioned as me thinking of a Yj swap…
And i & bought also, and he followed me all the way home to drop it off.
The tahoe ran & drove, The scatpack started but drive shaft right side to rear of car basically gone! ug 😖

The LS was the dream for Black Sheep, now that too just changed this morning. Black sheep no longer part of the flock of craziness.

Now (as of Sunday April 13, 2025) Ole Black Sheep is about to go to its new home.
After my buddy gets here & we unload his imploded 4.0 Tj Unlimited <LJ.
We are swapping Jeeps… Got friends coming for BBQ & beer because they got to help get TJ in the barn & on the lift.
I might put forks on the tractor if we can’t manage it easily.

Ug.. how things totally changed from what i was planning… TOTALLY CHANGED! wow.
I guess just do it & not plan or say anything anymore… until it’s like my Rubicon (there is no backing out now),.

My head is tired from chasing parts & my insanity of now 2 swap projects going at this point…
But it’s all going to come together really well in a short time. Already have most of money back from selling un-needed donor parts.. umm there are some weird, scary, crazy people on Craig’s list? Be glad to be done with all that.

I now have all my spare time allotted for (except lake trips this summer) to get these 2 done before winter.
My Rubicon is already to set Body back down (which has to happen today) because i need the lift for LJ.

Sadly, this INSANITY tosses me out of the Yj Jeep community also… but i will still be reading stuff now & then…

Stay safe everyone…
Building what can’t be bought… it’s what makes the JEEP LIFE so fun & mostly insane.

Later
Ty