How did you end up with your first fsj?

Area for General FSJ related chat.

coonash
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Location: Lake Charles, LA

Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by coonash »

I've been needing a different vehicle for all the kayaking I do. Ever since I sold my 94 Grand Cherokee my little car has been abused getting to some put in spots.
On top of that I have started camping again. I was just going to settle on a cherokee but couldn't resist the 69' Wagoneer I saw on Craigslist.

Doesn't run yet, but this weekend the fun starts on it.
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Brizio
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by Brizio »

I always had Jeep, and was normal step toward a FSJ. :)
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carnuck
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by carnuck »

I had a LOT of big block Mopars over the years. I used to buy the 4 door boats and sell the front clip and motors/axles then scrap the rest. (paid for my first house that way) Lucked into 2 hemis along the way. One was a 383 in a Plymouth 5 ton.
Check my parts for sale near Seattle
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blue beast j10
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Location: Collbran Co.

Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by blue beast j10 »

I moved to where it snowed on average 3 to 4 feet through the winter and all I had was a 90' grand am so I started looking for a four wheel drive, I came across an add for a 75'cherokee chief S 2dr so went to take a look and man was it UGLY but had a toughness about it and decided to pay the $800 dollar asking price, it ran pretty good so I drove it that winter and got the FSJ bug in a bad way, the next spring I began throwing money at it like it was my new sweet heart and before I new it I had invested over $14,000 into that FUGLY beast, then got an offer I thought I could not refuse, so I sold it and have been kicking my self ever sense. :banghead: the money never came close to the enjoyment that I had in it. now I have a 79' j10 and the madness has started all over again. :twisted: :fsj:
1-79' j10 360/th400/QT 31/10.50/15
if you didn't bleed you weren't working on a FSJ

Horsebroke69
Posts: 38
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:00 pm

Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by Horsebroke69 »

image.jpg
I have always wanted a Wagoneer scince getting that red tonka at the age of 5. Fast forward my buddy Oscar calls me and says he has this ugly Jeep he took on trade . I stop over and it's a 69 Wagon and I am grinning ear to ear and with a perplexed look he says you actually like this and proceeds to give me the Keys . He was going to haul it to the Scrap yard . I have had this Wagon for 7 years and Collected parts . Then in 2012 my wife calls me and said she saw a Wagon just like mine except it is running . LoL.Little did I know she actually bought for me . I now use the the latter for my parts rig . Plus I have a totally rocking wife .
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Southern Gorilla
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by Southern Gorilla »

I just always liked them. Bought my first some twenty years ago. A white Cherokee with a 401 and four-speed. Traded it in on something else for some forgotten reason.

Then traded a GMC Suburban for a Wagoneer which I ended up scrapping.

Then bought a '76 Cherokee long distance via a friend in Oregon. Never got the funds to do anything with it.

Then bought my current '76 Cherokee.

So FSJs account for almost 20% of the vehicles I've owned over the years.
Having seller's regret.
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blue beast j10
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by blue beast j10 »

Horsebroke69 wrote:
image.jpg
I have always wanted a Wagoneer scince getting that red tonka at the age of 5. Fast forward my buddy Oscar calls me and says he has this ugly Jeep he took on trade . I stop over and it's a 69 Wagon and I am grinning ear to ear and with a perplexed look he says you actually like this and proceeds to give me the Keys . He was going to haul it to the Scrap yard . I have had this Wagon for 7 years and Collected parts . Then in 2012 my wife calls me and said she saw a Wagon just like mine except it is running . LoL.Little did I know she actually bought for me . I now use the the latter for my parts rig . Plus I have a totally rocking wife .
that is a nice jeep and I would say any wife who would buy there man a FSJ is rockin
1-79' j10 360/th400/QT 31/10.50/15
if you didn't bleed you weren't working on a FSJ

robvolz
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by robvolz »

It was about 8 years ago, my wife asked me for a divorce and later that day my CJ8/Scrambler was stolen from my work.

Damn I miss that Jeep.

Anyway, I just needed some wheels and I found a 67 Alfa Romeo Duetto for sale in Buffalo NY. Tired of getting quotes from a-holes for the transport back to Portland OR, I decided to just fly there, buy a Jeep GW, rent a dolly and tow it back. With the plan of selling it here in Portland upon my return.

The alfa, too much fun on a sunny day with the top down.

But, the Jeep became my daily driver until this guy used to pester me with notes on my car looking for a father/son project for fishing/hunting/camping.

So, I sold the 1988 Navy Blue GW and bought a much cleaner metallic brown 1991 with only 88K on it.

weeegoneeer
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by weeegoneeer »

Bought a Gold '84 GW in 1999 from a neighbor in Colorado as my '84 S10 Blazer was on its last legs. The GW had some body damage to the passenger fender, but damn I loved that truck. Drove it back east to finish up college and kept driving it for the next 2 years. Then, gas prices shot up from something like 75¢ to $1.25 or so, which absolutely killed me on my recent grad budget, so wound up donating it and picking up a fuel sensible Chevy Corsica, hated every minute.

Spent the next 16 years wanting that truck back, finally found a decent '84 Gold GW that I drive now. :)
1984 GW
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yz400e
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by yz400e »

this happened a long time ago when I was still in college.
After totalling my 1971 GTO, my Mom was generous enough to let me drive her 1972 Gold Buick Skylark Wagon. I made it through most of a semester driving her car and decided the relationship just wasn't working out. When I was home for Christmas break I saw a pickup parked under the lilacs down the street from my parents house. I went and talked to the owner and he said it was for sale. said it was a 1972 J2000 and it didn't run. Went back with my Dad and we looked a it closer and my dad figured the motor was shot but that it was worth working on. I paid the guy $375 and we pushed it home.

I spent the Christmas break working on the truck. I didn't have it finished before I left but it was close. My Dad and a buddy of mine finished installing the motor and I finished the rest when I was home for spring break. My 'build' was definitely low budget but I learned a lot. I drove that sucker all over Montana for the next 3 years. Have some incredible stories from my time with that Jeep. It was pretty much unstoppable.

I actually did a lot to that jeep: Drained / flushed the tranny and transfer case. (Fortunately they were in good shape). Rebuilt the knuckles in front end, and replaced a lot of worn out steering components, re-arched the front and rear springs, machined new spring mount bushings out of oil impregnated teflon, added power steering, Bought a low mileage 360 from a wrecked wagoneer, built a rear bumper.

When I graduated I sold it to an underclassman that drove it for years and eventually relegated it to his 'dump run truck'.

letank
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by letank »

A friend had a 78ish, it was good for fishing trip up the cal north coast to explore any roads along riverside or crossing streams, yes we got stuck a few times, unload kids and wifes... but always managed to get out even when the water was at the bottom of door sill... yes usually the fan would splash water and drown the distributor... that was 1982. Took me until dec 83 to find a good one, most of them had a lot of rust. I need to find and scan the paper picts of that era. The tool box was a mere shoe box... with barely anything.
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

candymancan
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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:32 pm

Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by candymancan »

Well Im 32. My first Jeep was my 98 Grand Cherokee 5.9 v8 limited. That was my mom helped me buy when i was 23 or 24. I grew up in her 98 grand cherokee 4.0 laredo which she still daily drives. I used to be afraid to drive or learn but when i finally did i wanted my own Jeeo vs driving hers. And since i also watch macgyver alot as a kid i wanted a wrangler.. But me being 6ft 270 lbs the wranglers were meh when i got inside one.. Also didnt like how non functional they were..

So we looked and test drove Jeeps for 7 months.. yea 7 months.. because this was when cash for clunkers was going on... So all the used vehicles were either left over junkers that were trash.. meaning broken axles.. or what not...

We looked at this shiny silver Jeep for 6500 like 4 times at this dealership and we finally bought it.. I liked it because it sounded cool and has new metalic silver paint job and a nice interior.. little did i know later when i learned more about jeep types that my first Jeep was the very rare and rarer then wagoneers 5.9 v8 limited.


My wagoneer is a different story. I never knew about wagoneers.. then one day on the Jeepforum.com site i saw a pic of one and fell in love.. I started looking on craigslist and i found this volcanic orange surfers themed type Jeep that still has pic on google somewhere.. I think its called the endless summer wagoneer.. God i loved that thing.. and orange is ny fav color... sadly i didnt have 6500 for it so i couldnt buy it.

A year went by and i lost interest in wagoneers.. then the spark came back.. I made an account on this forum asked what to look for and watcj out for.. I found multiple wagoneers on craigslist and went to go look at a red 91.. It drove fine but posting pics of the frame we could see it was painted over freshly and looked rusted.. So i went away from thay Jeep.

Then as i kept looking at 4am in the morning when i got up i saw this black 90 was reposted on craigslist.. i remember seeing it like months ago but the listing went down.

I immedistly called the guy at 8am lol and said i wanted to look at it.. We met that day and i instantly fell in love.. I t sounded like a tank with bad exhaust.. It has a musky mildew smell and wet carpets.. the wheel bearing was clearly grinding bad.. He said it leaked a little oil. lol I wanted it.. I gave him a 500$ deposit and told him i prefered he drive it to my house wince it isnt registered in my name and i dont wanna ticket with his plates on it.

He came to my house the next day with his wife driving their suv.. And as he was signing the title over to me and i handed hin the 4000$ in cash for 4500 total.. His face as turning beedy red.. and i asked is he mad ? He said his wife was making him sell it because they were moving to a condo together.. He just got married he said.

He was some nerdy lookjng hispter guy too.. I asked why did he even purchase it and he said because it looked cool...

They told me to keep the miles down on it.. as thats what the previous owner for them told him to do.. So in 3 years he drove it like 800 miles. They saod to take care of it.. Im thinking yea like you guys never did

Ive have had it for 2 years now.. Ive spent 4k$ in tools parts and all last year daily restoring it... New suspension.. all rust cut out and welded.. all wiring fixed.. tinted windows.. new all terrian tires over the rotteb 9 year old tires it had New wheel bearings.. New seals as it leaked EVERYWHERE horribly.. New side markers and lenses new headlights.. rewired new fog lights.. Got a straight new headliner board and did it in burgendy vinyl.. fixed the non working overhead console the circuit board had blown caps. I got a new flat dash for it i just havent put it in yet..

Yeaa ill take care of it alright !!! The Jeep was saved from near death by me.. And keeo the miles down ? I daily drive to sucker.. Im used to 10mpg and 93 octane on my 5.9 ZJ so gas on this doesnt bug me. Ive put 20k miles on it in 2 years.. lol and i wont stop its at 130k now
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)
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toothofwar
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by toothofwar »

Growing up my dad had a yellow and black 79 cherokee wide track. We drove that poor thing all over yje farm till it rotted down. My older brother was in love with it and vowed he would find another one. So when he was well established in his electrical career, he found this orange 79 cherokee wide track. He tinkered with it for a couple of years, putting a nice set of wheels on it, new tires, and fixed the sagging springs. On November 18th 2013, he was in an electrical accident at work. He was on life support for 4 days. On the 22nd, he lost his battle.

The jeep sat for about a year and a half. His wife was really wanting to keep it, but knew she would never be able to drive it as it was not very reliable. So we talked and she made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

So now I have his jeep and I'm trying to follow in his steps to make this thing reliable. I took the motor out of the 83 parts jeep he had and rebuilt it for the 79, rebuilt the transfer case, front end, and front drive shaft, and installed a tbi kit on it. I have had many offers on it and some of them were quite substantial due to no one on my neck of the woods has seen very many of them, but this one will be passed to my son to carry on Bobby's legacy. R.I.P my brother, till we meet again.....

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shimniok
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by shimniok »

Wanted to get off the beaten path for landscape photography. Couldn't find a CJ I could afford that wasn't a POS. Started looking at Broncos, Ramchargers, and Blazers. Then was swayed by FSJ and bought the rig that still sits out front waiting for adventures*. That was August, 1997.

* It is also waiting for me to fix some major issues first. We are taking a "break"
Broken Photobucket image in my post? PM me.
'86 GW "Troubled Child" tc.wagoneer.org
360, TBI, 4" Skyjacker, 33" BFG MTs, WT D44+ARB, WT AMC20 + LockRight, CB 2m 6m 70cm, K0FSJ
The world's first Robotic Full Size Jeep!
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Phils67
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by Phils67 »

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d32/j ... mcmud2.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d32/j ... szm60p.jpg
When I was 13 years old my father and I joined a local rod and gun club. There was an old 67 J2000 there with a homebuilt wooden bed. Its job was to drive about a mile a weekend through the property to release pheasants the club raised. The off season of that year my father taught me to drive on that truck in the fields on the property. One day when I was in my 20s they decided to get rid of it. It was rotted beyond repair, running on 4 out of 6 cylinders and bound for the crusher. I made them an offer of $200. Two weeks passed and one day they called me and said if you want it come get it. I asked who should i pay and they said just get it out of here. I borrowed a car dolly and towed it home. That was over 10 years ago. Now im 38 and the truck is 51, i have spent countless hours and dollars to get it where it is, and although far from perfect, i have given it a fresh breath of life. The first pic is a few years after i took it home and the home made bed was removed. The second pic is where it is today. Every time i drive that truck i feel like i am 13 again with my dad. Its a part of the family now and someday will be left to my two boys. Hopefully they will remember their time with me in that truck someday
Last edited by Phils67 on Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
1967 Gladiator J2000, 1998 4.0L OBD2, T18, D20 twin sticks, D44HD/D60, Detroit lockers, 3.73s, 4wheel disc brake, FSSR, Dakota digital, etc.
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Phils67
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by Phils67 »

By the way, i freakin LOVE reading everyones stories.
1967 Gladiator J2000, 1998 4.0L OBD2, T18, D20 twin sticks, D44HD/D60, Detroit lockers, 3.73s, 4wheel disc brake, FSSR, Dakota digital, etc.

rapom
Posts: 82
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by rapom »

I've always wanted a chief and my wife liked wagoneers which I personally don't like. Finally she came around and started liking the chiefs. We looked hard for a few months but most prospects were junk or modified to much.
Found a completely stock 79 chief in Huntington Beach, CA that a guy inherited from his uncles car collection. After talking with him for a few monthes we reached a deal and I had it shipped home in Ohio.

His uncle bought it in 86 and hardly put any miles on it. I basically went through it and tried to make it as reliable as I could and have been driving it ever since. Noteable options are cruise control, and lighted vanity mirror on pass. side. tilt steering, am/fm 8 track, and I added a power seat system from wagoneer on the driver's side. Other mods are tinted glass (not shown in pics) Upgraded a/c system (Sanborn compressor) Serehill headlight relay system and remote tailgate window operation. Also installed new headliner with heat barrier and carpet with sound deadner and added a xj steering box and cj steering shaft to tighten up the steering. And a preluber so the engine can be oil pressurized before starting it after sitting for a while.

I get lots of thumbs up and comments everywhere I go. The thing I like most about it is it's patina and the fact that I got all the rattles and squeaks out of it. What I like least about it is slow gas station fillups.
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Tanker
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by Tanker »

It was a accident didn't know it was loaded.
My shrink said it couldn't be done
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Hire the handicap there fun to watch. IR1
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Tatsadasayago
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Re: How did you end up with your first fsj?

Post by Tatsadasayago »

During my Freshman year in high school I worked part time as a mechanic for a water well drilling company owned by friends of our family. Within one week the oldest daughter was killed after rolling her Bronco and Jim, the owner died when his 74 J-10 went off a steep logging road. As Donna, his wife prepared to close the business she asked me if I was interested in Jim's J-truck, and if so, I could have it for hauling it off.
I got it to the ranch and removed the bed and cab with a plan to find donor parts from another J-10. I found a yellow donor and did the swap. Back then a 74 J-10 401, T-18, D20 with D44s was nothing special.
While I was away serving in the army my brother began driving it and it now sits at the bottom of Lake Como, Montana after slipping out of gear and going over the side at the deep end of the lake.
[Edit] Since it was my first very own-all-mine-FSJ, it became my go-to coyote hunting rig. Two guys, two rifles and my dog made for a tight fit in that cab. It got to the point where the moment the coyotes saw the yellow pickup stop on the road, they would run out to 500-600 yards to avoid getting shot. I had to switch up vehicles after that. :P
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
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