89 Wrangler - Should I or Shouldn't I?

If that 700$ is accurate in your post, I'd almost eat a Tums and buy it on spec. You can make that back parting it out, if you have the space, and a wee bit of time.

If you see it, you should know at an instant whether it is worth such a small asking price.

$700 is correct.. Canadian funds I might add. Without even looking at it I know I could profit by parting it out but I know myself too well... I'll buy it on spec, get it home, see some potential, throw thousands into it and be in the dilemma I'm in now. When I bought my XJ, I just wanted a daily driver / trail rig to beat on... now it has a new engine, new body/paint and I'm having second thoughts on lifting it... I may just sell it for top dollar.

Maybe it's just me... I'm apprehensive to build my XJ for the trail because of all the time and effort involved making it look new again (better than new IMO... crappy factory Jeep paint LOL) but I wouldn't hesitate to drop $10K on a used TJ and beat on it! I almost pulled the trigger on a deal for a 99 TJ for $10K until I found out the insurance cost... $1600/yr and I have no claims or tickets.

My biggest fear is buying this thing and shelling out large for a 4.0 FI, AX15, 23 spline 231 tcase and a D44. I highly suspect this $700 deal with be accompanied with the worst possible draivetrain of all time.. a dead 4.2, dead carb, a near dead Peugeot tranny, 21 spline 231 tcase (useless for the AX15 swap) and D35 with 3.07 gears.

Having said that, I could sell the hard top if it's in good condition and flog a lot of small parts on eBay and live up to my neighbourhood reputation as "that friggin' redneck".

-Brian

Hey Bill, I'm confused... accident in my front yard? I wasn't sure about the D44 as an option on the YJ but if someone did an SOA and swapped in an XJ D44... that'd make my decision a lot easier! The seller didn't know the vehicle so I didn't even bother to throw out technical questions. It could be a gold mine with the right upgrades and a bad body or a POS with a hockey puck lift. Pucks are plentiful 'round these parts... you can pick them right off the tree.

-Brian

I can get a 4.0L from a 97 TJ for $1400.00 Can. $300.00 for a Dana 300, the AX15 I bought out of said TJ was $1000.00, be a bit of work but for about the price of a used TJ you could have a 15 year old YJ ;) My $4000.00 Can. CJ is up to 6 grand and I still have gears, locker, maybe new tires...............

I read somewhere that some '89 YJ's had D44's as an option in Canada. That excited me because I had just bought my '89 YJ at the time of my reading the article.

But low and behold, it was a 35c. I can't complain, it hasn't given me any trouble yet! Wait, yes it has.. I'll post that now..

Chris

Absolutely do not buy this!!! But you need to tell me where it is so that I can make sure no one else buys it either! ;-)

Chris

Brother ! There you are!

I feel your pain, indeed.

Still laughing, I am glad I am not the only one.

: Absolutely do not buy this!!! But you need to tell me where it is so that I : can make sure no one else buys it either! ;-) : : Chris : : It's in London Ontario... I've talked myself out of it. I'm going to finish my XJ before I jump into another money pit. If you want contact info I can give it to you.

-Brian