Bucket O' Jeep

**BucketOKarma** · 06-11-2008, 22:45

This thread is going to be my "Bucket Build" thread with pics as I add stuff to my 2000 TJ 2.5L SE.

Here goes! let me know what you think!

This is what it looked like right after I brought it home and threw US ARMY on the sides

Smallest Jeep EVER

Problems:
* No backseat, nor places to mount one. (need one for Kaidiyn)
* No rear seat belts.
* Front seats were CRAP, didn't fit in the jeep, wouldn't slide, or recline, and they had what looked like homemade mounts bolted to the floor. The entire seat would move nearly 3 sideways inches on a turn.
* Gages would suddenly stop working while driving.
* In-dash speakers were crappy felt cones from what I think was an early 80's home stereo.
* Jeep wouldn't start for no reason at times, but ran fine when it did (this problem came back with the cold weather)
* Sony CD player that I swear was one of the first CD head units ever made. The damn thing skipped just if you had the jeep running (jeep didn't even have a AM/FM antenna)
* many many more minor things here and there

Good points:
* It runs
* Had less than 75k mi
* 4wd works

**BucketOKarma** · 06-11-2008, 22:47

I found a set of '04 Willys Edition front seats at a junkyard in RI, $250 for both. Unfortunately they no longer had the matching rear seat. Drove out to RI, picked them up, and installed them the next day, very easy instal.

Went to the local junkyard and picked up 4 31" BFG ATs mounted on Eagle Alloy rims (less than fifty miles on the tires) for around $400. Tossed those on, lost a lot of power (mostly on the highway), but I love them!

At this point we are here:

**BucketOKarma** · 06-11-2008, 22:59

Grabbed a set of 2" coil spacers with skyjacker hydros online for $235 altogether. I threw about 5 coats of rustolium on the shocks to delay the rot. My buddy stopped by just long enough to ruin all progress I seemed to be making at the time. I asked him if he could remove one of my rear shocks while I took care of the other. He snape'd one of the bolts, we couldn't extract it, so I had to drill it out I ended up drilling the hole too big Spent all day, and night, installing what should have been a very simple lift

Had a CD player with an aux port installed so I could plug in my iPod, and got a free "rubber duckie" style antenna with purchase. ;D

Removed the front "milk jugs" (bumper end caps)

**BucketOKarma** · 06-11-2008, 23:07

Got a rear seat from another junkyard for around $300 with belts and brackets, and learned alot when trying instal it (under the el-cheapo carpet in the back, there were no mounting brackets, no holes, nothing!), the previous owner shaved the bolts for the mounting brackets, epoxied over them, and then painted over that. ALOT of drilling was required, but it's for a good cause, now my son can go riding in "Daddy's Jeep" worth it 100%.

Went to Home-Guido and picked up some Krylon Satin Fusion for the fender flares. came out really nice I think.

**distortedtj** · 06-11-2008, 23:30

looks good bud

**dilligas** · 06-12-2008, 00:58

Nice, whats next?

**BucketOKarma** · 06-12-2008, 08:03

Originally Posted by dilligas

Nice, whats next?

I'm looking into a speaker-bar, re-gearing, tow hooks, 32"s, rocksliders/step rails, fog lights, driving lights, trail lights, and undercarriage armor and if I can afford it, a winch...... never done!

**cj5 buggy** · 06-12-2008, 10:38

looks good, just be careful next thing you know you'll have 4 or 5 of them in different stages of array all around the yard.

**dilligas** · 06-14-2008, 01:01

Originally Posted by BucketOKarma

I'm looking into a speaker-bar, re-gearing, tow hooks, 32"s, rocksliders/step rails, fog lights, driving lights, trail lights, and undercarriage armor and if I can afford it, a winch...... never done!

Sounds good.