Believe it or not, I really enjoyed my little '95 four-cylinder YJ before I went and messed it all up with aftermarket performance parts and a lift. It got close to 20 mpg on the freeway and was quiet, comfortable, and peppy. It wasn't until the factory catalytic-converter brick dislodged and turned sideways in the exhaust that I had any real problems. And once I took off the little 225/75R15 tires for 33x12.50s it was all over. I think now I'd just make the engine perform well with stock-replacement parts, upgrade the crappy factory cat, add good tires, and replace the interior and top to make it comfortable and waterproof again. The result would be a cool daily driver that got great gas mileage, could get out of its own way on the street, and would be a fun weekend desert runner on mild trails. The next year's tax return would go toward aluminum rocker protection and a selectable locker for the rear. And maybe a cheap winch if there was enough left over.
| Crown Automotive tune-up kit: | $56 |
| Random Technology catalytic converter: | $216 |
| Rugged Ridge replacement top: | $300 |
| Smittybilt front seats: | $230/pair |
| Smittybilt fold-and-tumble rear bench seat: | $195 |
| Tuffy Security center console: | $230 |
| Used five-spoke 15x7 aluminum XJ wheels: | $200 |
| Four Mickey Thompson 225/75R15 MTX tires: | $460 |
| Stereo and speakers: | $296 |
Of all the Jeeps I've owned over the years, I've been in YJs the most, with around 300,000 miles of seat time in the various ones I've had. So when Cappa asked how I'd spend two grand on different Jeeps, the YJ was almost a no-brainer for me. Granted, I can't say I've ever had two grand laying around to dump on a YJ; usually if I've got a thousand bucks, I'll get yet another Jeep. But that doesn't mean I don't have my pipe dreams, too.
Now, don't get me wrong here-I'm not setting out to build the ultimate rockcrawling machine. This YJ would be like all the other ones I've had: dual-purpose daily driver and weekend warrior. I would start with a '91-'95 six-cylinder or an '89 or '90 that had been converted to fuel injection. It would be a soft-top, steel-half-door model with the AX-15 manual transmission. I would ditch the Dana 35 and CAD front low-pinion Dana 30 at my earliest convenience, so I wouldn't even spend a cent here. Likewise, you'll notice I didn't add tires either. With the stock 3.07 gearing, bigger tires would take a lot of the fun out of the Jeep. With the TJ flares and OME lift, I could fit 34s or 35s with some rubbing or 33s with no problems at all. If the Jeep needed tires anyway, that would be another story. But my fictional Jeep doesn't need tires just yet. Also, you'll notice I spent money on yokes, even if not needed. I can't tell you the number of times I've been under one of my YJs or driving it in front-wheel drive because one of those stupid U-joint straps busted.