Post by socal1200r on Jan 8, 2011 21:50:20 GMT -5
Hey folks - Just wanted to say "hi' again...I first joined this forum when I had my 1988 Jeep Comanche pickup. With help from this forum, I added the Grand Cherokee LCAs to clear my 31s; swapped the instrument cluster; installed some bucket seats, console, and upgraded door panels; bypassed the vacuum assist 4wd engagement gizmo; etc. Installed new shocks, and air bag assist kit on the back.
I sold the MJ last year, but now have a 1989 Montero 2-door. It's in really good shape, and the 4wd works great (last snow event proved it!). I replaced the worn out stock Mikuni carb with a new Weber; 16x7 Tacoma steelies with 265/70 Sumitomo ATs; steering stabilizer; new front shocks and rear air shocks; Thrush all-welded muffler with 2.25" catback piping; oil cooler from a Starion/Conquest; used that roll-on bedliner stuff on the bumpers, wiper arms, lower body panels, hood, and roof; Yakima roof racks; hitch cargo carrier; etc.
This little thing is a beast, and I still have a few things on my list. I've been looking on Craig's List for something like a front push bar / grill guard. IF there were Bushwhacker-style pocket flares that could be modded to fit my Monty, there's no way I'd pay $400 for a new set, so I've been looking on Craig's List for that too. Not having much luck, so I may have to think outside the box. A guy who's modded older Toyotas and Jeeps suggested I think about using some lawn edging, and just run it on the inside lip of the fender wells. I know JC Whitney sells rubber fender flares in various widths, but I think he might be on to something. I checked online at Home Depot, and they have a 20-foot roll of 4.5" wide lawn edging for $10. I figure for $10, I can buy a roll and see if it'll work, using pop rivets to secure it along the inside fender lip. If I do this, I'll post pics.
An interesting item of note is the factory turbocharged Starions and Conquests use the same 2.6L engine that's in my Monty, but with lower compression and fuel injection. I found a guy on Craig's List up in Richmond that was parting out a Star/Quest, and bought all the turbo parts except for the fuel injection side. I have the exhaust manifold, turbo, custom downpipe, oil cooler, front mount intercooler, engine cover, water pump cover, t-stat cover, and some other assorted odds and ends. Since I had the new Weber, I didn't want to mess with fuel injection, but apparently the guys who've done this conversion on their Montys said hooking up the FI isn't all that difficult, and is really the best way to turbocharge it. A carb setup will leak boost, and it's harder to figure out a way to run boost from the FMIC outlet to the carb. Since the Monty is running pretty good, I'm just going to put that whole turbo conversion on the back burner for now.
Anyway, just wanted to drop back in and show what my latest project is!
I sold the MJ last year, but now have a 1989 Montero 2-door. It's in really good shape, and the 4wd works great (last snow event proved it!). I replaced the worn out stock Mikuni carb with a new Weber; 16x7 Tacoma steelies with 265/70 Sumitomo ATs; steering stabilizer; new front shocks and rear air shocks; Thrush all-welded muffler with 2.25" catback piping; oil cooler from a Starion/Conquest; used that roll-on bedliner stuff on the bumpers, wiper arms, lower body panels, hood, and roof; Yakima roof racks; hitch cargo carrier; etc.
This little thing is a beast, and I still have a few things on my list. I've been looking on Craig's List for something like a front push bar / grill guard. IF there were Bushwhacker-style pocket flares that could be modded to fit my Monty, there's no way I'd pay $400 for a new set, so I've been looking on Craig's List for that too. Not having much luck, so I may have to think outside the box. A guy who's modded older Toyotas and Jeeps suggested I think about using some lawn edging, and just run it on the inside lip of the fender wells. I know JC Whitney sells rubber fender flares in various widths, but I think he might be on to something. I checked online at Home Depot, and they have a 20-foot roll of 4.5" wide lawn edging for $10. I figure for $10, I can buy a roll and see if it'll work, using pop rivets to secure it along the inside fender lip. If I do this, I'll post pics.
An interesting item of note is the factory turbocharged Starions and Conquests use the same 2.6L engine that's in my Monty, but with lower compression and fuel injection. I found a guy on Craig's List up in Richmond that was parting out a Star/Quest, and bought all the turbo parts except for the fuel injection side. I have the exhaust manifold, turbo, custom downpipe, oil cooler, front mount intercooler, engine cover, water pump cover, t-stat cover, and some other assorted odds and ends. Since I had the new Weber, I didn't want to mess with fuel injection, but apparently the guys who've done this conversion on their Montys said hooking up the FI isn't all that difficult, and is really the best way to turbocharge it. A carb setup will leak boost, and it's harder to figure out a way to run boost from the FMIC outlet to the carb. Since the Monty is running pretty good, I'm just going to put that whole turbo conversion on the back burner for now.
Anyway, just wanted to drop back in and show what my latest project is!