Newest mod

[Olie's87XJ]

I haven't been around here for a while, but have still been working on the ol' heep. here is my most recent mod, and i'm actually quite proud of how it turned out.

it seems the heep will be making a return to daily driver status. That said, it needed some work, mostly fixing up the 1987 wiring and lighting. I have laready upgraded the headlights to silverstars, and 12 gauge wiring harness with relays. The marker and turn signals were next on the list.

So the plan was to get rid of the old bulbs and sockets, and modify the existing housings to accept 6 1/2"x2 1/4" (or whatever) oval led lights used on heavy trucks. Modifying the housings was problematic. The plastic, being 27 years old did not take well to hole saws and cut off wheels. After shattering one housing due to a hole saw biting too hard, i decided to have some 20 gauge sheet metal laser cut for me to fit over the old lense. Some jb weld, some time, and new harnesses, and here is the result:

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g343/oliethegoalie32/02d5bee8-0e05-4964-a939-2a2aeb3f8bd2_zpsa6376e8c.jpg (http://s1097.photobucket.com/user/oliethegoalie32/media/02d5bee8-0e05-4964-a939-2a2aeb3f8bd2_zpsa6376e8c.jpg.html)

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g343/oliethegoalie32/bdc10ee5-1216-438f-9f2c-cdded8691375_zpsde452046.jpg (http://s1097.photobucket.com/user/oliethegoalie32/media/bdc10ee5-1216-438f-9f2c-cdded8691375_zpsde452046.jpg.html)

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g343/oliethegoalie32/f79a657b-19a8-46b4-b522-2dbd794ee4eb_zps92d9d66e.jpg (http://s1097.photobucket.com/user/oliethegoalie32/media/f79a657b-19a8-46b4-b522-2dbd794ee4eb_zps92d9d66e.jpg.html)

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g343/oliethegoalie32/36527044-16cf-4b41-92fb-511a2482d731_zps505373c4.jpg (http://s1097.photobucket.com/user/oliethegoalie32/media/36527044-16cf-4b41-92fb-511a2482d731_zps505373c4.jpg.html)

I've ordered Rusty's steel tail light housings to replace the junk tail lights, and further improve my overall lighting and electrical system. ill post them up when they come,

[XJ Wheeler]

Looks great! My brother has been wanting to do something similar as he likes mine. But i went a slightly different way with mounting them inside the original housings with the lenses still in place. But it was a ton of work, this looks a bit easier. Nice work!

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[Olie's87XJ]

my initial plan was to just graft them into the original housings. but that plastic... as soon as i touched it with any tool, it just grenaded. i wasn't left with many options. this worked for me quick, its sturdy, and gets rid of all the out dated stuff. if i have to change them out... that becomes a bigger problem i guess. but i've romped this heep for years, and never broke those lenses. as long as the truck-lite lenses, and diodes hold up, it should outlast whats left of the body.

[bluedragon436]

That is a nice upgrade for sure... Thought of something similar when I was working on trying to build up the 90 XJ I have.. Don't think mine would have come out nearly as well as yours did though..

[XJ Wheeler]

my initial plan was to just graft them into the original housings. but that plastic... as soon as i touched it with any tool, it just grenaded. i wasn't left with many options. this worked for me quick, its sturdy, and gets rid of all the out dated stuff. if i have to change them out... that becomes a bigger problem i guess. but i've romped this heep for years, and never broke those lenses. as long as the truck-lite lenses, and diodes hold up, it should outlast whats left of the body.

Yeah, i didn't even try and got new housings. I don't think I'm do it again though, too much work. Just do what you did with the bracket instead. Same effect.

Sent via messenger pigeon - i talk, he types.