Bench Racing; New Daily Driver, diesel powered 4x4 truck

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
Not really the same thing, but pretty cool: Cummins R2.8, 6L80E in a '94 80 series. :cool:

 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
Make it an LJ and give it some wheelbase? I've been driving a TJ all week with a spacer lift. It actually doesn't ride/drive to bad. The soft top isn't the most pleasant but it's kind of haggard at the moment. If you took a TJ to LJ specs with a hard top, I think your idea would be pretty sweet?
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Make it an LJ and give it some wheelbase? I've been driving a TJ all week with a spacer lift. It actually doesn't ride/drive to bad. The soft top isn't the most pleasant but it's kind of haggard at the moment. If you took a TJ to LJ specs with a hard top, I think your idea would be pretty sweet?

I really don't want/need another project, with a TJ/LJ conversion... but I agree, a LJ would drive much better on the freeway and offer more cargo room. I would love a LJ, but they start at $9k where I can pickup a TJ for $2-3k.

I'd run a hardtop and hard doors, add insulation to the top and sound deadening material to the cab & tub.


TJ truck. I'm sure that's what you meant to say.

Yeah.... X-D
 

Marsh99

Lover of all things Toyota
Location
Mantua UT
I now commute 40 miles each way now for work (Mantua to Layton) and would love a 2wd or 4wd drive mini truck diesel. Right now I am driving a 4th gen 4runner V8 and hate putting miles on it and paying for the gas.
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Bumping this back up... I've still been looking for a clean XJ with a manual trans and a reasonable price, but that's HARD to find! I could find a clean auto trans XJ and swap a manual in, but if I'm going to do that I feel like starting with a Grand Cherokee and swapping a AX-15 manual in would result in a more refined vehicle.

I'm think of a WJ in this case. I found a pretty clean '99 that has a 4.7 V8 that has a rod knock for $750. The thing is, the Grand Cherokee is around 1000#'s more than a XJ. The 4.7 makes around 300 ft/lbs of torque... which would be very similar to a TDI with injectors, bigger turbo and a tune. I'd expect somewhere around 30 MPG out of it with the TDI.

Is it worth all the effort and getting a 'better' vehicle in the end? Or just keep looking for a manual XJ? The manual XJ would make the swap much easier and cheaper in the end.
 
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