Offroad ready daily driver
 

Well, despite having my jimmy for 1 and a half years now and already having done work on it, I decided to start a build thread. I'll post stuff I've already done a bit at a time, and eventually catch up! I paid $2300 for it, safetied and etested it myself, and then began customizing it. It had a push bar and side steps when I got it, and I've modified the pushbar to be a little lower profile and sold the steps.
As soon as I get all the pictures onto my computer and resized and all that, I'll start posting!

Okay so I resized a bunch of pictures (to the best of my ability). Some may be blurry or distorted, but oh well.

Here's my truck the first day I got it
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392866962
After that I rockerguarded the underside of the bumper which was starting to rust, then added a CAI I got used for $80
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392866962
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392866962
I picked up these rims for $80 for all four. Too good to be true you say? correct. Stupid me didn't do any research on what to look for when buying rims, and I didn't notice the holes were slightly drilled out, enough to be a problem.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392866962
Lastly for today, these are the rims I have now. I got a set of 5 for $200. They were originally grey, but I painted them black, keeping the silver lip.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392866962

I always wondered how that style of wheel would look on a blazer, post up some installed pics. They look promising.

Looks reall clean

Not sure if my opinion is biased because I put in the work of painting them and what not, but I think they look pretty good!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392870443
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392870443

Look great actually with the color/trim of the truck

I'm only stalking this build bc I'm bored......and interested.




Usually never on this forum

I love those wheels on there. I did the same thing with my camaro wheels, I painted them gunmetal and left the edges polished.

I didn't like how bulky the push bar looked on my truck, so I cut the headlight guards off.
Before
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392927332
After
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392927332

When I first bought it, there was a small patch of rust on the drivers side rear fender. After it's first winter (with me), it got a lot worse, so I just paid the money and had it fixed professionally.
Before
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392927332
After
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392927332

Plastidipped grille and emblem
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392927332

I used to have one of those plastic skid plates for the front, and the oil filter access door was warping and the entire skid plate was starting to warp. I couldn't find a stock steel one, and couldn't find an aftermarket one either that was reasonably priced. So, I decided to make one. I used cardboard to make template, then took more exact measurements after I figured out how exactly I wanted it to look. There's a lip along the inside of each frame rail at the front, which was perfect for mounting the front of the plate. For the bottom/rear part of it, I just bolted it into the existing holes on that crossmember. Once I had all the measurements, I drew it out onto what I'm pretty sure was 1/8" thick sheet metal. I couldn't go too thick, as I wouldn't have been able to bend it, and since I don't do any heavy offroading or rock crawling, it didn't have to be super strong anyways. Then, it was as simple as using an angle grinder to cut it out and a homemade brake to bend it.
This is what I used as a "brake"
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392928322
And the finished product
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392928322
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1392928322

Like the skid plate I've been thinking something similar with some Diamond plate. Maybe in spring did you make an access for for the oil filter?

I didn't make an access for the filter, I planned on it but never got around to it. It wasn't too much trouble to take the whole skid plate off, so I just did that every oil change. I don't have it on the truck anymore though. I found a stock steel one that's like, 5/8 inch thick and has the access door, so I put that one.
If you pm me or email me though, I could send you some pics of the skid plate and I might still have the rough blueprints I drew up if you want. Even if you design yours differently, it'll give you an idea.

A few months ago I came upon a great deal. 98 jimmy sle, 4x4 for $500, had 230,000km. Had a small bit of rust and a few dents and the interior was pretty dirty, but I was only using it for parts so that didn't matter. I sold a few things from it and took the brakes for myself (had new brake pads and the discs were in good condition), so I almost got my moneys worth from those things alone. I took a few small things like the bug deflector off the hood, a headlight clip that my truck was missing, and the sun visor things since mine were broken. I also took the middle armrest from the console, since mine was cracked. I ended up selling it about a month ago for $500. It also had an aluminum diff skidplate, transfer case skidplate, and a hard plastic gas tank skidplate. The t-case one didn't fit my truck since I've got the 4 button 4x4 and the parts truck had 3 button, therefore different t-cases.
All in all, I got new brakes, some skidplates, and made $50. Plus it gave me something to do!
Here's the truck
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393038999
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393038999
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393038999

I got some princess auto offroad lights for christmas. I forget the wattage, but they're the perfect size for my pushbar. They aren't super bright obviously but taking pics during the day didn't do them any justice
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393039205
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393039205
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393039205

nice jimmy is clean i really like the front bar and the offset wheels are sick

Love seeing someone take a "just about to toss it out" vehicle and make something of their own out of it! Doing a great job thus far, keep it going. Interested to see what you have planned as far as the hunting/fishing side of things, aside from making it more off road worthy. I haven't found anything as far as the interior goes for hanging rods or guns.

I do have a 2dr so maybe you'll have better luck with the 4dr.

Thanks! however, my truck wasn't actually in "just about to toss it out" condition! It was more like a "diamond in the rough." It was at the back lot of a car dealer and LOOKED a bit crummy. However, I decided to look at it anyways. Once I got it started (dead battery), I found out it was in great condition! With further inspection, I found a huge stack of service records in the glove box!
Now the parts truck I bought.. that thing was on it's way to the scrapyard haha

As far as hunting and stuff, I personally don't hunt, so I'm not going to do any major mods in that regards.
I did do this though which could be done for a variety of things.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393215276
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393215276
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1393215276
My snowbrush was just loose in the back flying around so I mounted it on the jack cover. Really simple, plus it looks clean. You can put clips like this wherever they'll fit and just clip stuff in. Another spot to do this would be the plastic covers that cover the gap when the back seat is folded down.

How much did it cost to get the rust fixed?

A few places quoted it around $750, but some of my family is friends with a guy who owns a collision place so I got it done for 500

I haven't posted in a while on a count of me being lazy and not wanting to go through uploading and re-sizing pictures, but a bit of an update on my truck:

Around Christmas I was on ebay and came across rough country's 2.5" kit. It was in their scratch and dent section described as "having a few chips in the powdercoat." Here's the thing.. it was $300! So I impulsively ordered it. I installed it myself with the help of my uncle. Torsion keys were reallllly stuck on the bars. One of the cv's was shot (there goes $100), and the shackles were pretty seized up. Surprisingly though, we got them off without ruining the bushings! We didn't crank the keys up right away though so the truck had quite a bit of rake. When I got it aligned I also had the keys turned up. What a difference! I needed shocks anyways, so between that and the lift, the ride changed quite a bit.

I've also added a pair of princess auto lights and a roof rack I got on amazon for $60.

Most recently, I've began a bit of a project. tubular half doors! I almost have enough steel to make the two front doors, more than enough for one door. It's going to be 1 1/4" diameter steel that I'm using. I have a welder so I can actually do it all myself.
I've got the hinges figured out and have a pretty good idea for the latch. All that's left planning wise is to get a bunch of connectors so I can just disconnect the regular doors when I want to remove them.
When I got my roof rack, the bars were all wrapped in styrofoam, which I used to make a rough copy of the front doors. Everything is measured out and all I really have to do is cut the steel up and weld it together. As soon as it's consistently warm out I'll take the regular doors off and make sure everything is perfect!

So here is how my truck sits now. Suspension wise it's got a 2.5" lift with an add-a-leaf. 30x9.50 tires.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1398382656

And here is the rough copy of my doors. I like the way it's looking so far and can't wait to have the actual ones! I plan on making back ones too, but those will be much simpler.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1398382656

Can't wait to see these done!

Rex if I'm correct you have a half door project of your own thats in progress? Or is that some other guy I'm thinking of?
I'm hoping to have the door(s) at least tacked together by next week. I won't fully weld them up until I've had them on the truck and know they fit perfectly

Yeah I've got some I'm working on but they are on the back burner for awhile in favor of the SAS.

If you make half doors, I will buy a set off of you in a heart beat!

I've got one door mostly done, the main part is tacked together, but I haven't put hinges on yet, as I'll do that when I have my actual doors off. Just waiting for the weather to generally warm up.. It was around 24 degrees for a day or two.. but now we're back in the low to mid 10's :(
ALSO... I've begun searching for a rear spare tire carrier! so far no luck

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1401758995

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1401758995

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1401758995

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1401758995

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1401758995

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1401758995

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1401758995


So, what do y'all think? They're nice and simple in my opinion. The wiring for the rear doors already has disconnects right at the jamb, which I only found out as I took the doors off. The hardest part was definitely popping the springs out of the doors, everything else went pretty smoothly. The doors are also lighter than I expected. I used the door pins from the front for the tube doors, and just bought new ones for the regular doors.

The rear "doors" are just a bar across for now, I was planning on making actual doors, but a few people said the bars looked good enough, so maybe I'll just leave them like that. I cut slots so they slide onto the existing latch. For the front, I tied paracord around the one bar on the door and made a loop, then hooked it on the inside of the truck on a screw I put inside, so it holds the door shut. For the rear, I used the little clip for the seatbelt that's there and just wrapped it around the bar and hooked it on itselt.. Not sure if that makes sense so I'll post a few pics when I think of it.

Any suggestions or tips to make them better? Tell me what you do and don't like!

Didn't mean to post that twice.. if someone could help me delete the second one that'd be great!

I like em but I think you should add something to the front similar to what you had in your mockup or an X or something just to take up space and help add a little strength am seeing to it. Other than that they look great. Do you plan to find an alternative closing solution?

Yeah I was thinking of adding maybe just one bar down the middle on an angle. I WAS planning on making an actual latch, but the way it is now isn't horrible, so maybe ill just leave it

Bought a gallon of bedliner in the states today for $45. I don't have any specific plans of what to use it for, but when it's usually $100 for a gallon here in canada... I couldn't pass up the deal.

Start leaving suggestions of what I can use it for! (I've already decided against bedlining the fenders and lower half of the truck)

thanks!

Rip out your carpet and cover your floor. Especially since you have the tube doors.