XJ-Project.com | 1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ Restoration Project

Welcome to XJ-Project.com

This website is dedicated to the restoration of my 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport.

I bought my Jeep back in 2004 on the Big Island of Hawaii. The island of Hawaii is a great place to have a Jeep because there are so many places to go offroading, camping, fishing, and exploring. I have so many wonderful memories of my Jeep and I around the island.

After 14 years of regular use and weekend offroading, my once shiny and new Jeep has become faded and in need of some major repairs. For some time, I've pondered whether or not to sell my Jeep or keep it and fix it up. I put it up for sale only to realize to myself that I couldn't part with it. After much deliberation, I have decided to restore my Jeep to it's original glory. Hopefully with some luck, this goal of mine will come to fruition over time.

Being that I have little experience working on cars, I imagine this project I am undertaking should be a colorful one with many challenges. I have posted some before photos for anyone interested to view. As I progress down the road with my project, I plan to post new "after" photos accompanied with a regular blog of my work on the Jeep. Here goes nothing...

- Wish me luck!

Most Recent Posts

March 4, 2014 | Replacing Starter on a 1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ

Starter went out the other day while changing the battery. The starter is the original, so its lasted a long time. I plan to do a write up of the removal and installation of the starter.

April 1, 2012 | 1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ towing a 2012 Bayliner Capri 175

Well, I took the plunge and purchased my first boat. I was worried my XJ might have trouble pulling the boat, but so far so good. I’ve always wanted a boat, so this is truly a dream come true. Fun times ahead…

March 15, 2012 | XJ Pod & Amp Install on 1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ

I recently added an amp and XJ Pod to my 1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ. The install was pretty simple. I ended up installing the amp underneath the back seat on the drivers side. I secured it by using velcro strips stuck to the amp with 3M tape stuck to the carpet underneath the seat. I […]