Fixer Upper for 14 Year Old Boy

[Cat31302]

My 14 year old needs a project or something to focus on besides the computer and getting into trouble. He has shown interest in all things mechanical, so I thought getting him a fixer-upper would be a good start. Coworker has a 2000 Jeep that is parked in his carport since they had a baby about a year ago so I asked him about selling it to me. It runs, cold air, he says it has no big problems but needs TLC. I'm slightly mechanical and can fix just about anything with Youtube, and lord knows my kid can learn bad stuff from Youtube, so I'm sure he can learn car repair. We live in Georgia, and it's rare to see rust on a vehicle, but this Jeep was from North Carolina. He purchased this Jeep precisely as it is for his wife to drive on the beach, so can't tell me if the guy Rhinolined it to cover up rust. I assume the rust is because of the salted roads (does it even slow in NC?)

I want to buy my kid something he can work on, that he can feel proud about, that isn't a complete piece of junk or a project that is so huge that it's overwhelming for him. The idea is that this would be the car he gets when he turns 16. Please take a look at the photos and tell me if the rust is "too much" or if there's any thing I can do when I go see it tomorrow to better gauge the extent of the rust. He's asking $5000 (200k miles)- maybe the rust is acceptable if he'd take a lower $ amount? Please comment!

 

[hear]

MOST of the rust I see is on the aftermarket front fenders & sliders. But I do see some on the frame, which makes me wonder what's going on inside the frame & behind those sliders. In general, the rule of thumb is don't touch anything with rust. And in your case the rhinoliner is likely covering up a bunch.

I love the idea of your kid building up some skills, but rust repair is probably the most challenging thing to do. It's as much art as it is science, and if you don't already know how to weld then the deck is stacked against you. For $5k I could find you a better jeep in a few hours here in TX. Most people here will tell you to RUN and they're not wrong, but for the right price point I've seen way worse shared here

I had an old CJ that ended up needing a ton of rust repair and it just killed my interest in it. Every time I looked at it or cut something out I found more. I'm not gonna tell you don't do it, but you need to be ready to cut, shape, recut, re-shape, and eventually replace a lot of sheet metal, and that's assuming the frame is actually ok inside. That's more cutting, welding, grinding, bondo, sanding, etc than I'm interested in. Maybe I am telling you no.

 

[BlueC]

I assume the rust is because of the salted roads (does it even slow in NC?)

We do use salt in NC, but not enough to matter. I'd guess that Jeep has spent time in our coastal areas, which definitely has enough salt to do damage. From the pictures, the frame looks fine, with some areas and bushings that need to be addressed soon.

This is an area of concern.

Any flaking/bubbling like on the cowl panel. If you get it, plan on stripping everything off (rocker guards, quarters, fender flares, etc.) and finding more rust. If it's caught soon enough, like when it's just small surface rust, it won't be so bad, but you really need to look that one over in the common rust areas; inside frame at lower control arm bracket, rocker panels, rear qt panel near hinge, floor pans, torque boxes & roll bar mounts, front fenders. Anything flaking, big or already a hole will cost.

 

[AndyG]

For the money, it is about perfect for his age and all that comes with a 14 year old boy.

Smack him upside the head, get some tools and go for it.

This may be the most important time you and him ever spent together.

If he doesn’t listen to you he’s going to listen to his buddies.

Talking while you are wrenching is a great way to connect.

There is nothing on the vehicle that this forum can’t walk you through.

I’ve raised 2 boys. Destructive was not an understatement.



I used to leave the house and wonder what it cost me to go to work that day.

 

[Cooper Smith]

My 14 year old needs a project or something to focus on besides the computer and getting into trouble. He has shown interest in all things mechanical, so I thought getting him a fixer-upper would be a good start. Coworker has a 2000 Jeep that is parked in his carport since they had a baby about a year ago so I asked him about selling it to me. It runs, cold air, he says it has no big problems but needs TLC. I'm slightly mechanical and can fix just about anything with Youtube, and lord knows my kid can learn bad stuff from Youtube, so I'm sure he can learn car repair. We live in Georgia, and it's rare to see rust on a vehicle, but this Jeep was from North Carolina. He purchased this Jeep precisely as it is for his wife to drive on the beach, so can't tell me if the guy Rhinolined it to cover up rust. I assume the rust is because of the salted roads (does it even slow in NC?)

I want to buy my kid something he can work on, that he can feel proud about, that isn't a complete piece of junk or a project that is so huge that it's overwhelming for him. The idea is that this would be the car he gets when he turns 16. Please take a look at the photos and tell me if the rust is "too much" or if there's any thing I can do when I go see it tomorrow to better gauge the extent of the rust. He's asking $5000 (200k miles)- maybe the rust is acceptable if he'd take a lower $ amount? Please comment!View attachment 527688View attachment 527689View attachment 527690View attachment 527691View attachment 527692View attachment 527693View attachment 527694View attachment 527695View attachment 527696View attachment 527697View attachment 527698

NC doesn't really get any snow (or at least enough to dump tons of salt down every year) as far as I'm aware. Coastal areas, especially where Jeep's are really fun, have salty and humid air that basically rots them out like the snow belt. That's why some CA Jeeps are rotted. They sit in carports 20-30 seconds from the beach and the humid salty air just kills them. The frame looks pretty good, but in a coastal climate with no drain holes, I wonder how much salty water sloshed around in that frame...

You're in GA. You can find a rust free example. Fixer upper could be a cheap high mileage rig. I'd rather rebuild axles and a front end before dealing with rust.

 

[C.J. Roberts]

Running it on the beach can do a number on it. Wet sand gets flung EVERYWHERE, and if not hosed out WILL hold water and cause rust. I had to replace the fuel tank on my CJ7 because of it. Sand got up between the tank and skid plate and rusted a hole into the tank.
Inspect thoroughly just as if you were looking at a rustbelt vehicle.

 

[suicideking]

Still seems like a decent deal for $5K if there's nothing wrong with the engine or trans (or anything else major). I'd still have a mechanic inspect it, unless your confident with inspection.

 

[AndyG]

Still seems like a decent deal for $5K if there's nothing wrong with the engine or trans (or anything else major). I'd still have a mechanic inspect it, unless your confident with inspection.

I’m with you- the value is it is a cheap way to keep the boy in the garage, teach him the ways of manliness, give him something to work toward, to teach him he can do things.

That age -16/17 can be hard on vehicles…in todays world 5K is peanuts for a vehicle.

I love the idea. Wish I could/had’ve done it with my boys at that age. They can really get distant if you aren’t careful.

 

[97TJNM]

I’m with you- the value is it is a cheap way to keep the boy in the garage, teach him the ways of manliness, give him something to work toward, to teach him he can do things.

That age -16/17 can be hard on vehicles…in todays world 5K is peanuts for a vehicle.

I love the idea. Wish I could/had’ve done it with my boys at that age. They can really get distant if you aren’t careful.

I second this. I bought my son's XJ when he was 14, and the whole experience of wrenching on it really helped to keep our bond intact.

To the OP, my suggestion is to look it over, and if you're confident that YOU can fix all the issues with it, take the plunge and buy it. My son did a lot of work on his XJ, but wouldn't have known where to start if I wasn't there to guide him through. For his Jeep, I did all the "mental" end of the work (explaining what he needed to do, how he needed to do it, and watching to make sure he did it right), and he did all the physical.

Even though he didn't know how to do it initially, now he knows how to change oil, spark plugs and wires, drain and refill diffs, wire stereos and lights, install seat covers, fix broken brackets, replace belts and hoses, swap in an alternator, replace a battery, change out bad sensors and fuses, change tires, replace suspension, rebuild the front end, set toe, and on and on.

My boy may not know how to work on every car, but he can do a lot on an XJ now. And we had a great time bonding along the way to him gaining that knowledge.

 

[TheBoogieman]

You can do better than that (rust issues aside) for $5,000, even if it's a 4 cylinder. I'd offer them $3,500 tops for it.

 

[hear]

You can do better than that (rust issues aside) for $5,000, even if it's a 4 cylinder. I'd offer them $3,500 tops for it.

that is exactly the number I had in my head. Although I'm surprised the usual suspects aren't freaking out of the visible rust.