Restoring a ZJ - Part 2 - The Bodywork

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Part 1 — the pre-purchase inspection covers how I found the Jeep and what I saw before it went to the shop.

The pre-purchase inspection had already flagged the body rust — rockers, door bottoms, rear corners. What it couldn’t fully convey was the scale of it once the cladding came off under shop lights.

What We Found

Once it went up in the air and the body cladding came off, the scope of what needed to be done became clear fast. The rockers were gone — not surface rust, not pitting, but structurally absent in places, with holes you could push a finger through. The rear quarters had eaten themselves from the inside out. The rear corners at the B and C pillars had rust that had worked through multiple layers. The liftgate bottom edge was crumbling. Door bottoms, fender mounting areas, front inner structure — it was everywhere on the body.

Restoring a ZJ - Part 1 - When 'No Rust' Actually Means 'Full of Rust'

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Somewhere in the summer of 2022, during a fishing trip with my girlfriend’s family, I had my first real encounter with what a 4x4 can actually do. From that moment on, I needed one. Non-negotiable.

Searching through Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji (back before Marketplace became a near-monopoly), I quickly realized that just buying any 4x4 like everyone else wasn’t really my thing. I’ve always been someone who looks for something different. That shows in the vehicle I drive every day, because for me, cars and mechanics aren’t just transportation — they’re central to who I am.

Restoration on Ways and Wanderings

Restoring a ZJ - Part 2 - The Bodywork

What We Found

Restoring a ZJ - Part 1 - When 'No Rust' Actually Means 'Full of Rust'