neohic

This has been bugging me lately too. Could’ve sworn I had something lined up for that. Oh! So that’s where I left that switch panel! Also going through my pile of parts finding things to piece together a rear tire carrier.

There’s so much more room in my shop with this in here instead of my truck! The CJ got granted shop access because the other day I noticed the radiator overflow bottle was falling apart. It had a couple tabs at the top that it hung from. They decided to give up. In its place I installed a smaller unit from my parts pile. Then I got looking at other small stuff that bothers me. This started with the hood latches that were bolted down backwards… … and then I cut my leg on the winch cable for the last time. Much better!

Good point. I don’t recall if I did anything with the grounds in the cab. On the note of bushings, I put in new about ten years ago… I think.

This is a problem I’ve had for almost as long as I’ve had my truck. My wipers suck. Doesn’t seem to matter if the switch is on high, low, or anywhere along the delay… they’re slow. Fortunately (when it was actually driven) it never seemed to be in the rain. Now I was fiddling with some interior stuff so I put another wiper module in it out if my pile. Seems to me that I’ve tried putting a few of those in with the same awful result. Thoughts? Wiring? Wiper motor? Truck in question is an ‘88 Eliminator.

And then a year later?… it still hasn’t gotten worked on. I’ve been busy getting my shop in order and I came across some parts that were allocated for it though. The center console got cleaned up some by putting a nicer insert in it and I changed a burned out bulb while I had it apart. Not sure why the four cylinder trucks got a way better radiator overflow bottle, but they did and I had one in the pile. That got installed. Then something else I’ve been wanting to put back on are the rubber side moldings. I need to clean them up and get some molding tape. … and one “proof of existence” picture.

Anyone know which one this is? Stamped with 5KH2900. Thanks, all!

… it’s tomorrow. Just when I start thinking that I’m getting ahead of cleaning and organizing I decide to start on the next area. Today was the loft… and the loft means going through parts. Most of what I had left stashed away was split up between my little shed and the back of the truck. I think I’ll be putting a bunch of stuff up for sale, but it’s nice to see the floor of the bed!

I have a material rack! I’ve never had a material rack before. Anytime in the past where I’ve ran into storing material, things always end up getting piled up in a corner and all the small stuff ends up littering my welding table. Not in this shop! Plenty space between the new rack and the truck. The material rack and the door latch were the deciding factors for where the truck lives in the shop. Now with those figured, the MJ moved about a foot closer to the door since I don’t need space to get a ladder between it and the door to remove the old “latch”. That means I gained that foot under the loft. Trying to plan out winters already too for days that I’m out here and the truck stays in. Feels very comfortable. TIG welder found a new home too. Been using that a bunch this week on dumb little things to find water leaks from it sitting for over six years. Got that all sorted and even took care a couple “when I get to it” type projects for others. Everyday this week I’ve told myself that I’d get started on cleaning up the loft. Maybe tomorrow?

Yay!! A for real latch and a door handle! No more climbing a ladder to pull the janky block and screw.

I’m sure it will. It wasn’t left on long. Pretty much checked functions after a puff of dust from first startup.

More stuff off the floor! My little hardware boxes got finished up for now. I’m not a fan of the blue tape but I’d like to sit with it for now and see if anything needs rearranging. Then there’s the heater which has also been in the way for much too long. I started with matching the angle of the ceiling to work with a level mount. Then I drilled straight up and sent a stick of 1/2” all thread up into the attic. Once up there, I dropped a 2x10 across four of the rafters, along with another 2x4, and then double nuts everywhere for good measure. … and then the long crawl back… Now confident that I could hang a swing on it, the heater went up. … then wired… Smells like a giant hair drier!

Ahh… last drawer to get figured was welding stuff. Caught myself thinking about the future of the loft today. For a while now I’ve wanted to use it as an office space and I guess I always figured that there would just be a desk of sorts along the back wall. Well… that’s boring and while my white walls are nice, they’re also kind of boring when facing towards them at close distance. Here’s where I’m thinking now… Feels natural to overlook the kingdom.

Been feeling very accomplished with so many little things this week. I suppose not having a job to go to helps this. Yesterday I had every single tool I own spread out in my shop. It was time to go through the tool box and weed out the odd stuff and reorganize. What didn’t make sense to cram in there went elsewhere in either my fancy cabinets (that I can’t believe I’ve never had decent cabinets in a shop) or to another location. The new cart/table is now the drill and hardware cart. There’s room for a ton of stuff in here! The little roll out trays work nicely for separating drill bits into different categories and I cut apart an old utensil pull out for further separating small things. Then I wired in an outlet on an extension cord for the chargers and other future tools that’ll go on top. Got it all wrapped up neatly on an old winch hook. Then there’s sorting out drawers and what makes sense to me to put in them. This is still a work in progress as I’ve got small welding stuff to go through. Feels good to be getting to all of this.

Agreed! 400 horse power 5.0 six cylinders and 14 slot grills are cool too.

Thanks! Can’t believe I didn’t post this earlier either… I’ve got an electric heater to hang, but otherwise the last piece of the electrical puzzle was solved about a month ago. My final inspection was approved the day before I went on vacation which really kicked things off right. With a new main line run to the property and a new 200 amp main panel I now have full function to the shop.

So… I did a thing the other day. I’ve been trying to figure a good time to do this but there never is so I just went for it with completely backing from my wife… I quit my job. There’s a bunch of facets to it but so much of it came down to the industry, long term health concerns, and a lack of personal growth opportunities. It’s been time for a change for a long while now. Do I have a plan?… not exactly. I’ve got a pile “wants” and a short list of “needs” and that starts with no more physical jobs. Today was the first workday in a long while that I didn’t have a job to go to and I loved it! I spent most of it out in my shop organizing, going through boxes, and finding more things that I consider “therapeutic decorating”. Some of it was just signage and things that have been rattling together in the same tote… … while others were from an unearthed shoebox that was nothing but badges mostly being Jeep related. And then there’s this sweet piece. This came from the ceiling of a friend of mine that’s been trying to give me things for years now. Trying to be somewhat of a minimalist (shh… my shop is my cheat code for this ) I’ve never accepted anything. Last time I was at his place, this bright metal gas can caught my eye. See, his late father in law was an AMC guy and his whole garage is dripping in “old man cool”. I instantly fell in love with it and then my buddy very slowly took it down from the rafters. Out of respect, I decided to hang it near the same as the first time I laid eyes on it. Thanks, Jerry.

I’ve been going through some boxes lately that are like opening tombs. Most have at least a few things that have made me drop what I’m doing to take note or read about whatever the artifact is. Found a good one today! Something a long while back made me keep this article from May, ‘91 Peterson’s 4 Wheel and I thought about enjoying one more time and then putting it in the “why did I keep this for so long?”… aka garbage… pile. It’s rad so here it is!

Probably chargers? It was space that I had available when measuring for the hardware bins. I’ll probably leave it open until I’m done reorganizing tools.

Trying to tackle storage and get rid of more bins. I would imagine a drill press and some other tools will end up getting mounted on here in the future.

Had an annoying amount of people thinking I had a Jurassic Park Jeep the other day. First of all, it’s not a YJ! Second, the dinosaurs aren’t supposed to be on the inside!

I am a chump for never having an overhead fan in my previous shops! I spent most of today trying to organize things and getting rid of bins on the floor. A friend of mine helped me finally bring home my welding table too. I knew the size of it but, boy, is it cozy in there with the truck parked and the doors all shut. In the spirit of getting rid of bins, I’ve had one labeled “garage art” that’s been accumulating for the past ten years or so. It’s mostly vintage Volkswagen and a few late ‘80s Jeep ads… no, I won’t call those “vintage”. Also in the bin was a pile of welding helmets I’ve used, painted, or been gifted. Not all of them went up either. Some even went into the trash. It’s nice seeing familiar things again. Feels like home.