rredalty Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Time to breathe new life into a long time love of mine. I have had this thing for 4+ years now and all it does is sit in the yard with a dead Optima until I decide to jump it off every 6 months or so. I have my spurts that I want to work on it and then after a few days, I throw it back in it's hole. Time to give it a serious face lift and breathe new life into the old girl. This truck was given to me by a good friend and when I was kind enough to total the fiance's Ranger. This is what she was stuck with and she somehow developed an emotional attachment to it. I have been told that if I get rid of it, I am getting rid of her too. Sad thing is I think she is serious. Enough babble, time for some pics of where it started and where it's at now. The bed on it now is the replacement for the previous one but you can imagine what kind of shape it was in. Tenative build is as follows; -D30, 4.56, locked -8.8, 4.56, disk, locked -beefed steering(currie or homebuilt) -front suspension +Rock Krawler 3 link +RE 5.5" coils +Bilstein 12" 5125's -rear suspension +SOA +traction bar +Bilstein 10" 5150's -extensive cage, gusseted at all joints -Beard super seats(recovered in black leather with black suade inserts) -homebuilt bumpers(front and rear) with M8000 -homebuilt sliders/ rocker replacements -bed bobbed 8" -new floor pans -Alpine Head Unit with a set of 6.5" components in the doors -Nokian 33x12.5x15 tires mounted on beadlocks Thats it for now. Feel free to critique anything and if I'm leaving out something important, please tell me. Sound confortable, capable and reliable? Best part is I have to get it done before the flog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightrider Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Holy jeebus! Talk about a bird's nest batman! Saweet seeing it go from bent to purty. Mine is going to be a slow upgrade process but no major plans. Its a winter beater and used during my snow shifts to/from work. I can't get out of my driveway without it, lol. I like the prerunner style front bumper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 I know this aint FS but I will be building another bumper so I'll sell that one for $60. Only downside is I will not ship it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Green Racing stripes? what the hell is the big SKEET deal about? anyway i'm totally into your build plan though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catatonic Comanche Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Wow! After adding all of those body parts it is as if 20 MJ junkers combined forces to restore a single Comanche! Rock on! :beerhead: V/R Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Wow! After adding all of those body parts it is as if 20 MJ junkers combined forces to restore a single Comanche! Rock on! :beerhead: V/R Paul :rotfl2: I was thinking the same thing! Reminds me of that Johnny Cash song... Its aaaaa 86,87,88,89,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,99 2000 and 1.. You going as extrema as the Green Goblin is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 what size bfg's are those on there and how much lift currently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 Maybe 2" lift and 32x11.5's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I know this aint FS but I will be building another bumper so I'll sell that one for $60. Only downside is I will not ship it. Where you at? Truck looks good now. Even more multi colored than mine. Can't wait to see future steps in between now and finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BREEZE1 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 awwhhhhh SKEET SKEET SKEET :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 This - to me - is the definition of why MJs are so cool. Parts are cheap and bringing one back to life can be a worthwhile experience. You'll have that thing looking great in no time - pretty much just needs a matching paint job now - Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Maybe 2" lift and 32x11.5's Cool. I just found a set of 32" BFG A/T's with @1/4-1/2 tread left for $50. So do those soft 8's have factory offsets? The front tires on yours seem to stick out more than I would prefer, but my Canyons might get me what I'd like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 Don't have any of it really, I sold the red Jeep today, so it's time to get moving. I got a new optima to replace the old dead one, and all the stuffs to tune it up. I have had this truck for so long and never even checked the oil level. After it got a battery, it turned 3 revolutions and fired holding a solid 75psi of oil pressure. Also got the long arms ordered today as well as the RE 5.5" coils. Figured I will keep the bench for now and spent the alloted cash on a Nikon D40 for Tiff(she deserves it dealing with my $#!&). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 Located in Knoxville TN also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPB Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 I've been there before!!!! :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted October 18, 2008 Author Share Posted October 18, 2008 Time for another update, I got done with the tune-up today. Sea-foam, champion plugs, wires, cap, rotor and fuel filter. I keep hearing $#!& about the paint so here are some pics of it as it sits right now, and yes thats a Rustys tie rod as a hood prop (about all it's good for.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted October 18, 2008 Author Share Posted October 18, 2008 Made some more progress tonight. The Bed made it off and although I was only able to remove 5" from the rear, I feel that the 5" will make alot more of a difference. No pics as of yet, I have the rear section tacked back on and the bed set back onto the truck to see where I need to trim more and I need to fab some new rear bed mounting brackets. Went to pull-a-part and the pickins was slim, but I was able to get a new mini console for the trans and a new hood prop rod. After the junkyard, I stopped by to see my favorite parts guy, Jason at ROCKYOUR4X4.COM and got the needed u-bolts and pinion flange adapter for the axle set I'm going to Chatt tomorrow to pick up. Axles are a D30/ 8.8 set. Both are 4.56 geared, welded rear, lunchbox locker for the front, set of spare shafts all around and a DOM/ heim steering set. I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow sometime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 OD green. A great color for any jeep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Today was a success. Went to Chattanooga to get the axles/ steering from NOS86(Thanks Eric) and after meeting with Melkor to check out the willys(looking good) I made it on home with the new to me D30/ 8.8. Special thanks goes to Dan(99Cherokee) for coming over and helping with all the heavy lifting. Got the bed finished aside from a little filler and paint, the bed mounts are there now, rear axle got yanked and the new one is now stripped of all brackets and ready for new spring perches/ shock mounts and traction bar brackets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 nice bob! I really like this project. I just may have to do that myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjcrazy09 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 very nice! Also I have seen that Cherokee at my school. I would like to see more pictures if you have them of your bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 Sorry for the long delay, but it's done and ready. Performance is exactly what I was shooting for. It climbs well, rides like a truck still, very stable on and off road and I couldn't ask for more. Sorry about the poser shot, I was checking to make sure there was enough clearance for the driveshaft to the new x-member that had to be built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 Time for an update. It did well at the flog but with a bum D30(both joints popping and all the brackets previously tweaked) I didn't romp on it too hard. It did need some trimming and longer rear shocks. I had to decide weather to swap to big joint shafts I had laying around and fix the brackets, or swap the gears/ locker to another axle I had with the big joint shafts already. Last night the good axle got gutted, trussed, mini skids and the gears/ locker from the bad axle and this morning I stuffed everything in there. Also tossed on a new set of wheels/ tires I recently recieved. Got a set of procomp xterrains and allied beadlocks. Still need to finish trimming but with the new 1.75" spacers it sits pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rredalty Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xj_dummy Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 I like your build. Keep us posted. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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