a4xnut Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 I've been here a little over a week, so I thought maybe I should introduce myself... Hi, I'm Paul and I'm a Jeepaholic. I've been into Jeeps (and other 4x4's) since 1970 (age 13), when Dad came home with a M38A1 powered by a '57 'Vette 283. A couple of years later, the M38A1 was replaced by a '71 CJ5. Many weekends and vacations were spent out wheelin' the West from the Canadian border to Cabo San Lucas. Rigs I've owned in the past, listed in order of purchase include: '62 Willys Wagon with a 350 Buick '53 M38A1 (not the same one as Dad's - this one had a Chevy 350) '69 Toyota FJ-40 (stock) '71 CJ5 (bought from Dad when health issues ended his driving ability) '75 Chevy K-10 short/wide box on 38's '80 IH Scout II - a special edition called Hot Stuff, which is essentially a Scout II with a Terra cab and fancy trim (only 4 were made) '73 IH Scout II (for parts) '86 XJ Laredo '86 XJ Pioneer (for parts) '75 IH Scout II (bought for my daughter when she turned 16) '92 XJ Country Out of the rigs above, I still have the '71 CJ5 and both '86 XJ's, plus... ...the reason I'm here: '89 MJ that started life as a Pioneer. It currently sports a '92 HO head with '99 intake, Pacesetter header, bucket seats with XJ console (and center handbrake), AX-15, NP231 and XJ D44 rear that has had the spring perches moved to the right spot with pads for SOA or SUA (Currently SUA). Suspension wise, it's got ~2" spacers up front and air shocks out back (done by the PO). Plans for the MJ? Rob the '86 Laredo of it's front 6" lift, 4:56 gears & lockers and maybe the front bumper with the 8274 on it... but after seeing some of the clean "hidden" winch setups here with the smaller winches, maybe not. I don't plan on doing hard core wheelin' with it, but who knows. I've said that before and changed my mind. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a4xnut Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 Almost forgot... the all important pics! :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftpiercecracker1 Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 That is a good lookin truck. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Very nice Truck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 so...clean... :drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Mmmmmm.... Chrome........... :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I think the MJ looks good the way it is. Find another XJ for a wheeler/lifted rig. That MJ looks like a nice, clean, fun driver. Welcome to the fold. Rob :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a4xnut Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 Thanks! When I had the '92 Country, it was the same color and had a body colored grill - I almost swapped them before sending the XJ down the road, but ultimately left it as-is. The pics were taken back in 2005, I wish the paint was still that shiney, but the MJ lives outside and the trees haven't been so kind to it. :( After tearing the LH LCA mount off the "frame" of the XJ and seeing how it was made, I'm reluctant to get serious with another unit construction rig. (It also helped me understand how a 4 door XJ can weight several hundred pounds less than a soft top YJ.) In looking at the amount of steel many here have had to add to their trail rigs to make them hold up to the abuse reinforces that. That's not to say full-frame vehicles don't have issues (the family CJ has cracked the frame at every spring hanger at some point or another), but they seem to be easier to deal with. I'm not a welder, so I have to depend on others to make those kind of repairs. When I tore the control arm off my XJ, I was in Canada and I couldn't find anyone that was willing to weld a repair on my XJ - claiming the uni-frame was zinc plated and therefore put off hazarous fumes they didn't want to deal with. Fortunately for me, I was there with my club and was able to get it home on a trailer and their rig was driven back home. Once home, I didn't have any problems getting the XJ fixed - and even added the MJ LCA supports to it. (This all happened before anyone had done any long arm jobs on XJ's.) I bought the MJ back in 2005 because I needed a pickup from time to time and wanted something a little different. I found this one and it was a clean, well equipped example. The PO, who was a recently retired Jeep dealership mechanic, had built this one with choice parts. He also had a beautiful black Eliminator that was similarly equipped, but he wasn't willing to talk about selling that one. At the time when I bought it, my wife thought it was a lot of money ($3500, ~$1500 above the average MJ around here at the time) and feared I was going to thrash it like the XJ (which was pretty nice looking when I first got it). I promised her back then that I wouldn't beat this one up and so far, I've kept that promise. It's primary duty has just been being a pickup for those times when you need one. A couple of years ago, I picked up a Four Wheel Campers pop-up camper for it, so that gets slid in when we go camping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Very nice. Got any more recent pics of it? :thumbsup: If it still looks anything like it does in those pics I think it's too nice for a trail rig. It's your truck though so do what you want. What is that steering wheel out of? CJ? I like it. The interior in general is super nice looking - that's what I plan on making mine like somewhere down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a4xnut Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 The steering wheel is the same (other than color) as the one in my 86 XJ Laredo. Shouldn't be hard to find one. No, I haven't taken any more recent pics of it. I guess I have a reason to now. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue88Comanche Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 that is a very good looking MJ! its so clean :drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteco Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 nice looking comanche ya got there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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