Son of Stink

[Gjeep]

Exciting times – At long last, final graphics in-hand! The aim is to get these on this weekend (or so). I even purchased some felt covered magnets for the job.

 

[89 MJ]

[Red Mistress]

Going to have be in right frame of mind to apply 

[watchamakalit]

[Gjeep]

Getting there on the graphics... I didn’t have as much time as I hoped to this weekend. Finished the hood and a bit of the driver side. Looking forward to posting completed pics soon! The wife will be headed to a mother/ daughter college Mother’s Day weekend event this Friday through Sunday and there will be my window to get back to it. Here's where she currently stands (and as an FYI, those are scab wheels/tires and flares. The good stuff gets put on later).

 

 

 

In the meantime, I was inspired with another modified grille idea to compliment the Comanche’s new stripes. This grilles metamorphosis is much easier than the full knock-out/mesh grille build I did a couple years back. I still need to trim around the grille mounting ‘boxes’ and then do a light plastic-fill at the trim locations, sand, and paint. Will see which grille I end up going with. Having options is good.

 

 

 

Finally, the topside of the Warn solenoid box has been empty for several years. The domed M8000 sticker that came on it hazed over couple months after I installed it and looked real bad. Not sure why that happened. That empty spot has been nagging at me ever since. Yes, I have the Warn emblem front side I had done but needed something back on top.

 

 

Jeep had a decal many moons back (I believe for CJ or SJ factory winch installs) that inspired me. Here’s the rectangular original (not a fan of the glossy finish) and the tribute I made below for my solenoid box. Will get it produced in either a domed emblem or a high heat friendly decal. Many of the under the hood stickers I have had done online is through uPrinting or StickerApp. I create the artwork and they produce the decal in the appropriate spec based on location/ temp/ etc.

 

 

[Gjeep]

Mother’s Day weekend didn’t afford me the time I was hoping for to finish up the graphics, so I focused on some other crazy… This grille has taken about half the time to modify as the full knock-out stainless steel mesh I did a couple years back. The raw cuts of factory vertical slats removed were done using a Dremel wheel, followed by a flat 1/2” X-acto blade to trim as close to the plastic framing as possible, then Permatex Plastic Welder/ various grits of nail files on all those spots to ensure they were good and smooth. Knocked it all out in about 30 hrs.

 

Half inch honeycomb black (not bent to backside shape of grille yet)…

 

Quarter inch stainless steel square mesh (not bent to backside yet)…

 

Quarter inch black square mesh (not bent yet)…

 

Rims… I’m all over the place currently. I still have the factory Jeep rallye’s that Stockton Wheel widened to 15x8 a while back. And the matte black Mopar 60’s era 15x8’s. But these American Racing Vectors look right on my other MJ (Chief). I’m tempted to go with these again as era appropriate – but the 15x8.5 option this time. Close to an inch more 'dish'.

 

 

 

 

I’ll put one of each wheel on a 31” tire and mount it up to see what looks best with the graphics. Only way to do it. The options that fall by the wayside will be saved for another project.

[fiatslug87]

The thing I don’t like about the honeycomb is that it’s not symmetrical in the openings. Even if the square isn’t it’s not obvious due to its size.

[Gjeep]

I agree on the honeycomb. No way to get it to look quite right. 

[Gjeep]

Yep, this is the other MJ still with test graphics driver side. (Need to pull these and finish the factory Chief stripes soon enough.) For now though she serves as a good representation of how the stroker MJ will look when graphics are installed.

 

Below are the wheel options… the two 15x8 steelie options are on a 31” BFG, while the Vector is 15x7 variant mounted on a 30” tire. The 15x8.5 Vector will have an inch more depth front side (and will also be on a 31” tire).

 

 

 

 

Opinions?

 

To me the winner is once again the Vector wheel on the MJ with a Jeep logo’d center cap. Close second to me is the black Mopar steelie with stainless trim ring and NOS Jeep flat center. I do like the early MJ/ XJ rallye wheel I widened, but think it’s too conservative for the graphics.

[89 MJ]

Vector is my top choice by far. Period correct, looks a little bit sporty, and has a nice combination of bright aluminum and black. 
 

To me, but of the steel options don’t stand out enough and the chrome seems out of place being that there isn’t much, if any, other chrome on the truck. 

[fiatslug87]

The Vector wheel looks fantastic!

 

Their rib pattern really matches well with the hash marks in the graphics.

[neohic]

My vote is for the widened silver rally wheels. I think they add the little extra punch of brightness. 

[watchamakalit]

Vector end of discussion.

[Porquer]

Who widened your Rallye wheels? I vote Vector.

[Gjeep]

Sad to say after 124 years of wheel service about 6 months after I got my spare wheel widened Stockton Wheel Service went out of business. From what the owner said, that whole area of town (all the historical industrial) was being leveled for progress. Very neat place.