The headlight switch didn't just fail, but the connector actually caught fire. I had to pull over and let it cool before continuing my trip (I got smoke in the cabin). The dealers of course don't have the part, but if they did it would cost $2,600. NAPA doesn't make it anymore and I couldn't find a yard that would let me cut one out (our pick and pulls here just suck in a bad bad bad way). I had to push the job to a new mechanic who swore to me he had some pull at the yards and would get me the piece. I walked in the door and told him I melted the plug to the switch and that I wanted both replaced. The install was no problem but it took some cash to grease the wheels at the yard and a couple hours of begging. I had no climate controls for a while (though I rigged the heat back this week). I have 3 of 4 blower settings (expensive part). I have no A/C (condenser and a new box plus a full dash disassembly). I need new shafts and a gear job, at least, up front. I need 4 new tires and a new set of wheels (5 if I go with BFG A/Ts instead of MTs which I will probably do). I need to build myself a D44. I have no skid plates yet, trailer hitch or a rear bumper that works for me (tire/gear carrier). In addition to that I have one pop and one squeal to diagnose and fix. I had to seal off the sunroof and the motor is nearly dead. The sound system is shot (I have 2 working speakers due to harness issues not dead speakers). The passenger window works only intermittently. The interior plastic is about 60% shot, I have an aftermarket carpet that doesn't fit right, the front seats need to be replaced, I rigged the D/S frame rail but it isn't actually safe. If I keep driving it it needs a full fluid change. The body damage is also an issue, I haven't had front fender flares for years but I have yet to cut them either. I have some places starting to rust and other dents from tools and other things that will be difficult to repair. The roof itself is dented (~$1,000). I would also like to get it painted. The vehicle has always had major heat issues and the only real solution is a ground up exhaust system from headers to tail-pipe (in addition to an aux. fan timer). New injectors wouldn't be a bad idea ($$$) and I have a new spark plug rail that needs to be installed (not a big deal). Thats more or less the shopping list for making it perfect again.
All doable things but it takes time and money that I can't drop all at once. Its not a DD anymore, and in the state it's in, it isn't reliable and won't be until I have a few weeks to really strip it down and start rebuilding. A great project and by no means a lost cause, but it just cant be my DD anymore.
