Well, looks like another Jeep has followed me home - Project Nikdot

[freerider15]

Long story short, I've been eyeing this Jeep of Sam's (zluster) for a while. It was one he picked up to flip. Well, we (my girlfriend and I) decided to pick it up from him for what he's got into it. Sam's girlfriend and the city might have had some sway in it as well

The project name comes from my girlfriends nickname :laugh:

Specs:

- Patriot Blue 2001
- 105k miles
- HP30/D35
- 4.5" BDS Long Arm Lift
- Full SYE (not hack and tap)
- Aftermarket Driveshaft (no idea MFG)
- Remote Start (gotta figure it out)
- 16" TJ Moab Wheels
- Brown Dog Motor Mounts
- Heavy Duty Aluminum Radiator
- Other stuff


This will be her rig, and be the light/medium wheeling/camping rig I've been wanting to have for a while now. I'll have the buggy for the real fun stuff, but it's nice to not always have to load up and have something with...a roof. This rig will stay CLEAN...NO cutting.

Currently it does need some work (it hit something hard on the front right):
- Passenger Side Floorboard and Wheel well need knocked back out
- Interior needs to be put back together
- Needs front shocks
- Need Passenger Side Brake Line
- Cleaning and a good buff up

Future plans off the top of my head:
- Will swap in an 8.25 for the mean time and COFest
- Keep and regear/disc 8.25 or put find and put in an 8.8 that has 4.10's and discs stock
- WJ Steering and Brake Upgrade
- Rock Rails
- Some 32's
- Belly protection
- F&R bumpers
- Headlight upgrade and LED bar/pods

If I had my plasma CNC table like I plan on one day...then you'd be seeing some new stuff coming to market. But, for now the stuff will have to stay as one off. :laugh:

 

[dirteexj94]

Very nice. Love the Moans. What head light upgrade you thinking about doing?

 

[dirteexj94]

Very nice. Love the Moans. What head light upgrade you thinking about doing?

Moabs*

 

[freerider15]

Very nice. Love the Moans. What head light upgrade you thinking about doing?

Either:
- Upgraded harness with Hella E-Code housings and aftermarket bulbs (i.e. what I had on my XJ before buggified)
- Retrofit some projectors (what I will be doing on my tow rig)

It's ironic as I'm an LED vendor, not going with LED's. The thing is, pricing just isn't there for it right now for me to consider it a viable option.

 

[denverd1]

Good looking rig

 

[in4aride]

Why not buy a cheapo housing set off ebay. Cut it open. And mount two pods in each. Flood pod for lows and spot pod for highs. Or just pair of floods per side?

 

[freerider15]

Why not buy a cheapo housing set off ebay. Cut it open. And mount two pods in each. Flood pod for lows and spot pod for highs. Or just pair of floods per side?

A few reasons:

1.) Though I love the flood pods I carry (some will be making their way onto the rig eventually), they don't have any sort of cutoff for oncoming traffic. I want this one to actually be DOT "approved", since this will see quite a bit of road miles.

2.) I've already got the bulbs and housings

I'll eventually build a front bumper that recesses in a 14" or 22" bar, as well as some flood pods and rock lights.

 

[freerider15]

Well, my friend and former roommate got all his stuff (including his 1 ton TJ build) out this weekend.

I now have the garage all to myself...SO MUCH ROOM NOW

He did grace me with some parts from his TJ, so that now I don't need them:

1.) Lightly used 10" travel 255/70 Bilstein 5150's
2.) Old style JKS Front upper shock conversion mounts

I'll be getting some front lower and rear upper Bar Pin Eliminators water jetted out, and then things will start!

I've decided I'm going to just source a HP30 housing and start building it, so I don't have to deal with it being under the vehicle. Still not 100% on building the 8.25 that will be thrown in, or nabbing an 8.8. Still leaning to 8.8, since I should be able to find one geared to 4.10 already, and discs.

 

[in4aride]

Oh legal. Yeah eff all that business.

 

[freerider15]

Oh legal. Yeah eff all that business.

:laugh:

Yeah, this one stays 100% road legal...unlike the mostly-street-legal-ish buggy (it will see street time).

Now...I've only got to do the following before it comes in and gets work done:
1.) Get Black '98 XJ up for sale
2.) Finish up Buggy
3.) Get some stuff/upgrades done to the truck
4.) Get trailer fenders fabbed on the trailer

:laugh: Just a *little* bit to do!

 

[in4aride]

Only a years worth with your schedule.

 

[freerider15]

Only a years worth with your schedule.

Yeah, not going to be easy, but it will all get done in the next two months.

I've got at least another month working in the same town...so I'm going to use it!

Luckily the buggy stuff is rather simple, mainly just actually sitting down and wiring my panel up.

The truck is a long weekends worth of work, and same with the trailer.

With the extra room in the garage and making sure to work on something every night...shouldn't be *too* bad.

 

[thejeepgod]

Finally someone will finish this one. :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

If you need an 8.25 I have one.

 

[collkid]

Thing is pretty....


Black 98.... wheres the ad?! We're still thinking we need more doors.

 

[freerider15]

Finally someone will finish this one. :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

If you need an 8.25 I have one.

Sam's green donor XJ is currently sitting on the side of my house...and other than what he needs I've got free reign to it (i.e. the 8.25 in the back). However, I'm not sure about expending the effort to throw it in there, since I the most it will see is Chinaman's at COFest. Right after, i'll probably be hunting down a pre-geared/disc'd 8.8 for a swap. Don't really feel like doing two axle swaps.

Thing is pretty....


Black 98.... wheres the ad?! We're still thinking we need more doors.

And it's only gonna get purtier

The black '98 isn't up for sale yet, still putting some work into her. Last main thing is a full clean/buff/detail (using my new Adam's Car Care Stuff ) of the exterior (though the exterior isn't the...uhhhh...nicest) :laugh:

Honestly, the black '98 is going to go up for more than anyone on is going to want to pay for a Jeep with rust (rockers are pretty well gone). I need to get as much for it as humanly possible to try and be the least out of pocket on the new project as possible.

 

[freerider15]

Bringing this back up from the dead, just to keep a little track of things :laugh:

She should be going under the knife this winter, i'll drag her into the shop to get things taken care of with the floorboards, and get the interior back together to get her driving.

The buggy will be getting pretty well put away for the winter soon enough. I'm running this Saturday, and I'd like to squeeze Indy in before it gets too cold.

From there...I've been acquiring parts and such over a while :laugh:

Funny how when you have a bit of time, you can find people letting go of stuff for much more budget friendly prices

Things I've gotten so far:
- TNT U-Bolt eliminators (won a raffle cert)
- TNT Trackbar Bracket (won a raffle cert)
- Off Road Armor Rock Rails (won at COFest)
- Tomken Gas Tank Skid (won a raffle cert)
- M.O.R.E. E-brake cables for the 8.8 Swap (got cheap off a forum)
- 8.8 New 1310 Spicer Flange (got cheap off a forum)
- SOLID 8.8 Diff Cover (got cheap off a forum)
- SOLID D30 Diff Cover (From and Iron Rock Offroad Raffle Cert Won)
- D30 Alloy USA Axle seals (picked up from notamos)
- JKS Shock Mounts (picked up from notamos)
- 2AWG Battery, Alt, PCM, etc. cable (bartered some LED Stuff)
- HD Offroad Shackle Relocation Brackets (bartered some LED Stuff)
- A set of 265/75R16 Goodyear Duratracs (bartered some LED stuff and cash with Mike )

I've also gotten various other things from trading at raffles and such (a couple heim joints), HD LCA mounts...stuff like that. I'm slowly starting to amass a pile of parts in the shop...good thing I have the upstairs area to store it all

This thing should be renamed "Overbuilt and Under Utilized" :laugh:

 

[in4aride]

Where ya going Saturday? Know a few folks bitting carnage.

 

[ColoradoRaptor]

This thing should be renamed "Overbuilt and Under Utilized" :laugh:

You don't say..... :gag:

 

[freerider15]

Where ya going Saturday? Know a few folks bitting carnage.

Heading up to "The Woods Run 2K16" on Moody up the Canyon from Fort Collins.

Chad hit me up about Carnage (VERY tempting), but I've been wanting to hit this event for the past few years, but was either out of town (work), forgot the date, or was working on the buggy.

You don't say..... :gag:

I do say...I've been enjoying that "elitist" rig of mine instead of working on another rig during the wheeling season :laugh:

 

[in4aride]

Oh didn't know chad was going. Sounds like carnage would be busy.