Bummer man... It sucks when you get your hopes up like that and then get shot down. Sorry to hear that.

Hey Irish, bummer about the extended deployment. But is sounds like when you finally do get back, you'll have a neglected XJ and a huge pile of new parts in your garage.

Back when I was restoring old Mustangs, a situation like this would call for a work party. A handful of us would get together and spend the day cranking out progress on someone's car. All it would cost him was beer and pizza. Maybe something to consider when you return? I'd gladly join in, as by then my daughter will be long gone with her XJ and I'll be suffering from severe Jeep build withdrawal!

Wristwister, Thanks! I would be looking forward to the help that I will most likely need. I will provide all the beer and pizza you would like. I don't drink but I have no issues providing it in the service of good company! Plus, its a win win for you beer and pizza and being able to fulfill your withdrawl. Maybe it will prevent you from wanting to buy one yourself or the other way around lol. Yea the previous owner knows about my extension and is still willing to hold out until I get home which is good. I mean it is paid for I just need to go pick it up and bring it to my house. Don't want my wife having to deal with that while I'm out so I will just leave it there and pick up when I get home. Oh yea wife has been sending me photos of all the boxes and parts arriving so it will be lots of fun when I get home.

It is a bummer on the extension though wouldnt be so bad if we knew we would still make it home by Christmas. That is up in the air right now but if we do make it home before then I will be super happy and so will my Wife and kids!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Happy Halloween! Sorry about your delayed deployment, hopefully you make it back for Christmas with the family!

. Dude... Something nice needs to show up with her name on it. Just for handling all those boxes. Lol

Oh she has been taken care of....some of the boxes were in fact stuff for her for Christmas!!! I have a few more things with me that I had gotten while overseas that she is going to go crazy over too!

Right on! Can't forget about the support team holding the fort! lol

Yep defiantly won't forget that...she is a stay at home Mom working her tail off with 4 kids! 3 of which are home schooled and our son goes to local school so she is busy.

Besides happy wife is a happy life!! Keep her happy she won't hopefully hate the Jeep lol

Has she been out Jeeping before?

Well that question can be answered by saying this is our first Jeep! We have rode 4 wheelers all our lives and her 3 wheelers as well. We have done alll kinds of off roading adventures but on smaller 4 wheeled machines. Anything outdoors is what my wife and I both enjoy doing so I don't see her complaining about it other than how much time is spent wrenching it and less with her and the kids. I think she will enjoy it enough to say they one day she will want a XJ herself.

Update on items waiting on install:

RE 4.5" Coils
RE 3.5" Leafs
RE Track bar and bracket/brace
Front Shocks
RE Adjustable UCA's
Tune up kit

Will purchase soon:

Adjustable LCA's
Relocation Brackets for rear leafs
Rear Shackles
Extended brake lines
Rear Shocks

One of our member's on here who is local to me offered me some 33"s tires to use so I'm stoked about that until I buy a new set or go 35"s lol. He also has been talking to be on the regular with e-mail to keep me updated on certain parts I can source from junk yards and save money.

The offroad heater and air conditioner is nice... lol My wife was a city gal and I brought her to the country. She ended up loving the outdoor lifestyle of camping and wheeling as we raised the kids. She has missed the Jeep being up and going even more than I. As of yesterday we are back in the saddle and she is already making plans for the next adventure.