NICE...

 

<---------Tim.

 

Yay top down rides!

 

You're weird.

 

Lol

 

Lmao. I try.

 

RAWK a YJ.... sorry to hear about the MJ, but I think you got a worthy replacement.. that's a real nice lookin' jeep

 

So here's the consolidated story of how I lost the MJ:
I drove the Comanche home from Maryland back to Cleveland, OH for a couple weeks of leave. I went to my friend's wedding, spend time with family and friends, and I picked up my '78 Kawasaki KZ650. All was well. Rain was coming down hard when I left Cleveland to come back to Maryland, and traffic was rolling at about 35mph, nearly bumper to bumper as I passed through Garfield Heights, OH with the motorcycle in the bed of the truck. Then some lady decided to force her way in front of me. Immediately after cutting me off, she realized the car in front of me was slowing down. She braked hard, and I couldn't stop fast enough in those conditions. My choice was to hit her or drive up the side of the jersey barrier and flop, so I chose her Tahoe.

Everyone was fine, and there was only minor damage to both vehicles. I completed the drive back to Maryland without any issues, and I called my insurance company. We scheduled an estimate at the local stealership, and I got a check for $1,150 to fix the damage. I ordered $1k worth of parts to fix and upgrade, and my transfer case seized up on the highway when I was headed to the shop. I called for a tow (which is covered by my insurance policy), and they asked if the damage was related to the collision. I told them no and said I would fix it myself out of pocket. They argued with me and sent an adjuster out to reevaluate the truck, and they declared it totaled several weeks after the initial check, and after I spent all the money to buy new parts.

I bought back the truck, but I haven't yet decided for certain what I'll do with it. I did decide to turn the total loss into an opportunity to once again try something new, and I made up my mind that I would buy a YJ.

Here's the link to the new build thread:
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/no...6/#post2541421

 

I seriously hate when people pull that ****. Happens to me alot. Well, out of crap sometimes comes a good thing. Good luck with the yj

 

Thanks for the summary, I'll be following your next build.

 

Just to help sum it up

 

I found some papers and decided I'd unveil those two projects I had under wraps. Since the MJ is being parted, I might as well let y'all know what was gonna happen to it.

Final Result: Run a 44" tire under a 4.5" lift.

Summary:
Project M.O.L.L.E. - The bed was going to be removed and replaced with a custom, modular flatbed.

Project Facelift - The entire front end was going to be overhauled for clearance and approach.

Project M.O.L.L.E.
-2500lb capacity minimum, dimensioned to fit a sheet of plywood or the Kawasaki
-Detachable rear section for wheelbase reduction, with quick-disconnect lights
-Drop-in bedrails with maximum usable space widthwise
-Power inverter
-Tie-downs
-Clearance for truss
-Shock towers in wheel wells for increased travel (?)
-Fuel cell
-OBA
-Waterproof box for tools and misc
-Cupholders
-Baja style spare mount, removable(?)

The plan was to have box steel running lengthwise under the flatbed that would allow me to slide a 2ft bed extension into the rails and bolt in place. This would retain my cargo capacity while effectively bobbing the bed offroad.

I also planned for a 24 gallon fuel cell and an ARB twin compressor setup to sit between the frame rails, under the bed behind the cab. (More importantly, I was gonna mount a 5-stack of freight train horns to give that compressor a workout.)

Finally, to allow for Project Facelift, I was going to move the Optima into a battery box in the bed and configure a dual battery setup.

----------
This is where a D60/14bolt combination with 5.38s would be prepared for swap along with the next project.
----------

Project Facelift
Facelift was a plan to allow for a 3" stretch that would let me approach perpendicular to a wall and drive up it.

The battery, as stated, would be moved to the bed. The airbox would be removed for use of a cowl snorkel. The lowered corners where those components sat would be cut out, and the tops of the wheel arches would continue straight forward from the highest point of the arch to the header panel.

True flat fenders would be built out and provide the clearance that can't normally exist due to the factory wheel well.

Headlights would be inboarded above the unibody rails, in front of the radiator. A pair of shallow 4.5" motorcycle headlights would replace the 5x7s and allow air to still flow for cooling. 3/4" LED turn signals would keep it street legal without taking up space.

Finally, a stubby bumper only as wide as the uniframe rails would offer protection for the radiator while the tires retained an unimpeded forward approach.

With 44s and a 3" stretch, the tires would easily reach in front of the bumper, and all of it would be legal with Street Rod tags.

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One of my sketches, before I decided to inboard the lights:

 

Would have been badass to say the least... And $$$$$

 

Damn. Should get another one and do it as a project. Complete rebuild/ trail rig.

Thing would've been sick

 

Sure! Can I borrow $15k?

Thanks, guys. Spent a lot of nights at work coming up with a finalized plan, and it went down the toilet. Oh well, that's the way it goes. Now I have a new toy.