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If you were going to do it over again what would you do differently?

3K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  Jim_Lou 
#1 ·
If you could do your rig differently or over again what would you do different?

I'm getting the itch to work on my 1/2 parted out CJ5 again. Life has changed again. I have a tow rig and will most likely be moving to Vegas (3 hours from the hammers), and be living in a place with a garage.

Before the "part out" my jeep was on 34" bias ply super swampers, 4" lift YJ springs, detroited dana 30/44 w/ 4.56's, carbed 304, sm465, dana 300, almost stock wheel base. It drove ok to about 55mph but the problem was it wasn't mild enough for exploring the desert all day and putting 200+ miles a day in the heat or cold, and wasn't built enough to really handle the hammers or other harder trails. It would have been great for places like the badlands and other midwest parks.

What would you do differently if you did it all over again?

-1st off come up with a plan and stick to it
-Put the frame on saw horses to plate it/ do all final welding
-Pull the body off so under jeep work turns out a little nicer than it has in the past with my awesome patiance and overhead welding abilities
-Have all of my parts on hand before I really start working on the thing instead of redoing things when you realize 1 part won't work with another part you've spent 2 days making work
-Mock up the thing completely, pull it apart to finish it, fix little details that usually get skipped, and paint it all at the same time instead of some nasty looking old parts and then fresh glossy parts you can tell were just done
-Attempt to not have a deadline and realize this thing is going to take 2ish or years to finish
-Fuel Injected LS based motor, for less than the cost of re-build a carbed or tbi small block chevy and then injecting it you can have a 300hp aluminum headed multiport injected monster. I'm thinking I'll have less than 2 grand into a 100k junk yard motor, modified stock harness, flashed computer, fuel system, & cooling system.
-Automatic, get rid of the pucker factor on big ledges/ climbs
-More wheelbase, I'm attempting to figure out how to get 100" out of a CJ5 and not have it look like a backwoods hack job
-37" tires
-1 ton bassed axles
 
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#2 ·
if you are going to wheel the hammers... just build a tube chassis... on tons with some 35+ tires.. you can run a carb.. but it better be a q-jet..

and make everything easy to work on.. make it accessable.. easy to pull out and in.. because wheeling the hammers.. you will break it..
 
#3 · (Edited)
Diffrent situation than you. If i had it to do over again I wouldnt have done it! Maybee the onboard air. My Jeep was a blast when I could hop in it and go for a ride anywhere and still play offroad. When the wife wasnt afraid to drive it and it diddnt need 2k worth of suspension work.

Anyway I am currently working to make it reliable on and offroad. Just miss having a jeep to drive. I used to enjoy trailering it here and there, now i want to drive it to the trailhead and home. Just not interested in bounging it off of hard obsticals anymore. Nice drive through the creek would be great!

Not to shoot a build in the foot but looking around here I can buy a built jeep cheaper than I could build it. Bet it is similar in vegas!
 
#4 ·
Pat I think you might be right about a full on tube chassis. I have the start of a pair of ruff stuff 9's, enough rod ends for a 3 & 4 link, a dana 300 w/ hd output, some bead locks and a pile of other little things. I'd like to have a plate on the thing to drive it around town on hop on the road and go fuel up.

Jeff I hear ya on the drive to the trail head deal. My 4 runner is pretty much stock and works great for that. Jeeps are nice but the wheel base, "enclosed cab", and ifs suspension of the runner work great hauling butt in the desert.

I probably could buy something cheaper than building it, did that with my CJ. Even though building costs more it's much easier to do pay check to pay check. Trying to save up the coin for a $20,000 buggy isn't easy. $500 here and $1000 there is much more doable for me. It's also something to do and keep me entertained and then it can be built how I want it.
 
#9 ·
you live in nevada.. i'm sure you could plate it as a buggy... i see those little sand buggy things here in cali with plates.. they don't have much more than what i have on my buggy... i'd probably need a horn and get my blinkers to work and a rear view mirror of some kind.. but other than that they have open wheels and no windshields..

just don't weld the diffs... this is what holds me back... it's a beast on pavement.. with your front and rear welded up.. she'll do it, but damn angry about it..
 
#10 ·
Nevada has vin inspections to get a plate and I'm not sure if there's a vin anywhere on my jeep carcas. The jeep currently has a MI/ plates that are outdated in my name. I could probably register the buggy as my 74 CJ5 in my dad's name at get away with it.

Pat were you at KOH? I met some of the degenerate crew and helped with the yota that ran the stock race. When is the next time you are planning on doing some wheeling?

I've got a 35 spline 9" ARB I plan on putting in the front end.
 
#11 ·
ya.. i made it out for race day... was working remote pit one.. our next time out will be the race in Glen Helen... currently working on the new race buggy and well.. work in general..

Buck Wild Racing got a full on sponser.. Widia.. and the new buggy is a mid engine LQ9 with a NV4500 and a rover transfer case.. running a flipped 14b in the rear and a flipped nine in the front..

rear axle coming along...


front axle coming together..






hijack off..
 
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