My wife's proposition....

[Optiskate]

So the plan has been to find me a dirt cheap little car to get back and forth to work while I work on the Jeep. The Jeep will be down for awhile once I start. The other night I read a thread on PBB about more old school simple builds and garage ingenuity. I started to think to myself, man wouldn't that be fun to build another Jeep with leafs and just keep it stupid simple. Super low, high clearance, use relatively cheap and easily findable drive train parts, and stuff like that. It could even be something that the wife could have some fun with. Shes liked the idea of having a rig she could run mild trails with any way.

Well at dinner the other night I said something to my wife. She liked the idea of something simple that would be easy for her to drive on more mild trails. I pitched it as something I could do after I finished my Jeep and something she could paint pink. Who knows when that will happen. I told her she could even put my old 4.0L into it and do some smaller half ton or so axles into it and have something she wouldn't have to worry as much about breaking.

So this morning she was sitting on the couch and she said she wanted to talk to me. She said we shouldn't by me a cheap car. I was shocked. I sort of need it to build my Jeep after I'm done with my parts collecting. She then told me that she didn't think it was a good idea because she wanted me to build her this Jeep that I had talked about the other night instead.

I laughed, but she was serious.

[OldGreen]

If it was my wife:

Loaded up Cheap XJ with AC that works. . .prolly around 1993ish

LSDs f/r, rocker protection, tow hooks, 31" tires: DONE

or a fully loaded WJ with a sunroof, a V8 and 32s. . .

[Optiskate]

You're not helping OG....



You'd be spot on... but she wants something in the CJ/Wrangler family...

[White trash]

95ish YJ running RE 1 1/2" reversed eye leafs on 35's with high fenders and hogged out rears and waggy 44's (Psst I know where 2 driver drop waggies are sitting for cheap) Simple tube fenders/flares with 3/16" rockers and corners guards. Save the money that the mall crawlers blow on bling crap that means little off road and put a NICE cage in it. Not a stupid "sport" cage but an actual cage that ties into the frame. Aussies front and rear, home brew rear discs and home made hydro assist so you don't have to run 3 different supports/mounts to keep the steering box mounted to the frame...


If you can find a 4 liter auto you'd be ahead of the game to swap an aw4 in from a cherocar later but whatever you find will work certainly.

[Optiskate]

95ish YJ running RE 1 1/2" reversed eye leafs on 35's with high fenders and hogged out rears and waggy 44's (Psst I know where 2 driver drop waggies are sitting for cheap) Simple tube fenders/flares with 3/16" rockers and corners guards. Save the money that the mall crawlers blow on bling crap that means little off road and put a NICE cage in it. Not a stupid "sport" cage but an actual cage that ties into the frame. Aussies front and rear, home brew rear discs and home made hydro assist so you don't have to run 3 different supports/mounts to keep the steering box mounted to the frame...


If you can find a 4 liter auto you'd be ahead of the game to swap an aw4 in from a cherocar later but whatever you find will work certainly.

You're thinking along the lines I was first thinking. lol I still think I should finish my Jeep first though.

[OldGreen]

You're not helping OG....



You'd be spot on... but she wants something in the CJ/Wrangler family...

What trashy said. . .only if I was going to do a WifeJ in a CJ/YJ/TJ, I'd just do a 2.5, stock height on 31s with LSDs or lockrites. . .cage, tow hooks maybe slaps some angle on the rockers.

The biggest trouble with SWB Jeeps is that they are spendy to find a decent one.

[Optiskate]

You're not helping OG....



You'd be spot on... but she wants something in the CJ/Wrangler family...

What trashy said. . .only if I was going to do a WifeJ in a CJ/YJ/TJ, I'd just do a 2.5, stock height on 31s with LSDs or lockrites. . .cage, tow hooks maybe slaps some angle on the rockers.

The biggest trouble with SWB Jeeps is that they are spendy to find a decent one.

Yeah, they are extremely spendy. I figured maybe I could find something with a blown up motor because as soon as the TJ is done, then I'll have a good 4.0L for it. That would also mean that it would have to wait for awhile. I was thinking about just finding a YJ or TJ tub, hood, grill, and frame and starting from there. Run leafs no matter what I find. Run the leafs SUA. Its almost tempting too look at 3/4 axles just due to the fact that they're cheap and H1's will eliminate headaches for me on the trail. Axles can be cut down. Zero lift, lots of trimming, some where between 33" and 35" tires, some body armor, lockers, and it would get around pretty good.

[Roman]

full width's and H1's, sounds like web wheelin' at it's finest!

[Optiskate]

The axles could be cut down. It would probably be best since were talking about a rig that my wife would drive. She'd probably have more fun being able to easily squeeze between things.


On my Jeep last I measured I sat like 78"ish wide. Which I think is ridiculous for my Jeep being what it is in its current state. I was actually considering running full width on mine with H1's. I think it would put me around 81" or so. Which I realize is wide, but only 1.5" per side more wide than I already am. I don't know though. How wide were you running when you had your Pitbulls?

[OldGreen]

Yeah. . .my idea of a wife Jeep gets groceries and when you go to vatozone you don't have to have a list of makes/models to get parts.

Why would you need to have her on 35s and full widths to run trails?

I have a better idea. . .put some 33s on your Jeep and give it to her. . .

Then build said monstrosity for yourself.

[Optiskate]

My green Jeep will be my monstrosity. It wont be any taller than it already is, if not lower by a little bit. It'll just be a little longer, perhaps a little bit more wide, and a lot more beefy.

I'm just speculating with the proposed wifey rig. YJ, waggy's, lockers, no lift, flat skid, cage, bead locks, and body armor would do her just fine if it ran on 33's. That wouldn't be too hard to do actually. The only reason why I said 35's was just for a little more clearance. It would be low with zero lift regardless. In all reality it just needs to be wife proof as it can be. She'd probably be a timid, yet accident prone, driver if I had to guess. Its the accident prone part that worries me.

[OldGreen]

Timid = Accident prone.

You always get cut by a dull knife!

Seriously, a locked rig on 33s will get you deeeeeep into accident prone country. There is nothing worse than a false sense of security.

I do love a low CJ on Waggies though.....classic mod!

[Roman]

I'm with OG on this one. Ditch the green turd <give it to the wife on 33's> and build a YJ for yourself. You'll be way happier building a YJ, TJ's don't have one bit of straight frame rail

[Optiskate]

I'm with OG on this one. Ditch the green turd <give it to the wife on 33's> and build a YJ for yourself. You'll be way happier building a YJ, TJ's don't have one bit of straight frame rail

That's like me telling you to ditch the YJ. Could you do it? No.

It has sentimental value and not to mention I've amassed a pile of parts for its up coming build. lol Maybe if you answer your phone some time I'll tell you all about it.

BTW, hows the kiddo? Last I saw you, you were expecting and then I went forever without hearing from you. Almost as if you dropped off the face of the earth. You'll also be happy to know that I'm finally taking your advice and planning on setting up an appointment with Merc to talk about going union here soon. I have the day off, just need to call him up and get things rolling now.

[Sveta]

That's like me telling you to ditch the YJ. Could you do it? No.



BTW, hows the kiddo? Last I saw you, you were expecting and then I went forever without hearing from you. Almost as if you dropped off the face of the earth.

Jose been thinking about building something smaller.

About the baby. She is almost 14 month. And after you moved from Canal st, you are right, we have not heard from you since. We do need to have a play date tho.

[White trash]

Actually giving her the tj and building something else is a fantastic idea overall... Attachment issues be damned starting with a clean slate would make the next build way easier. Put the gears in the tj, dump the big fat wheels for some 8" or better yet 7" ones to tuck the tires in and cage it right.


Jose is right about the tj frame, they suck and you are talking about rebuilding both ends of it anyway.

[Sveta]

Actually giving her the tj and building something else is a fantastic idea overall...

I do not think he had this in mind when this thread started. Ha, ha!!

[White trash]

Actually giving her the tj and building something else is a fantastic idea overall...

I do not think he had this in mind when this thread started. Ha, ha!!

You're right about that. Brad has some huge dreams for the tj that basically include rebuilding everything but the dash. Its one thing to go that far when you have the time and tools to do it but an unfortunate dream when you do not...

[Sveta]

You're right about that. Brad has some huge dreams for the tj that basically include rebuilding everything but the dash. Its one thing to go that far when you have the time and tools to do it but an unfortunate dream when you do not...

Trashy, why would you break the dream??

You are so realistic.

[White trash]

Trashy, why would you break the dream??

You are so realistic.

I only preach on things I've done... I didn't have the tools to build my truck when I started on it and it took forever. Now I have the tools but I've let the dream snowball into stupidity so I know its a bad idea...

[LiftedZuki]

I bought me first car/ 88 cherokee, 4.0/aw4 with 109k miles for $350.

I'd build her a cherokee. Bad gas mileage but oh well. I got 15 mpg with a heavy foot.

[tobyw]

Ger her a Minivan, problem solved...

[Optiskate]

I'm well on my way to having most of my major drive train parts to rebuild everything but the dash in my TJ.

Actually, I have access to my dad's shop, so I have access to all the tools I need. It would be nice to have a MIG so that I could do some of my own welding though. I can do most everything else, but the welding. I don't think I could TIG to save my life.

[Optiskate]

That's like me telling you to ditch the YJ. Could you do it? No.



BTW, hows the kiddo? Last I saw you, you were expecting and then I went forever without hearing from you. Almost as if you dropped off the face of the earth.

Jose been thinking about building something smaller.

About the baby. She is almost 14 month. And after you moved from Canal st, you are right, we have not heard from you since. We do need to have a play date tho.

Robyn and I would love to get together with you guys some time. Hell, we should have a BBQ over here so you guys can come see our new place. I'm sure the kids would have a lot of fun.