After talking to a friend and much deliberation, I've decided restructure some of my planning. My friend gave me some good advice. Just get the Jeep up and running and then work on the nice things to have after the Jeep has a few runs on it. Its a bit more minimalistic to start and yes, I'll probably break stuff if I get crazy. Either way, doing things in such a manner should get the Jeep up and wheelable even if its not 100% the way I want it.
So I'll do it in stages like I planned, but it will be stages within phases. I haven't got all of the planning done. In fact, I have 3 full pages of planning and I'm only about half way there. At least half of it is on paper right now.
Phase one, get it going. Part one of this phase is getting the Jeep ready for suspension and axles. This means high line fenders, body armor, gas tank delete, fuel cell, ect. Part two is getting the suspension and axles under the Jeep. That's the big part. Part 3 is getting the axles ready. This will be gearing, lockers, brakes of the cutting variety, and some other minor things. Nothing crazy, no 4340 or 300M. Phase one will be all about cutting costs and getting it rolling so I can wheel it and see what bugs/demons will need to be worked out.
Phase two. This will be exercising those demons and working things in the direction of completion. Now, you may remember I have a 5.9L V8 and I neglected to mention that in stage one. I'm still using it, but imagine slapping that in the Jeep without adding the necessary parts to keep everything else from exploding. It would just open up a whole other can of worms at this point that I don't need. So this phase will be used to get things ready for the V8 and to polish other aspects of the vehicle that need polish.
Phase three will be the V8. Not in the way you think though. We're talking rebuilding it and making it make a little more power. Not much more, but just a little. We're talking easy power, not crazy expensive work or trying to squeeze out ever last horse power the engine has. I don't wheel on the east coast after all. I don't need 600 horse power and I don't want it. I'd have taken the build in a totally different direction if that were the case. So essentially this phase is a rebuild, minor power increase, and to finish up getting the stuff to drop it in. I still need a couple things like the wiring harness and radiator.
Phase four will be to install said V8 and finish anything else that's left over.
A lot more planning than just those phases has happened. I just don't have time to transfer pages of hand written gibberish to my blog right now. I have parts lists, a clear order of operations within those lists and phases, and much more. The hand written stuff is only half done. It is time consuming. In fact, it has consumed two full nights. Its should help me come up with a more followable plan and aid in completing this Jeep, so its well worth the time I've put into it.
On a side note. I've ordered boat side rockers. Unfortunately they're on back order, but they'll get here eventually. I'm not worried. I sold off some old computer parts and I'm also well on my way to a set of one off rear corner guards. The only two major parts left of phase one part one that I have yet to get are the corners and fuel cell. After those things roll in, then the fun really begins.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
A little change in plans.
It happens. I'm changing up my plans a bit. I believe that the last time I posted I had mentioned that I had lost my job. Obviously this slows things down tremendously. I'm still working on getting things together though. It also calls for a change in plans. Mainly because I want to see some progress and have it look like I actually did something. I have many parts just sitting in a pile and most of them will continue to sit for a while longer. My changes are more in the order I'm planning to do things rather than using different parts or going another route with something.
Any way, I got to thinking. It would be nice to get my suspension and axles under my jeep asap and that was the plan. That is also probably the second most expensive part of this whole build. It dawned on me that something else needed to happen first. What is that you might as, but probably not. The high fenders, rear corners, and gas tank relocation. It is all needed to make room for the axles and suspension in the first place. So why not tackle the body armor first? With any luck I'll be ordering some boat side rockers next week. Yes, boat side rockers. As in I will physically remove my rockers with a sawzall. This leaves me with just corners guard to buy to finish up the body armor on the Jeep. That will probably come a couple weeks after the rockers if all goes well.
After that the next thing will be the gas tank or lack there of. I plan on doing a fuel cell. If my wife makes me keep the ability to have a bench seat in the back of the Jeep, then it will be an RCI 2161AD. I sourced it out and found an awesome price on one already. If I don't have to keep the seat I'll be getting an RCI fuel cell in a 19 gallon capacity and putting more centrally located. Either way, when I get to the cage, I'll be running a filler tube over to it desert racer style. I'd love to be able to modify a tonneau cover and run that to protect what ever is in the back of the Jeep eventually as well.
These mods will make room for bigger tires on significantly less lift. They will also allow me to stretch my suspension out enough to gain a respectable amount of wheel base without being too long for where I 4 wheel and while letting me keeping full corners. Hopefully it will take the edge off some of the more steep stuff. Its all going to happen slowly due to my employment situation. I still have to pay bills, keep a roof over my families heads, and put food on the table. It is going to get done though, so be patient and keep an eye out. Progress is coming....
Any way, I got to thinking. It would be nice to get my suspension and axles under my jeep asap and that was the plan. That is also probably the second most expensive part of this whole build. It dawned on me that something else needed to happen first. What is that you might as, but probably not. The high fenders, rear corners, and gas tank relocation. It is all needed to make room for the axles and suspension in the first place. So why not tackle the body armor first? With any luck I'll be ordering some boat side rockers next week. Yes, boat side rockers. As in I will physically remove my rockers with a sawzall. This leaves me with just corners guard to buy to finish up the body armor on the Jeep. That will probably come a couple weeks after the rockers if all goes well.
After that the next thing will be the gas tank or lack there of. I plan on doing a fuel cell. If my wife makes me keep the ability to have a bench seat in the back of the Jeep, then it will be an RCI 2161AD. I sourced it out and found an awesome price on one already. If I don't have to keep the seat I'll be getting an RCI fuel cell in a 19 gallon capacity and putting more centrally located. Either way, when I get to the cage, I'll be running a filler tube over to it desert racer style. I'd love to be able to modify a tonneau cover and run that to protect what ever is in the back of the Jeep eventually as well.
These mods will make room for bigger tires on significantly less lift. They will also allow me to stretch my suspension out enough to gain a respectable amount of wheel base without being too long for where I 4 wheel and while letting me keeping full corners. Hopefully it will take the edge off some of the more steep stuff. Its all going to happen slowly due to my employment situation. I still have to pay bills, keep a roof over my families heads, and put food on the table. It is going to get done though, so be patient and keep an eye out. Progress is coming....
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