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.
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