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My 1942 Ford "Jeep" (Big Pics)

Froader, the shocks still have about 1/2" before bottoming completly. Bump stops up front are in the works...

BMXKing, thanks and glad you have a different option now on the calipers :D

Rick, pics were resized

Michael, that would be cool and I definately want to run some of the AZ stuff. Maybe I will have some time this summer to come over.
 



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Update: I took it out a week ago to see its first dirt. I got a late start so I didnt do too much. I ran it around part of the local Outlaw Desert Racing course

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Also added a link in my first post to the complete buildup thread on another forum
 






Looks great! Is the cage really tall or is that the pictures making it look tall?

Hurry and tie the cage to the sliders at the A pillar so we can see some hardcore shots! ;)
 






FROADER said:
Looks great! Is the cage really tall or is that the pictures making it look tall?

It is the body that makes it look tall. When sitting my knees are even with the top of the cowl. I have about 6" from the top of my head to the top of the cage.
 


















Are you going to bring it on the Moab run this year? I know it's supposed to be for Explorers, but we'll definately make an exception for you :thumbsup:
 






Rick said:
Are you going to bring it on the Moab run this year? I know it's supposed to be for Explorers, but we'll definately make an exception for you :thumbsup:

I am planning on bringing the Explorer since it is the 10th Aniv. run. I will probably bring it for Moab 07 though
 






Man, that's a helluva nice rig. Great work.
 












From the dead...

I know you've been wheelin' in this thing. How about some pics and an update on how everything is working?

Wow, cant believe it has been 2 years! Still wheeling great, made a few changes since those pics like TBI injection, beadlocks, aluminum roof, tube fenders plus more tube work in front, new radiator with a custom taurus fan w/ shroud which fixed my overheating problem I was having. Also put in Warn alloy axles, Longfield 300m joints. Finally went to drive flanges after blowing up 2 hubs and a Detroit in a single weekend early last year.

Here are a few recent pics below (RIP Gonzales Canyon Trail - closed by the F.S.). It will be in the next few Crawl mags for tech articles and trail rides as well as JP for another trail ride I led recently. It was also featured in 4Wheel Drive and Sport Utility in December of 06. The writeup is on their website "Science Project" as well as a link in another thread I posted on here-
 

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Your pic on it on your trailer in that thread made me think about it. I can't believe it's been that long either. It's looking good, Brian! So did that aluminum top keep you cool from the NM sun or does it radiate a little down on you? What made you do that instead of canvas or vinyl?

How is the D44 holding up with the 38s? I know it's fricken light but that's a big tire.
 






Your pic on it on your trailer in that thread made me think about it. I can't believe it's been that long either. It's looking good, Brian! So did that aluminum top keep you cool from the NM sun or does it radiate a little down on you? What made you do that instead of canvas or vinyl?

How is the D44 holding up with the 38s? I know it's fricken light but that's a big tire.

Thanks Colin. The aluminum top works great to keep the sun off. It doesnt radiate much heat but you dont want to touch it if it has been in the sun for a while. I went with aluminum because I can fix it with a :hammer: :D After seeing some of my friends rigs have close calls with tree branches ripping soft tops it was the easiest and cheapest thing to do. I have already had numerous sticks wedged between the cage and roof so a soft top would have been trashed by now. NM trails can be tight with lots of brush.

The D44 is holding up so far. Like I said I blew up 2 hubs - A superwinch and a Warn Premium - in a single weekend which blew up my Detroit locker. I replaced the Detroit and I am now using drive flanges and so far so good. I do baby it a little. Each tire/wheel combo weighs 150lbs.
 












updates? :p:

How did you know there was updates :D

Yes I have done more since my last post. I will try and remember what all I did.

Thanksgiving weekend of 2009 my Dana 44 had enough and coughed up all its guts on the first obstacle of a trail up near Santa Fe. Broke 2 chromoly stub shafts and my Detroit Locker all at the same time. It also damaged a spindle.

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It was down for 3 months while I did a 60 swap and rebuilt the front end with new springs, new steering, repair some cracks in the shock mounts and trimmed the lip on the rear 14 bolt.

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"Miller Locker"

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I had to use a longer ram for my hydro assist but I had to shorten the stroke. I machined an internal spacer and installed it on the ram then buttoned it all back up. The ram now travels the same as my tie rod.

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14 Bolt shavings, it has helped a little but I still catch it all the time

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Got it all finished up a few days before a big trip. I took it to my friend's house where he has a rockpile to test on. As soon as I got to the top my front driveshaft broke. With only a few days to go I rebuilt my shaft with a new yoke and overnighted a superflex u-joint from Tom Woods. The problem was u-joint bind on the 60 yoke on droop so the superflex joint was the easy answer

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After the 60 swap I have been wheeling it hard. First trip out was a new offroad park in Raton, NM. Our trip was featured in a CRAWL Magazine article last year. Took it a few more places then made its first trip to Moab over Halloween weekend last year. Instead of wheeling Moab I continued to Grand Junction to visit mrboyle and he showed my friend and me around the Junction trails which was awesome. I wish those were in my backyard.

Billings which turned into a night run

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21 Road

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After spending 2 days in Junction we returned to Moab to join up with more friends to run Upper Helldorado

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That was an awesome trail and one that I specifically built the Jeep for among others.

Just had it out this past weekend and it performed well again. The next project is coming up right now as I just got some 41.5" Radial Pitbull Rockers today. My plan is to build new wheels for them which will be 12 bolt Hummer Beadlocks.
 

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Got the new hummer beadlock wheels made up with in-house Brian1 built beadlock inserts and rock rings :D

I also got the new 41.5" Pitbull Rockers mounted up and they are a big tire! Just got back from a trip to Mt Blanca in Colorado to break them in and they worked awesome. They effortlessly walked over every obstacle including one I had to winch last time. Im looking forward to doing some technical rock crawling to see how they perform.

It also seems like every time I take it out I wind up doing a night run with it and my Hella 500 'headlights' were not cutting it. I ordered up a 6" LED light bar which I mounted to my winch fairlead. The most recent trip was no exception and we wound up going up the mountain after dark and the light bar worked awesome, it is very powerful for such a small size. I did the whole trail with it on and no headlights.

Here are a few pictures my friend Harry took coming back down the trail and one I got at the top.
 

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..Awesome rig Brian..:biggthump

..I'll take those old Hella's off your hands if you are not going to use them..:D
 



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