PLAN B Build

Some of you may know, and some may have suspected, but I'm starting a new project and it starts with a truck you all will recognize.

I picked up R.J.'s Navajo today. She is a little tired and was facing being parted out, but now will start a new chapter, a very different chapter. I give you Plan B.

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So let's start off as to why "Plan B"? Well, it has multiple meanings.

• It starts off as I really wanted a early Bronco. I first learned to drive on Zukmans '71 Bronco he had years ago. But myself owning a early Bronco was not going to happen. There just way to ridiculous priced these days. So this is My Plan B.
• JP is not going anywhere, I really just wanted to to do another build and JP is...well, JP!. It works, but it has a following and presence that really can't be changed....it's almost become, dare I say, an Icon of this forum. So this is My Plan B
• The Navajo was on it's death bed. R.J. himself had already give it a time of death... So this is it's Plan B.....or maybe for it C...But for my plan, we'll say B

So what does the Plan B build look like? You'll have to watch and find out. But I'll give you some teasers..

• Starting Base : 1991 Mazda Navajo JX 4x4
• SOHC - donor: 2000 Explorer Sport 4x2 103k
• 5R55E - donor: 2008 Ranger FX4 45k
• 1354 manual - still looking for
• to smell the fresh air
  
• Super Duty Axles - '99 F350 4x4 PSD
• 40's - settling for 37's now
• Grabber Blue

I think that should be enough to entice you all for now...

This is My Plan B

 

[Stic-o]

Looks great, more pics when you get a chance. . . Glad the build is continuing amid office-sharing in the Man Cave. . .

Actually, I'm not working from home anymore, so starting to get back out there again.

Couple other things happening on it

• Ordered the $300 EEC-V extension cable. Should be here in another week or so, has to be custom built, and the computer can go in the cab where it belongs vs. sitting on top of the engine right now...not exactly ideal.
• Started on the center console. Still trying to work it out. Using the factory escape shifter console top plate, cut down.
• Haven't started yet, but need to get the rotopax and hi-lift mounted off the rear bumper.
• Still have to do something about push button start. Wiring is a little intimating on it.
• Need to set the front coilovers ride height, but could not do this until the winch was in. That and I need to find away to jack it up height enough, suspension just has a lot of droop.
• Few other minor things

As far as it driving on the street? I just need to get the computer extension, exhaust leak, and a few other minor things. I haven't wanted to push it to hard getting it warm until I move the computer.

 

[Stic-o]

I broke the clutch lever on the winch during install, but it wasn't going to work there anyway. So I built this extension. I'll also label it "IN" & "OUT" on the top.

 

[BKennedy]

OK, that's cool

 

[Stic-o]

 

[Rick]

It looks great!

Are those LEDs down low, or are those reflections from the lights above?

 

[Stic-o]

It looks great!

Are those LEDs down low, or are those reflections from the lights above?

Just a reflection.

Look what the nice mail man brought today... 416 feet of wire.

I ordered special hi-temp chemical resistant tape to wrap it, so I can place the computer in the cab above the glove box.

 

[Stic-o]

Spy photo....

 

[BKennedy]

Dude, you can't spy on your own build... It does look nice. Are you going to lift the front a little more or cut up the fenders?

 

[Stic-o]

Dude, you can't spy on your own build... It does look nice. Are you going to lift the front a little more or cut up the fenders?

I need to adjust the coilovers. Apparently adding a front winch, removing the back top half of the body, glass, and huge rear bumper has made her nose heavy.

Goal is to get it to drivable on the street ( also smog legal), to work out the bugs, put some miles on it. Then probably by the end of the year I'll start stage 2, which is swapping in the Super Duty Axles.

 

[BKennedy]

With the coil overs it should be fairly well balanced, but not until you get the ride height adjusted.

 

[Stic-o]

Got the wiring extension all wrapped a couple of weeks ago, and finally installed today.

The computer normally goes into the firewall here on a 2nd gen. Just flipped it around.

I used a body mount plug, by using a hole saw to the right size with overlapping holes.

The computers new home is above the glove box now.

 

[Stic-o]

Sometimes in life, you just end up in the right place at the right time. Today was one of those times. For some reason, I decided yesterday to look on Craigslist for tires for the Navajo. and came across a killer deal. One of those to good to be true type of things. Figuring it was a typo, but still a great deal, even if there was a zero missing from the price. So I reached out, and scored a deal.

This is what I ended up coming home with. A set of 5 - 37" Falken Wildpeak MT's with tons of tread for $20. That's not a typo. I paid $20.

The owner just wanted to pass on his good fortune as Nitto just gave him a set of tires to review.

When I pulled up, I instantly recognized the truck which these tires came off of. It was the Peterson 4 Wheel & Offroad Ram 1500 build from a little over a Decade ago. The owner Jason of Autoedits ( you can find him on instagram, youtube, etc) use to also work on Dirt Everyday, Roadkill, and worked with Fred Williams, Fryburger, and the gang. He also said he knew @Brian1 after I mentioned the Explorer. Very cool to meet him, please check out his pages when you have time.

You can see the tires on the truck below. This is from the 2019 Fourwheeler Overland Adventure.

And here is when my new tires originally went on the Ram

 

[Rick]

Nice score on the tires

 

[Kirby N.]

You got famous tires!

 

[410Fortune]

$20???????????????????????????????? wow wow wow Nice
Please tell him to call me when he gets rid of his roof top tent HAHAHAHA
love the winch extender doohickey, I have never had a winch that twists the clutch operation, having a hard time understanding how that thing works, all of my winches are forward and back on the lever.........not twist

 

[Brian1]

Awesome! Jason is a good dude!

 

[Kirby N.]

I have often wondered why anyone would lift the 1/2 ton version of the ram when you could buy a 3/4 ton with a solid axle and lift cheaper and get much improved performance. Even for a desert rig, I would still go with the 3/4 ton for the improved performance and cheaper cost of mod.

 

[BKennedy]

Man, what a deal

 

[Stic-o]

Time for a good stretch.... Only limited to the limit straps.

 

[Paul]

Time for a good stretch.... Only limited to the limit straps.

As I know you know, Moab is a great place to stretch . . . (hint, hint)