Baystate Jeepers

Well, after driving it around, getting out and having fun with y'all, and then having the bad news of a rotted frame. I have finally gotten things moving this winter.

So for those that have seen her, she will not look like that for much longer.

She left on a trailer today to go meet the maker. She is getting a major frame repair to start with, this should make her safe to drive again and allow me to start actually wheeling her. With any jeep project thou what started simple has blown up into a massive set of upgrades.

Pictures of the work will be posted along the way but the current plants are.....

Frame repair
New rear heavy duty spring buckets
Rocker protection
Rock sliders
D44 Axles
Axle Trusses
Front and rear lockers
5 or so inches of lift
Long arm suspension upgrade
Front bumper
Winch
rear bumper will prob get done along with a spare tire holder

Im sure there will be other items added to the list once thought about but with a bunch of things just coming together and a great sale from Jeff, my beast is about to be born.

Im excited about it, and happily scared for the future of what I will do in her. I certainly want to do some other upgrades, which will include updating the stereo and building a parts box for trailing, and other small items along the way.

Hey Jim,

Looking forward to seeing the progress photos. You have just entered the Just Empty Every Pocket zone!

Good luck.

Wow!
Sounds like it going to be a great build.
Looking forward to seeing the progress pictures and updates!

Jim I forgot to tell you the rear D44 is already set up for Coilovers. that is the fat bracket / anchor point in the rear behind the coil buckets. you can easily go to coilovers in the rear right now instead of buying springs and shocks.... Also if not mistaken you may be able to go with a bad as$ strut like Kurt has on his beast...

RalphTomaccio wrote:Hey Jim,

Looking forward to seeing the progress photos. You have just entered the Just Empty Every Pocket zone!

Good luck.

lol oh yeah we are def i that zone....but its fun! love having so many options to work with for her.

Kurt wrote:Wow!
Sounds like it going to be a great build.
Looking forward to seeing the progress pictures and updates!

Thanks Kurt, Im sure you will get to see her, as there is certainly going to be some work to do after all the work is done to make it all trail ready and Ill be always accepting of a hand or 5 with it.

Hoodoo Man wrote:Jim I forgot to tell you the rear D44 is already set up for Coilovers. that is the fat bracket / anchor point in the rear behind the coil buckets. you can easily go to coilovers in the rear right now instead of buying springs and shocks.... Also if not mistaken you may be able to go with a bad as$ strut like Kurt has on his beast...

you had mentioned it. Not sure what is going to happen really, gotta talk more with the master on that one.

Well the jeep was delivered to the surgeon and has already been started. The frame has been repaired on the drivers side already!

Here is the drivers side cut out.

Here is the welded in new steel after all the bad metal was removed.

And It Starts ! Every year I said it works good , leave it alone. Uh Huh Did I listen , nooooo ! Dude Its gonna be fun watchin you wheel the newer rig. Let me help you scratch her up a bit. By the way , Whos gonna take my picture if your out havin fun. FjR68

This is gonna be fun, you can certainly have some fun behind the wheel, and hey, my roll bards still have padding! lol.

I will be asking for some help once it is done as there will still be work to be done once the temps are a bit more friendly.

Nice frame repair done right ! Instead of just adding metal to the rotted stuff. The guy did a nice job. FjR68

Frank wrote:Nice frame repair done right ! Instead of just adding metal to the rotted stuff. The guy did a nice job. FjR68

He came with that reputation, granted more expensive than some places but the work shows that its certainly quality.

I cant believe Chrysler isnt being called on this. In the late 80s early 90s Toyota had to replace frames on their trucks as they did the same thing , every one of them. Such a shame . You TJ guys should get a class action suit goin ! Youd have millions of backers. FjR68

It is surprising Frank but the problems are much less outside of the New England/Snow area, so yeah we would get a bunch but probably not enough to get them to do it as most of these older ones are now being made into trail rigs anyways. But this is a conversation for an entirely different thread.