Are Jeeps getting to street civilized?

[gbaumann]

As for the upgrades... It is the upgrades that makes the Wrangler so fun. I would hate to see Wrangler after Wrangler on the streets that has a factory 4" lift and 35" tires, all decked out. Shoot, as it stands, I get a little irritated to see the stupid AEV built Wranglers sitting at the Jeep dealership, where they just shipped them off to Michigan to get the AEV treatment, bring them back and slap an extra $20k on to the price. When I see the people driving the dealer-made AEV Jeeps around town, I just sit there and think "loser." Not because their Jeep isn't good, but because they don't know why it is good, what it can do, why you put certain parts on, and why, for the love of all things on this planet, you DON'T NEED A DAMN SNORKLE if you buy an AEV off the lot because you are tooooo much of pansy to ever submerge your Jeep into 4 feet of water!.

I much prefer discussion of mods and seeing how we are all getting the parts on and then reviewing them. That said, I take this personally Timmy. When I was a teenager I laid under a Chevy Blazer with my brother and got it up high enough to stuff 44" monster mudders under it. Those were the days when you were cool if you had a Rancho suspension. Multiple shock towers were all the rage. I hand wired the Aris (Aeres?) light bar and installed a row of KC Daylighters. Yes, I'm 47 years old! As I've previously posted we had several GM muscle cars over the years and I have hundreds of hours of engine building and auto restoration under my belt. We even pulled a '51 willys out of a barn in connecticut and restored it to military specs - right down to getting a NOS flat four from Sarafan Auto in New York (Kaiser Bill may have heard of them, they sold military surplus). It was a body off restoration. I'll post a pic if I can find one (and scan or take a pic of it!). I'm the last guy who deserves to be referred to as a "loser" because I can afford to walk into a Jeep dealership and buy and AEV truck from the floor. I know - I didn't do that. I bought the truck and have been making changes over time. And no - I won't put a snorkel on it because I won't take it in 4 ft. of water. I know I fit into the "other" category in your post. But let's go a little easy on the folks that buy them pre-built and pay the premium. They may be quite knowledgeable and capable but able to or need to prioritize their time differently. I think a dealer AEV could be a great cross country overland vehicle because it's serviceable at so many dealerships. Now, if you want to go after the guys who buy Porsches or Ferraris to compensate for something I'll join right in with you!

[Timmy]

... I know I fit into the "other" category in your post. But let's go a little easy on the folks that buy them pre-built and pay the premium. They may be quite knowledgeable and capable but able to or need to prioritize their time differently. I think a dealer AEV could be a great cross country overland vehicle because it's serviceable at so many dealerships. Now, if you want to go after the guys who buy Porsches or Ferraris to compensate for something I'll join right in with you!

Haha, my apologies, I didn't mean to offend you or anyone that could and would purchase an AEV built one from the dealer. Before I bought my Jeep, I would look at the AEV built ones and think "how cool!" Now that I have my own and I'm building it up myself, I sort of get the "built" side of the hobby more than I did before. Like you, I could have purchased an AEV new off the lot. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that would purchase a Jeep fully built up already and actually use it as intended, I know I would have, but they are few and far between. Also... Notice my "loser" comment was was referring to people who "don't know why it is good" [referring to the AEV build.] You clearly know your Jeeps, so you are far from the loser I'm referring to ;-)

[gbaumann]

Haha, my apologies, I didn't mean to offend you or anyone that could and would purchase an AEV built one from the dealer. Before I bought my Jeep, I would look at the AEV built ones and think "how cool!" Now that I have my own and I'm building it up myself, I sort of get the "built" side of the hobby more than I did before. Like you, I could have purchased an AEV new off the lot. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that would purchase a Jeep fully built up already and actually use it as intended, I know I would have, but they are few and far between. Also... Notice my "loser" comment was was referring to people who "don't know why it is good" [referring to the AEV build.] You clearly know your Jeeps, so you are far from the loser I'm referring to ;-)

I hear you. And I totally understand the "built" side of things. I'm seriously addicted to this. I tell people who ask me about my truck because they are considering buying a Wrangler that they are not considering buying a vehicle. They are considering joining a cult! I remember when I graduated from law school the hot clients to land in NYC were hedge funds. If you were on a legal team that "designed" a security instrument you were a rock star. (side note - all of those newly crafted securities were derivatives which didn't work out all that well). Now I feel like if you design and fabricate something for your build you're the rock star. Anyone can buy it off the shelf and bolt it on. But who among us can make the next mod.? That's why I like JeepLab. I feel like sharing with the group here and watching what you guys are doing will "spring forth" an idea and we can make it happen. I'm really giving thought to a "light" JK. Along the lines of Ross' King of Hammers buggy idea but streetable. I found a fabricator out there making aluminum JKU bodies. It's a start.

[KaiserBill]

My brother does the fixing-- I do the breaking!

[KaiserBill]

I much prefer discussion of mods and seeing how we are all getting the parts on and then reviewing them. That said, I take this personally Timmy. When I was a teenager I laid under a Chevy Blazer with my brother and got it up high enough to stuff 44" monster mudders under it. Those were the days when you were cool if you had a Rancho suspension. Multiple shock towers were all the rage. I hand wired the Aris (Aeres?) light bar and installed a row of KC Daylighters. Yes, I'm 47 years old! As I've previously posted we had several GM muscle cars over the years and I have hundreds of hours of engine building and auto restoration under my belt. We even pulled a '51 willys out of a barn in connecticut and restored it to military specs - right down to getting a NOS flat four from Sarafan Auto in New York (Kaiser Bill may have heard of them, they sold military surplus). It was a body off restoration. I'll post a pic if I can find one (and scan or take a pic of it!). I'm the last guy who deserves to be referred to as a "loser" because I can afford to walk into a Jeep dealership and buy and AEV truck from the floor. I know - I didn't do that. I bought the truck and have been making changes over time. And no - I won't put a snorkel on it because I won't take it in 4 ft. of water. I know I fit into the "other" category in your post. But let's go a little easy on the folks that buy them pre-built and pay the premium. They may be quite knowledgeable and capable but able to or need to prioritize their time differently. I think a dealer AEV could be a great cross country overland vehicle because it's serviceable at so many dealerships. Now, if you want to go after the guys who buy Porsches or Ferraris to compensate for something I'll join right in with you!

You're same age as my older brothers. I helped one do all the work on his CJ7 back in the mid eighties I was about 8-9 at the time. Then when I was 16 I bought a Willy's Cj2 I found for sale for 200 bucks. I drove that for like a summer and winter before it fell apart-- not illegal for road use but what the cops don't see won't hurt them. For awhile.

[gbaumann]

You're same age as my older brothers. I helped one do all the work on his CJ7 back in the mid eighties I was about 8-9 at the time. Then when I was 16 I bought a Willy's Cj2 I found for sale for 200 bucks. I drove that for like a summer and winter before it fell apart-- not illegal for road use but what the cops don't see won't hurt them. For awhile.

I don't think I was a "teen" when we dragged the M-38 home. And from the moment we finished it my brother and I wanted an M-37!

[KaiserBill]

I don't think I was a "teen" when we dragged the M-38 home. And from the moment we finished it my brother and I wanted an M-37!

The Power Wagon is a cool looking truck. Dodge Six in it isn't a winner! That would need to go.