Spicy Jalapeno

So I suppose I should quit dickin around hijacking my old thread and just start a new one for this rig.

I sold off most of the XJ and decided to take on something a little smaller to get to where I wanted to go with wheeling. The rig I snagged on a super sweet deal and had some work done. However a good portion of it needs to be cut out and redone due to not being done right or to my liking. So as far as tube in concerned, a good portion of it is going to change - including a-pillar roof bar, and everything behind the b-pillar.

98 TJ, 4.0, getting an AW4, have the 231/300 doubler, 05 SD60 front 5.38 spool(35 spline inners and outers, big ass tubes) and a 01 10.5 rear 5.38 spool (unfortunately not the newer 37 spline, only 35, but factory disc and way smaller diff than a 14B) 42-15-17 bias rockers. Method Mesh Wheels.

Goals: The idea is to take it where the XJ wanted to go. Gain a bit more wheelbase (shooting for the 114' range) but to bring her down a bit in height. The XJ was at 24.5" at the belly with a standard off the shelf belly skid. I want this ride right about 22-23" with a flat bottom. Going from hydro assist to Full hydro on this rig. Going up slightly in tire size. Going from a coil/leaf setup to coilovers/ori on all corners. front will be a 3link/panhard and rear a tri-4 setup. boatsides are going to go to the bottom of the door opening. Doved rear, no fender front.

Name came from my buddy who laughed at the TJ with flames on it, and said it looked like a spicy jalapeno or something. so it stuck. Im not sure the flames and color will stay as id love to go chillipepper red with grey tube, but who knows where ill be on that decision by the time this thing gets on the trail. Shooting for next summer

So heres how I bought it. Tub, title, motor, and some tubework done.


The rear tube I am really not happy with. Poor fitment, gaps, bad notches, and just bad lines, its all coming out to get redone.

So right as I was buying this, (lady wanted to kill me!) I was closing on my house in montrose. Fortunately a buddy let me keep it at his place until I could haul it out to west slope.


Then it sat next to the XJ as i stripped it and sold it, moving some parts to the TJ


Mocked up with the XJ stuff

Then I was able to snag these things on the 'draintheswamp' deal pittbull had, about breaking even on what i sold my other tires for.



And now she sits like this.



This pic is an approximate to ride setup. as it sits the rear is 20" and front is 21". Id like the back to come up 2" and the front 1" and it would be sitting pretty. Wheelbase in this pic is 114". May play with the rear length some, but roughly how I want it.



pic of the doubler just because.

That brings me up to date. Basic things I am going to start working on are stripping the axles so i can do new brackets/trusses - planning on the artec stuff. stripping his old mounts off the frame - they hang below the frame and that not how I want to be. I want as smooth on the bottom as possible. Cut the tub for boatsides. And remove back half of tube. Funds are tight this year as the dog needs hip surgery, we have some larger trips coming up, and other things taking priority (buying a bender, the house, air compressor, etc.)
I was initially considering going C/O vs ORI as i was initially planning to street this rig some. But as thats not likely, I am highly reconsidering the ORI all the way around idea.

Are you doing anything with that front section too? That rear tube is uh interesting

Yeah the front is 1/8" box so definitely coming out. Motor mounts forward being cut out and redone.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with. It looks like you're going in a similar direction as I was with the YJ before I let my ADD get the better of me.

Hopefully I'll have my tin can done by next summer and we can go hit some trails.

I have a bunch of pics and such to go over and look at different options for what I want. Not sure if I'll box or tube the front. However tube work will allow for more storage instead of killing open space, and have slightly more aggressive lines.

Up for sale??

Yep. Have some pretty serious stuff coming up. Toys gotta go. Just another project i guess :dunno: