Knucklehead's blog

[american_zero]

Looks awesome. Now are your headlights are in the way? Remove those, trim the header panel, and install some offroad lights on the new bumper.

 

[rockclimber]

stoked to see this thing in person. what are your plans for a front bumper?

 

[xj9140]

What is sierra fest?

 

[rockclimber]

http://www.naxja.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=290

 

[xj9140]

http://www.naxja.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=290

Foe-shizzell, that is a big event. How many 100's of vehicles will be in attendance? Knucklehead's Red XJ is BADASS. The inspiration for my built XJ was from a 1990 red XJ. My parents ordered it brand new from the dealership, 5 speed, rubber floor, a cassette deck, and 8" wide wheels. I drove it once, when I was 15, right before it was traded in for a ZJ. Rig is looking real good man! We should get together sometime. My rig is the same...Almost

 

[rockclimber]

1) NorCalChris +2
2) Jeep450r
3) JOSEJALAPENO
4) EricsXJ (no jeep)
5) DaveNJeep / Daughter in a TJ
6) HIIMMRED & my buddy Harry in his CJ
7) RocknXJ
8) SeansXJ +1 4Runner
9) the_weirdo
10) nweiher
11) knucklehead 61 & Jax the Rotweiler
12) Skipper51 and the white knuckled wife
13) Rammin97 + 1?
14) BlueRockRash plus 2 other XJs
15) Vet's XJ (Bryan) & Kodi the Yellow Lab
16) Dave81687
17) TJ's XJ
18) byrinxx74
19) RussHay78
20) SharkMark
21) favaguitars + wife
22) NWC BOD in an LJ
23) 98GhostXJ
24) blondejoncherokee
25) aquino#s194
26) cencal96xj
27) srmitchell (maybe dad also?)
28) Rob D
29) rockclimber

 

[Johnnie Walker]

What is sierra fest?

That's like asking who Gandhi is.. Ha.

 

[knucklehead 61]

Looks awesome. Now are your headlights are in the way? Remove those, trim the header panel, and install some offroad lights on the new bumper.

stoked to see this thing in person. what are your plans for a front bumper?

for now i have a 2x4 tube bumper & anchor point that i threw together to make it to sierrafest, then it will come off.
i have a warn 9.5k winch with rope that i plan to mount on a plate under the radiator. then i'll fab up some type of front panel / plate for the rope leader.
when i fab the exo cage it will wrap around the front fenders & tie into the plate. by then the headlights will either be round or led's of some type. irate1:

 

[knucklehead 61]

just finished installing the exhaust for the final (yeah, right) time. it's painted & rubber mounted. yeah!

time for lunch, then i'll start hacking up the floors to clear the front tires when turned & full bumped. i hope i still have room for my size 14's to fit in there!

 

[Jes]

I like that you kept a low ride height. How much clearance under the belly with those gigantic tires?

 

[knucklehead 61]

I like that you kept a low ride height. How much clearance under the belly with those gigantic tires?

thanks, i was trying to keep it as low as possible, which is tough with 42's!
it has 22.5" clearance to the lowest part of the belly pan where it dips under the atlas.

got the floors all fixed up to clear the front tires today. that was a bit easier than i thought it would be. tomorrow i want to start to tackle filling in the massive holes in the floor from the atlas & suspension links. i am NOT looking forward to that! :shiver:

 

[knucklehead 61]

been working on the red p.o.s. every night to get ready for sierrafest next week.

i finally sealed up the massive holes i had to cut in the floor for the 4 speed atlas & the upper 3 link mount & bar.
there are more big patches under the drivers seat that are not in the pics. that was really fun fitting all this crap in place & getting the seats to fit!
tomorrow night i hope to start to fill in the rear upper 4 link mounts & bar slots.
i still have a boatload of work to do & the clock is ticking fast, only a few more days until SIERRAFEST! :skull1:

 

[#S194]

Nice work!

 

[blondejoncherokee]

so what needs to be done still?

 

[knucklehead 61]

so what needs to be done still?

fill in all the slots & holes in the rear area.
seal & paint the floors.
install seats.
install seat belts.
fab mount for nitrogen bottle.
fab mount for spare drive shaft.
clean interior & exterior of dirt & grinding debris.
finish transmission control wiring.
reinstall rad shifter.
change tranny fluid.
figure a way to secure tool bags.
fab hilift mount.
install led lightbar (if time permits)
pack up all my gear, load on trailer, & go!

 

[blondejoncherokee]

fill in all the slots & holes in the rear area.
seal & paint the floors.
install seats.
install seat belts.
fab mount for nitrogen bottle.
fab mount for spare drive shaft.
clean interior & exterior of dirt & grinding debris.
finish transmission control wiring.
reinstall rad shifter.
change tranny fluid.
figure a way to secure tool bags.
fab hilift mount.
install led lightbar (if time permits)
pack up all my gear, load on trailer, & go!

id say out of all of that the most important to get you rolling are the tranny wiring, rad shifter, change tranny fluid. luckily the rest wont keep you from running a trail. i want to see this thing in action, thats why...

 

[xj9140]

fill in all the slots & holes in the rear area.
seal & paint the floors.
install seats.
install seat belts.
fab mount for nitrogen bottle.
fab mount for spare drive shaft.
clean interior & exterior of dirt & grinding debris.
finish transmission control wiring.
reinstall rad shifter.
change tranny fluid.
figure a way to secure tool bags.
fab hilift mount.
install led lightbar (if time permits)
pack up all my gear, load on trailer, & go!

Hell yeah, get er done!

 

[adamusmc2002]

Just my opinion, but I would reconsider the exo...I would go internal, tandjperformance.com. I love mine; actually tied in the front bumper into internal cage, kind of a hybrid cage i guess. I can put up pics if you want. But you know best, your build thus far tells us all you know what you want and how to get there.

 

[adamusmc2002]

How hard is it to replace the rockers? I've always wanted to do it, but was just afraid to cut up a good unibody to try it out.

It's not hard, but it's a lot of work...i did it recently, after seeing this thread and a couple others on pirate; one of my fav mods thus far. brought up my clearance, protects my hinges when my doors are off, and also actually keeps mud and water out when doors are off too! AND, if you need to spectate, or look up ahead (assuming you are doorless) they are great for standing on I also plan to tie in my fender tubing and boatsides, eventually. Go for it man.

 

[knucklehead 61]

Just my opinion, but I would reconsider the exo...I would go internal, tandjperformance.com. I love mine; actually tied in the front bumper into internal cage, kind of a hybrid cage i guess. I can put up pics if you want. But you know best, your build thus far tells us all you know what you want and how to get there.

i already have an internal cage. it is crap & will be cut out.
they do not offer any body protection. (jeep body, my body is already damaged :laugh2.
that's why i want the exterior protection. i am 100% sure i will end up on my roof with the red rig the way i drive! :skull1: & i am not ready to build a koh type buggy yet as that does not fit into my retirement plans.