NAXJA Member entering Four Wheeler's TTC

[Çrestfa||en]

Hi Dan, I am a Friend of Mark and John Meister. Marks descriptions of your cherokee have keep me thinking and gradually doing what I can to improve mine. You'll deffinately have my vote. I look forward to seeing you in TTC! Maybe some day me and mark can enter one of our rigs in ttc

 

[WayneXJ]

You've got my vote Dan.

 

[ZachMan]

You got my Vote!

 

[Kejtar]

OK, got the copy in hand and I will be voting but I am wondering abotu some stuff... for example that unimog that's in there, it lists a cage as a feature... but I will be damned if I can see it!!! I can see something that could pass as a rollbar, but where is the cage??

 

[ECKSJAY]

OK, got the copy in hand and I will be voting but I am wondering abotu some stuff... for example that unimog that's in there, it lists a cage as a feature... but I will be damned if I can see it!!! I can see something that could pass as a rollbar, but where is the cage??

Could be an older pic...or a typo. I found a lot of things in the descriptions that don't jive with the vehicle. The T-Rexx with the '1.6 wheels per cylinder' being one of them. Huh??? With a V10? More like 1.6 cylinders per wheel. Or the 4-wheeled 97 Ram below it that asks, "Is 6 better than 4?"

 

[hjeepxj]

Could be an older pic...or a typo. I found a lot of things in the descriptions that don't jive with the vehicle. The T-Rexx with the '1.6 wheels per cylinder' being one of them. Huh??? With a V10? More like 1.6 cylinders per wheel. Or the 4-wheeled 97 Ram below it that asks, "Is 6 better than 4?"

I saw those too. :roflmao:

 

[karstic]

we'll show them what a REAL XJ can do.

There you go with that REAL XJ thing again.

I'll pick up a copy of Four Wheeler today and be casting my votes for the XJ.

 

[macgyvr]

You've got my vote! I have always liked you're exo cage! Been subscribing to FourWheeler for years and now you've given me a reason to tear that page out and vote!

mac 'always wanted to enter...but my junk...is still junk' gyvr

 

[89TrailXJ]

Very impressive. I sent my vote in!

 

[XJZ]

Poppin' mine in the mail today!!

 

[karstic]

Dan when do you know if you got picked or not?

 

[Dan Starc]

I just got back from spending 2 weeks in Moab, where I hung out and wheeled with at least half of the crew & judges for Four Wheeler and TTC'04, and no one knew the results yet...I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I do.
To make it fair, they have a guy who works in the mail room at the magazine doing the votes.

 

[Kejtar]

To make it fair, they have a guy who works in the mail room at the magazine doing the votes.

Fair? If he works in the mail room, I'd be worried about his counting skills!!

 

[Dan Starc]

The list of challengers for TTC'04 is out, and the Cherokee is not in it. :nosmile:

I understand there are several reasons for this, and listed in no particular order are the fact that XJs are not that popular or unique; mine is ugly and lacks a fancy color or paintjob; my tires look small compared to those 42"s and 44"s; I don't have 450 HP, the picture I was stuck with on the magazine was lame compared to other pics I have on file (it was the only pic I had that had enough resolution for printing, a "megapixel issue")...ah, excuses, excuses.

Still, in a strange way I breathe a sigh of relief. After spending over a week in Moab with 4 of the judges for TTC (Bacon, Hardy, Honegger, Nylund), I was convinced by them that entering may have been a bad idea.

One asked me: "why do you want to enter TTC?"
I replied: "why not, sounds like lots of fun".
He said: "i like your rig, I hope you don't get in".
"Huh?", I said.

As it turns out, once through TTC you might as well replace it or rebuild it. All the judges went on and on with stories of every rig having tons of problems after TTC, especially after the water/mud obstacles. Most rigs get winched up the trailers to head home after the Tank Trap. Trannies being rebuilt and lasting 3 miles, after the rebuild. Clay-like mud on everything, still coming off dashboards after years...electronics completely fried. They frowned upon auto trannies for the event, due to water ingestion; all judges said stick trannies did better on TTC due to this issue alone. Axles and trannies, t-cases have to be disassembled, tanked and rebuilt after TTC. Computers, modules and most looms will be submerged and more than likely ruined. So will the seats. Sounds silly, but I've worked too hard on this old rig to kill it in a week.

Don't get me wrong; I was ready to go to TTC'04, but had no knowledge of how bad it may ultimately be for the rig. I had no intentions of cutting up my current rig and building a new one after TTC'04 with parts from this one. Still, this gives me now another year to do three things before TTC'05:

1-Improve the rig;
2-Get a better picture;
3-Convince myself that I need to build a new XJ after the event;
and most importantly
4-Convince my wife that "it's okay".

Thanks to all who voted for the XJ this year, I really appreciate it.
Please be sure to vote for us again next year!
I WILL BE BACK!

 

[ECKSJAY]

Still, this gives me now another year to do three things before TTC'05:

1-Improve the rig;
2-Get a better picture;
3-Convince myself that I need to build a new XJ after the event;
and most importantly
4-Convince my wife that "it's okay".

Thanks to all who voted for the XJ this year, I really appreciate it.
Please be sure to vote for us again next year!
I WILL BE BACK!

That's mah boy.

 

[Dan Starc]

Just in case it sounded like BS :bs: here's a picture of our Moab 'wheeling gang. I usually spend most of my Moab days 'wheeling with this group., made up of editors, photographers and TTC judges.
From left to right:
Fred Williams, writer for 4 Wheel & Off-Road (green and yellow cap), Jimmy Nylund from Four Wheeler in a red jacket holding a Corona (as always), the new 4 Wheel & Off-Road intern (forgot his name, but he helped Fred bring the red Avalanche pickup they built in the magazine last year), Greg Musseman who is sponsored by Bilstein has the black shirt with the flames on back, next is the back of Randy Ellis in the blue windbreaker (builder, owner of Randy Ellis Designs and RCAA competitor), Rick Péwé the editor of 4 Wheel & Off-Road is holding another Corona, TTC Judge Tim Hardy has the Warn hat and the big red moustache, then there's me in the tan vest, TTC Judge and builder of the Scorpion Soni Honegger wearing an OD Green shirt, and next to him Tim Hardy's wife. Missing from the picture are technical writer and drawing guru for Four Wheeler Ned Bacon and Chis Collard, photographer and writer for 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility.

Chris Collard took some great pictures of a trip we did this year up Killer Kane, a trail rarely known and used, for very good reasons...it is scary. Hopefully he'll get them on the mag sometime soon.

Later,

 

[GSequoia]

So..Dan..good buddy...Since you know all them boys...can you hook me up with a job?

 

[Dan Starc]

I doubt it, as you can see, they cut me no breaks...I forgot to mention that Jimmy Nylund and Ned Bacon are also TTC judges. :lecture:

 

[OT]

I doubt it, as you can see, they cut me no breaks...I forgot to mention that Jimmy Nylund and Ned Bacon are also TTC judges. :lecture:

Name dropper.....

You forgot Willie Worthy.

And you never said you got to wheel with ME!

 

[Dan Starc]

Ouch, yes I forgot... :laugh3:
Willie will be pissed...heheheh
Willie's too old to hang with the rest of the "kids", when I wheel with him is usually 2, maybe 3 rigs max. He likes mellow trails, dune running, and exploring.