Body And Interior
The body tub wasn't dovetailed or boat-sided, but more room was required to accommodate the huge tires and 103-inch extended wheelbase. The rear tires were pushed back 6 inches to afford greater stability. This required the rear fenders to be cut all the way back to the tailgate and the fuel tank was replaced with a custom 20-gallon unit that sits at the rear of the Jeep in front of the CJ tailgate. The remaining rear sheetmetal was covered with TNT corners and custom rocker guards to keep from being dented. The fuel cell shares space with a 10-gallon Powertank and a custom six-point rollcage designed and built by Bob Appleby at the now defunct Colorado Custom Crawlers. The cage work also encompasses the front seats that were sourced from a Dodge Neon and enveloped with Wet Okole seat covers to protect them from the elements.
The front axle was also relocated to stretch the wheelbase and deliver an increased approach angle. Custom tube fenders stave off rocks and allow additional tire clearance, while the lack of inner fenders help to keep the small-block running cool. A Warn 9500i winch wrapped in Rockstomper synthetic winch line resides between the fenders and can be affixed to the front axle to preload the suspension for vertical climbs. To preload the rear suspension for descents, a smaller Warn ATV winch is mounted on the rear axle.
Good, Bad, And What's It For
The big YJ has no problem climbing up all the ledges that Moab had to offer, but the full-width axles, while providing stability, make it difficult to maneuver through tight obstacles. Barnett even took us for a ride at freeway speeds, which is a much better indicator of a vehicle's suspension and steering geometry than crawling in low-range. Even with a flexible suspension and aired down IROKs the Jeep went down the road straight. Typically you have to trailer a Jeep that is this heavily-modified, but the ability to do trails like the Rubicon with different start and end locations is a great benefit. We wouldn't want a daily driver on 42s but the option to drive it on the street is nice.
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '90 WranglerEngine: GM Ram Jet 350Transmission: Art Carr GM TH350Transfer Case: Advance Adapters Atlas IISuspension: Four-Link With Coilovers (front and rear)Axles: Dodge Dana 60 (front), Dynatrac Pro Rock 60 (rear)Wheels: 17x8.5 Walker Evans BeadlockTires: 14/42-17 Super Swamper IROKBuilt For: Pulling out stuck Go-4s
Why I Featured It
I spied Barnett's Jeep when I was in Moab, a month after Easter Jeep Safari. Since I was on vacation I wasn't really interested in shooting photos or working, but the YJ was too clean to pass up. Barnett was staying at the same campground as me and after I introduced myself he and his fellow Go-4s were quick to invite me on a run to do Pickle. Since I had never been on this trail before, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse.