The cage inside the Jeep is also homemade and works with the stock seats to provide a solid base for them. The transmission tunnel had to be clearanced for the big NV4500. A bevy of Auto Meter gauges is located in the center stack of the dashboard, including a pyrometer, a boost gauge, fuel, water, and oil gauges. The stock TJ speedometer and voltmeter still work and John is investigating how to hook up the stock TJ tachometer rather than swap the stock cluster out. By keeping the TJ cluster, John has kept many of the stock indicator lights as well.
A Grant steering wheel takes the place of the stock one, and with the cancelling arm off of the clockspring grafted onto it, the turn signals not only work, but cancel just like they would with the stock steering wheel. A button on the steering column now activates the horn. Thanks to the transmission tunnel and floor modifications, no carpet kit will fit this Jeep unless it is custom-made, so John had it sprayed with U-POL bedliner that was tinted to match the paint. Sprayed inside and under the tub, it does a good job of cutting down on noise.
Good, Bad, and What It's For
It's low, it's orange, and it works great. We saw this Jeep before it was finished, so we can't knock things like gauges not working or the cage not being plated or tied into the frame. We thought that the engine would rip the TJ six-cylinder engine mounts in no time and that the TJ mounts would transmit a lot of vibration to the chassis, but John says that with 5,000 more miles on it since we saw it, the mounts are still fine. We'd have tossed the TJ cluster to begin with and built a custom one to fit the space.
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '98 Wrangler
Engine: '91 3.9L Cummins 4BT
Transmission: '95 Dodge NV4500
Transfer Case: 3.8:1 Atlas II
Suspension: Four-link (front), four-link (rear)
Axles: '89 Ford Dana 60 (front), Currie Rock Jock (rear)
Wheels: Allied Racing Rock Monster
Tires: 40x13.50R17 Goodyear MT/R
Built For: Real Jeeps run diesel fuel.
Why I Wrote This Feature
Cappa says, "The 4BT sounds like a bunch of marbles shaken in a can and vibrates too much to drive comfortably." Hazel says, "Who would want to breathe diesel fumes all day long on the trail?" I didn't agree with them; I love the smell and sound of a diesel-powered rig. I think a Jeep engine should have plenty of power down under 2,000 rpm, and what better way to get there than with a diesel? I have wanted to build a 4BT-powered Jeep for quite a while, much to Cappa's and Hazel's disagreement. After seeing this one on the trail and getting to drive it, I've got the bug even worse. It doesn't knock out your fillings, it's got gobs of power where it should, and the low-slung, long-arm setup works great off-road and rides great on-road.
-Pete Trasborg