Cryin' Game
Writing a letter to accompany your Jeep submission and talking about the editors crying about stuff is a great way to get your submission either tossed, or picked on. In this case, however, Tony Winston of Eugene, Oregon, sent along some pictures of his '04 TJ wheeling Moab. Tony added a 31/2-inch Rubicon Express Superflex lift, 33x12.50R15 Toyo mud tires on 15x8 Mickey Thompson Classic wheels. Miscellaneous armor, a MileMarker PE8000 winch, and a baby in the back seat (best mod so far, says Tony) round out the riot act.
Sin City TJ
This is one of the last of a great breed. This '06 TJ belongs to Eric Golden of Las Vegas, Nevada. He enjoys taking it out for wheeling in and around Logandale, Nevada. A 41/2-inch Rubicon Express lift clears the way for 35-inch Mickey Thompson tires that are spun by an ARB Air Locker in the rear Dana 44 and an Auburn E-Locker in the front Dana 30. Eric fabricated a custom oil pan skid plate, bolted on an 8,000-lb MileMarker winch, slip yoke eliminator, and PSC 6-inch front and rear tube fenders.
Neighbors
This '93 Wrangler comes to us all the way from Saugus, California, right next door to us. This picture was taken in Moab, Utah, however, and shows off the flex of the 5-inch Pro Comp coil conversion with TJ-style rear sway bar and MX-6 adjustable shocks. The front Dana 30 got 4.10 gears, an ARB Air Locker, Warn hub conversion with Warn chromoly axles, and a custom high-steer setup. A Currie 9-inch with 31-spline axles, 4.10 gears, a Detroit Locker, and 11-inch brakes takes care of the rear. Dual Optima Batteries, a Premier Power Welder, an 8,000lb-rated Warn winch all roll on 33x12.50R15 BFG MTs with American Racing Chrome 15x8 rims.
Bree's Favorite
Way back when we were running the Bree column, she said her favorite Jeep was a '79 CJ-5 with a 304ci V-8 and a fiberglass body. Well, Jamie's (last name and location omitted) '80 is the wrong year, but it's got the fiberglass body and the 304ci V-8. The Jeep wears a Virginia license plate and Jamie tells us it got a full frame-off restoration, and a 4-inch suspension lift along with a 2-inch shackle lift to clear the 35-inch BFG MTs on American Racing Outlaw II rims.
Where You at MJ?
This '86 Comanche truck hails from Morgantown, Indiana. It's owned by Richard Binger who wonders why these trucks aren't more popular. His longbed MJ features west coast mirrors, a sport bar in the bed, bucket seats, a 2.5L and a five-speed with 4.10 axle gears. A Clay Smith hydraulic cam, a Clifford header, and .030 off the head pep up the four-popper while a limited slip in the Dana 35 rear axle and some mud tires on stock wheels help get the power to the ground.
Tigger Town
This '99 TJ is owned by Ross Adams of Tigard, Oregon. It uses a 1-inch body lift and 2-inch coil spacers to clear 31-inch BFG Mud Terrains mounted on American Racing aluminum wheels. The Four X Doctor rocker guards protect the sides and a throttle-body spacer and Rock-It air tube with a K&N air filter boost engine performance.
TJ in Thailand
Guy Braverman is originally from Israel, but has relocated to the South East end of Asia in Thailand where, he tells us, there is a growing contingent of readers that enjoy wheeling in the forests out there. While we don't know much about the modifications to this TJ, which Guy bought new in 2001, he did tell us it was one of only about 70 Wranglers ever sold in Thailand. We were also invited to go wheeling out there with them, but both the numbers sold and the invite were from 2006 so who knows what's going on now.
Jeep Chick
Becky Pallucca from Pittsburg, Kansas, couldn't resist the chance at being a Jeep chick in Jp. So she offers up her '80 CJ-5. It sits atop a 4-inch lift and 35x12.50R15 Pro Comp Xterrains on 15x12 Street Lock wheels. The straight-six spins 4.10 axle gears and even though she says there is no scenery in the pic, she claims there are good spots to go wheeling close by.
Paradise Jeep
When Chuck Johnes of Santa Maria, California, told us where he was from, we had this mental image of sun-kissed beaches and tiki huts. Well, maybe it was the fact that he shot his '05 TJ with a four-cylinder engine on the dunes of Pismo near the beach only 20 minutes from his house that got our minds wandering. Whatever the case is, a six-speed manual transmission, a 3-inch Black Diamond lift with heavy-duty 4WD Hardware lower control arms, and 32-inch BFG ATs wrapped around simulated beadlocks complete the look.
Low-Built LJ
We run across a lot of Jeeps in the course of a normal day, and this one stood out for some reason. Maybe because it is an '05 Rubicon Unlimited, or maybe it's because it's riding low on 40-inch Goodyear MT/Rs. Whatever it is, Jason Leaf hit the nail on the head. Fox reservoir shocks out back and Fox coilovers in the front couple with Dynatrac Pro Rock 60s to keep the big rubber rolling. Poison Spyder front and rear tube fenders, Crusher Corners, and rock sliders keep the Jeep's body straight, even on tough runs like this one out in Johnson Valley, California.
Thanks, Buddy
Paul Christen of Apache Junction, Arizona sent in a couple pics of his buddies' Jeeps. This is Bob Nelson stuffing his TJ through a tight squeeze. A 5-inch lift clears 33-inch Goodyear MT/R tires. The 4.56 gears and ARB Air Lockers front and rear keep him pushing forward.
Stucky
This '85 CJ-7 is owned by the wife of Alberta, Canada's, Chris Klassen. The stock six-banger and T-5 were tossed in favor of some American iron in the form of a GM 350 V-8. Behind it is a 700R4 four-speed automatic. The stock Dana 30 and Detroit-locked AMC 20 axles currently reside under the Jeep, but plans are in the works to upgrade. All this sits atop a 6-inch lift and 33-inch mud tires that look as though they have dug a grave.
Four-Year-Old
Chris Atkinson of Oak Harbor, Washington, got this '73 CJ-5 as a gift from his dad at the ripe old age of four. Over time, father and son rebuilt the AMC 304, T-18, and Dana 20 T-case (with added 4:1 gearing). Elevation comes in the form of a 4-inch lift kit that clears a set of 35x12.50R15 Wild Country tires mounted on American Racing rims. The front Dana 30 and rear Dana 44 both got 4.56 gears with the front axle benefitting from Superior Axle axleshafts and the rear axle enjoying a Detroit Truetrac.
Little Cutie
The email we received signed by "Michael and Jana Burritt" of Grand Junction, Colorado, stated, "Here is a picture of our little cutie." Jana (we hope it was Jana) was referring to the couple's '69 Kaiser Jeep CJ-5. This is one of those stories that we all like to hear. About 15 to 20 years ago, Michael used the Jeep for hunting and then sold it. About 21/2-months before sending in the picture, they found their old Jeep and bought it back. The stock 225ci V-6 was still under the hood along with the three-speed transmission, Dana 20 T-case, and all the original running gear.