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The Descrambler Project

W.R.Buchanan

W.R.Buchanan

Legacy Registered User
City
Ojai
State
CA
HI guys, new to the forum, Not really, just been inactive.

Thought I'd bring everybody up to date on my build which has been in process for several years now and is finally coming to fruition. The complete build is on 4btswaps.com

http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?5310-Here-s-the-Descrambler

The vehicle is a built from scratch CJ8. I built the frame, all of the metal work, adapters etc. It has a Cummins 4BT for a motor along with a TH400 auto trans, a USGear Overdrive unit and an Atlas 4.3 transfercase. Axles are HPD44 front with ARB, and HPD60 rear with ARB. Tires are Goodyear 37" MTR's

Body is a 4wd hardware Fiberglass unit and the only Jeep part on the whole thing is the grill.

I am just about finished with mock up and as soon as the doors and top are fitted, I will be pulling it all down for paint and finishing.

Looking for a set of Fibreglass full doors right now so if you've got some you don't need, do let me know. Probably going with a Rally tops full top.

Randy
 
Very cool and nice work. How do get that titled and as what? A kit car?
 
Wow...nice combo/build. I am really impressed. I especially appreciated one of your first posts about finances. My wife sometimes wonders how I have been able to finance my Scrambler. It has been by following the principles you described. And sticking to them no matter what. That's not 2 D300's on a cart, that's a savings account... Just like checking Craigslist daily. She constantly is telling me "you don't meed more junk!" Heck, I'm not looking to buy, I'm looking for stuff I can sell...

I used to live in Ventura, worked at Crown Dodge. Wish I knew more Jeepers when I lived down there...would have made life much more enjoyable.

I'm curious on the titling aspect also...
 
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Forget titling, I wanna know what kind of mileage your gonna get with 37"s:thumbsup:! :D
 
If you are looking for his build info. Go to the link he posted. It's very detailed and worth a look at. Does show cross member.
 
Guys thanks for all the kind words, this project has been in the building stage for nearly 4 years now, and if I can get the few parts needed soon, will be done this year for sure.

Randy: I think I remember you from Clown Dodge. I am the guy who had the Red and Black 95 Cummins one ton. We talked about my Scrambler project more than once, but it was still in the planning/.procurement stages at that time. I also drove my Yellow CJ 5 in several times. see pic.

Didn't you have a Bronco at that time?

Yes, There is a bunch of pics on the build thread listed above, and I have no problem being totally verbose in explaining why I'm doing something.

Randy
 
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Mark was the guy with the Bronco. I was "between Jeeps" then, had a Montero, a VW bus, and a Chev z71 pickup. Small world!
 
That is true. I wanted to look. So, I joined. Now, if I have another forum to gather info from.
 
Just takes a minute to join...well worth it!
 
Guys: It only takes a minute to join the 4btswaps.com forum, then you can see all pictures, well over 100. Plus the pictures on everyone elses build too. There is 3-4 Scrambler projects there including another one built from scratch.

I use the same username and pass word for every forum I join, and that way I don't have to remember a bunch of different passwords and usernames. it works well, and I'm not too concerned that my posts get jacked by someone pretending to be me, because nobody can be, or would want to be me, but me! :banghead: I just love this smiley!

Randy
 
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Guys; looking for a set of fiberglass full doors, been trying to buy the ones off the Atlanta Craigs list, Green Scrambler. But haven't got them in hand yet, having trouble getting the guy to package them up.

Still looking.

Randy
 
Got a picture? Never heard of fiberglass full doors before.
 
Eric: Go to the Tops and Doors section, there is a thread about an unusual hardtop and doors for sale on Atlanta Craigs List.

I can't get the guy to respond or I would buy them (been trying for 3 weeks now.)

Fibreglass full doors for CJ5's and 7's were made by AJ's, Acme, and a couple of others.

AJ's were by far the best and heaviest tops and bodies made, and they made tops for 5's 7's and 8's Plus a half cab. Their biggest problem was they cost a fortune to ship. AJ's would only ship them in a fully enclosed crate, and the crate and the shipping doubled the cost. I ended up going with a CJ5 body from 4WD Hardware which cost me @$1200 delivered to CA. The good AJ's CJ5 body was $2245 + shipping. 1994 price.

The AJ's CJ8 top was $1345 or $1990 with doors in 1994. and would have been nearly $4K shipped to CA. The doors on Craig's list are actually AJ's doors but someone has added the bottom window. I figured this out by looking at my AJ's catalog from 1994, The doors are a dead ringer. :banghead: BUT,,,,, I stand corrected on this point and with more digging by "Polarfire" I have found out they are actually late model ACME doors. See Craigs list listing below.

Acme doors went with their tops , including 5, 7 and 8. I have seen ones that had ACME molded into the side in big letters and at an angle. They had small windows. :ZZZ: Obviously they corrected this flaw on later runs. Also the ACME tops have a smooth curved roof line front to back which is unique.

I have never seen a full CJ-6 Fiberglass hard top. However there were steel tops made by about 5-6 different makers ...goto the CJ3B webpage and you can see them all.

AJ's is gone now, ran out of business by the costs of doing business. Most of their products stayed in the east, and this is true of most Fiberglass bodies. They exist mainly to replace rusted out steel bodies, and you don't see that many rusted out Jeeps in the West. Something about that salt you guys back there use on the roads.

I am building mine from scratch so I didn't have a body to start with. I got mine for $1175. With all of the other parts I've got about $2400 in the body. A new Steel tub is $3K, no fenders etc. just the tub!

My CJ5 has been on just about every rock trail in the western US and still looks like new. Fiberglass works well for Jeeps because it is light it doesn't bend and it doesn't rust rot or mildew. It is also easy to fix if you break something. I've actually had one of my front fenders twisted 180* and had it spring back unscathed except for a scratch in the paint. All of the front ends of big rig trucks are made from fiberglass. Very durable. :bow::jeep:

Randy
 
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Got my BushWhacker flares mounted yesterday, Sunday 5-2-10. They came out good.

Tires stick out about 3.5" outside the flares so no one legal shoud get too excited. I'll have to install mad flaps too because my local cops have a thing about big tires and no flaps. I don't understand it?

Randy
 
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