• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

Project Patience

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
Well, it all started back in December of 2011, I had just sold my 1993 Wrangler Sahara (2 owner) thinking my Jeep days were behind me, I was driving my 2010 Jetta Sportwagen TDI (6 speed)-RIP, had my 2009 Challenger (6 speed, still in the stable)as my "toy" and wanted to spare any more back pain and stiffness that comes along with owning a Jeep...hey I was turning 30 and too old for a lifted Jeep right?

However a month later, I found myself e-mailing the guy I sold my Sahara to asking to buy it back...the Jeep bug was too strong to deny, chronic back pain and tremors while driving the highway would be a lifetime inconvenience...no luck, he wouldn't sell me my baby back.

Quickly I did the first rational thing after finding out my Sahara was gone for good....go on craigslist and buy a 1983 Scrambler with little to no knowledge regarding model types, rust issues and general important information one could obtain from a forum such CJ-8.com.

The Scrambler had been a High School dream ever since spotting one in a parking lot and wondering what it was...

So why did I buy this particular camo wrapped , deathed out Scramber ?

Price ! $7k for a running Scrambler seemed like a bargain at the time and having a car addiction, I didn't want a $15k Scrambler and basically convinced myself that using my "Sahara money" would justify this purchase.

I was told it was a 2 owner car with Texas ties...unfortunately home applied camo and truck liner kind of cast a shadow on it's "originality" ... but hey at least the dash wasn't cut right?




IMG_0979.jpg

IMG_0982.jpg

IMG_2191.jpg

IMG_6746.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6746.jpg
    IMG_6746.jpg
    135.4 KB · Views: 690

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
Then came the ride home...

Me (talking to myself on the way home from the purchase) : "Hey this doesn't have the same power as my 4.0 HO motor..."
"Wait..this thing has a carburetor?"

So what's the first rational thing to do ?

Go on ebay and find a brand new 2006 4.0 L motor out of an LJ with 100 miles on the ODO who's owner was doing an LS swap.
I figured..."hey, this should be an easy swap," much easier than say a Hemi 5.7 or dare say an LS motor swap right?

****SPOILER ALERT****

2 years later, tons of patience, $$, heartache, custom computer, wiring, rebuilt T5, fuel system, exhaust...and voila!
 

walkerhoundvm

Just trying to stay upright
Lifetime Member
City
Cave Creek
State
AZ
It didn't come with a hog basket, grouse bench, or a deer winch? You sure you bought that in Texas?
 

Dave The Sparky

Rebuilding my CJ8 very,very slowly...
Member
City
Halifax
State
UK
A bulkhead would of been my first buy, not sure whats holding the half cab on in those photos :confused:.

Looking forward to the rest of the story keep it coming:popcorn:
 

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
A bulkhead would of been my first buy, not sure whats holding the half cab on in those photos :confused:.

Looking forward to the rest of the story keep it coming:popcorn:

The bulkhead was in the back, my limited knowledge of Scramblers didn't stop me from missing that ever important piece in the sale. Actually the only thing that was holding the top was the seat belt anchored to the roll bar and a few screws to the windshield frame.
 

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
Well after the install was finished (6 months ago) I decided to "bond" with Dukee, drive him in his jungle monkey/wartpig/derelict state but with a bitchin new motor/trans set up.

I can't tell you how much fun I had with him, my dogs loved him and I loved the fact that I could let my dogs ride in it without worrying about scratches, slobber marks and the occasional loss of bowels on the seats/floor. I drove him for a good 2 weeks and even had many people inquire if he was for sale, which as all car guys / gals know is the ultimate in compliment.

My wife even loved him, broken seat belts , no a/c and all...everything was perfect, so then I decided to mess with perfection yet again...PAINT/BODY TIME !!!!

I started organizing all the parts I had bought years ago when Dukee was purchased , took inventory and even ordered a custom hardtop from Rallytops, had it custom lined with Dynamat and tan carpet, Mike from Rally tops was great to work with...heck I even polished up my wagon wheels I had bought a few years ago.

I was going to take Dukee back to 1983, original color, stickers, interior, add a/c....I think whoever has a 1983 brochure can see what I was going for in one of the pictures that has a Jamaican Beige Scrambler with chrome wheels and a Light weight plane being loaded in the back

IMG_6674-1.jpg


IMG_6675-1.jpg


heck , I even polished up my wagon wheels ...I would have him back from paint in a month or less, this was gonna be awesome...

IMG_2061-1.jpg
 

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
Even started scraping the cheap truck liner off the floors which actually didn't have any rust on them, didn't know if I should thank the previous owner or slap him with a white glove

IMG_6873-1.jpg
 

walkerhoundvm

Just trying to stay upright
Lifetime Member
City
Cave Creek
State
AZ
Even started scraping the cheap truck liner off the floors which actually didn't have any rust on them, didn't know if I should thank the previous owner or slap him with a white glove

I'm beginning to think this story might not have a happy ending coming up...

afraidgif-1.jpg
 

MarknessMonster

Amiable Jeeper
City
Western
State
CO
Oh and speaking of derelicts, I love them...

IMG_7366-1.jpg

With your back pain and stiffness, I'm curious how you manage to climb inside the cab of your Toyota that's viewed in the photo background. ;)

Do you use heat when removing those cheap bed liners, as in using a heat gun or even a propane torch? It looks like a headache. Good work so far, and I'm enjoying your suspenseful storyline.
 

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
With your back pain and stiffness, I'm curious how you manage to climb inside the cab of your Toyota that's viewed in the photo background. ;)

Do you use heat when removing those cheap bed liners, as in using a heat gun or even a propane torch? It looks like a headache. Good work so far, and I'm enjoying your suspenseful storyline.


Haha...not my Toyota, nice eye though. That thing is awesome. As far as the bedliner, the natural Texas heat and a product called" Goof Off " (letting it soak in) helped. I used a razor and my fingers (wearing gloves) to peal away all the cheap rubber liner.
 

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
Body repairs were gonna take the cost way up...new tub ordered. So much for trying to take the home truck liner off...it's a shame because the floors are solid


y3ahynas-1.jpg


Prepping....

hyvu4uve-1.jpg


Grafting "JEEP"

ju8yveja-1.jpg


yby5e7ep-1.jpg




Sent from my iPhone
 

scramble1983

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Dallas
State
tx
Would have really liked to keep the original tub and I was really impressed by the quality of the MD Juan TUB, the gauge of steel is definitely thicker and that was very obvious when grafting the Jeep emblem.

For those of you considering such a job (tub transplant), realize that the new tub needs prep and has some imperfections, this topic I'm sure was covered in another post, not a deal breaker though.

On hindsight , the original tub can easily be fixed , will take more time and money (unless you do the body work on your own). I work 60 hours a week and really don't have the talent or know how to have done the repairs myself and my body guy said the labor hours would be many and the risk of rust reappearing were high
 

rustycrawler

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Reston
State
VA
Where is the old tub? Frame looks great! What issues did you have so far with the new tub?
 
Top