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Retitled: 83 Scrambler resto-mod finally gaining momentum

Hawaiian8

Basic User
City
Sierra Vista
State
AZ
Getting close to the first drive always gets nerve racking trying not to overlook things, but it's a good feeling when it's driving down the road for the first time.

I asked how long cause you look familiar. We might have run into each other over the years.
 

Bushmaster6

Legacy Registered User
City
the Springs
State
CO
Getting close to the first drive always gets nerve racking trying not to overlook things, but it's a good feeling when it's driving down the road for the first time.

I asked how long cause you look familiar. We might have run into each other over the years.

I've got 4 brothers that are or were in the Army so.. the face may be that much more familiar.
 

scrambled eggs

Basic User
City
chapin
State
sc
i dont know which was better, hearing it run or seeing your wife raise the roof in the corner... congrats on the inaugural crank.
 

Bushmaster6

Legacy Registered User
City
the Springs
State
CO
just a quick check-in because I've been AWOL lately...

had a sleepless night the other night so I got out of bed and headed to the garage to start ticking off a few things on the 8.. tightened up some of my 5-wire splices and zip-tied a bunch of the old/new harnesses to clean up the spaghetti monster.. made a run to FNJeep early Saturday morning to pick up some parts so I could fab a temporary air cleaner set-up.... recharged the battery and:
201306CJ83_zps28d49ce0-1.jpg


201306CJ82_zpsb5ec20ec-1.jpg


201306CJ8_zpsd9bef9f5-1.jpg


first time in about 3 years she's moved under her own power.. drove it down the street and back (open header so I wasn't going far with it, if something was wrong under the hood I wouldn't have been able to hear it).

The new "laundry list" is emerging:
- pare down wiring
- install all vacuum lines/tubing
- header-back exhaust install
- figure out a permanent air cleaner set up (using a TJ inlet tub with a Autozone cone filter for now)
- troubleshoot gauges and lights (no headlights, no turn signals, only one brake light, no oil pressure reading, etc...)
- mount all three mirrors
- mount hood latches
- and much, much more, I'm sure...
 

jeepben

Trail Rated
City
Geelong Australia
State
au
Just read your whole post from start to finish, was a great read, thankyou, your 8 looks awsome
 

Bushmaster6

Legacy Registered User
City
the Springs
State
CO
Posting to (a) say hello :wave: and an update. Everytime I check in here I realize how much I miss it, but I've allowed other things to get in the way ;)

No progress on the 8 since my last posting. Lots of reasons, no excuses.

That said, my wife and I are now in a weighty decision process... big Army is sending me orders for Germany. Likely a 3-year tour. As I have 21 years in the Army, this will be one of the, if not THE, last assignments I have, as we plan on retiring in the 24-25 year range. We're eye-balling everything in our lives right now and analyzing what we can "shed". That includes cars. We had planned to sell my (95) BMW, sell my (94) Landcruiser and ship my wife's (02) Audi until this happened last week..

audiwreck_zps74eb62c4-1.jpg


(another driver lost control of her car and crossed three lanes to cut me off, basically t-boned her at 60mph).. all in all, lucky, as no one was injured, even though her car ended up on it's roof..

so now we have three cars (BMW, 'cruiser, Jeep).... and may buy a replacement DD for wife/kids before we go (figure spring time for her), or we may hold out with what we have for now, sell them last minute, and then buy DDs in Germany upon arrival (fairly common practice for those stationed there)....

The government will pay for us to ship what we want/need to Germany and to store the rest here. That is INDEPENDENT of vehicles. I will have an authorization to ship one POV at government expense. I can contract for more, but that's out of pocket.

Obvious result of all of this: what do we do with the Jeep?
(a) sell it as is
(b) fix/finish it and sell it
(c) ship it as our one funded POV
(d) ship it in addition to our funded POV (figure 2-3k out of pocket)
(e) pay to store it here
(f) loan it to Raymond

Even if we do ship it, it's likely that it would (again) end up as a third vehicle, as it is not practical for kids, not terribly efficient, not terribly safe (think commuting on the autobahn), and I expect to lose a lot of my resources to do shade-tree mechanic time over there.

have a little bit of time to think about it, but not much... would like to commit to a course of action in the next month or so..
 

spankrjs

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Biloxi
State
MS
Obvious result of all of this: what do we do with the Jeep?
(a) sell it as is
(b) fix/finish it and sell it
(c) ship it as our one funded POV
(d) ship it in addition to our funded POV (figure 2-3k out of pocket)
(e) pay to store it here
(f) loan it to Raymond

Even if we do ship it, it's likely that it would (again) end up as a third vehicle, as it is not practical for kids, not terribly efficient, not terribly safe (think commuting on the autobahn), and I expect to lose a lot of my resources to do shade-tree mechanic time over there.

have a little bit of time to think about it, but not much... would like to commit to a course of action in the next month or so..


If I can find some indoor storage somewhere close by, I would not have a problem storing it:thumbsup: But, that thing is too clean/new to keep in my yard for 3 years, unless they make some type of super car cover:shrug: But, "Yard Scrambler" and my Tan Scrambler are holding up just fine in the yard, but your's also has a new, very nice paint job:drool:

Let me know what you decide, we might be able to work something out:thumbsup:

You have done too much work to your Scrambler to sell it now, and I would think shipping it to Germany, then back to the US, would kind of be an expensive waste of resources, especially if you can't drive it/work on it too much while you are there:twocents:

Just let me know, and besides, if you "loan" me one, it will prevent me from buying another one:rotfl::thumbsup:

Maybe "loan" it to me, or one of the other "addicts" on this site who can store it for you, that would be the best option:twocents:
 

Polarfire

Jeep Aficionado
Lifetime Member
City
Columbia
State
MO
Glad to see you post again, welcome back! Totally understand how things get in the way of Jeep stuff. That is how my 6-month rebuild has stretched into 2-years and still isn't done! Just a few thoughts...I think having someone like Raymond or Tommy store it for you would be the best option with having it in a storage unit here being second best. Shipping it over there could just been wasted money. Secondly, and I know this is a difficult decision, you might consider selling it. The longer you are away from it (and Jeeping in general) the more you lose interest and motivation. No reason to store it for 3 years only to come back and sell it then. This has happened to me with several hobbies. One last option may be to sell it to a friend to use/work on while your gone who would be willing to sell it back to you when you return. That way it gets used and not just sitting for that long. Whatever happens have a great time in Germany! My wife and I loved it there during our honeymoon!

PS: glad no one was hurt in the accident!
 

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob
FORUM MANAGER
SOA Member
City
Dexter
State
MI
Someone on here near you has GOT to be able to help out a fellow forum member, Scrambler lover and (most importantly) a member of our military by storing that nice Scrambler for you until you're back. Heck, even shipping it to someone who could store it would be a cheaper option for you that keeps it ready for your return.

Alternatively, I bet we could get donations for you to help with, if not cover, putting it in a storage facility for three years, what's a long-term lease on a vehicle-sized unit go for??? It can't be THAT much.

If you'd be willing to do either of those options, I'd be more than happy to start a thread and make a sticky/announcement to call attention to it.
 

Bushmaster6

Legacy Registered User
City
the Springs
State
CO
Eric,

very thoughtful, and generous, of you to offer the support so, thank you. That said (and I'm trying to figure out how to type this without it sounding self-aggrandizing but..) it's not a question of means (I could pay for storage or shipping), but more of a question of whether either makes sense, even if I can afford it. I think the most ideal solution would be a long-term storage arrangement with some "interested" care while it sits. Actually, the most ideal solution is one of these new Colorado oil-men sees me in the parking lot and offers me $30,000 for it ;)

Someone on here near you has GOT to be able to help out a fellow forum member, Scrambler lover and (most importantly) a member of our military by storing that nice Scrambler for you until you're back. Heck, even shipping it to someone who could store it would be a cheaper option for you that keeps it ready for your return.

Alternatively, I bet we could get donations for you to help with, if not cover, putting it in a storage facility for three years, what's a long-term lease on a vehicle-sized unit go for??? It can't be THAT much.

If you'd be willing to do either of those options, I'd be more than happy to start a thread and make a sticky/announcement to call attention to it.
 

Bushmaster6

Legacy Registered User
City
the Springs
State
CO
PF,

lots of truth in your response.. all things I've thought/felt/considered personally. I took some leave from work this week and spent two days playing with it (refinished some hood latches, installed front marker lights, washed 18 months of dust off of it, and dropped it off at a custom exhaust place this morning), and I have felt very happy to be turning a few wrenches for a change. But I also know that these short-term bits of momentum eventually fade with family, house, work, and grad school requirements. It starts to have that same kind of flavor as caulking the windows on my house.. something I need to do, but don't get excited about. But my wife saw me working on it yesterday and remarked "there's a smile I haven't seen in awhile".

Selling vs. storing: in some respects it's a question of "which one do I lose the least on?". I've not monitored the market for our trucks recently and I have a very difficult time figuring out a price on it. Even if I could (optimistically) get, say, $15k for it, I'd be out a substantial amount vs. what I've put into it (estimate low-mid 20s). I was underneath it last night unhooking the drive shaft (used a tow-dolly to get it to the exhaust place) and thinking that this rig is "better than new", but not sure how that translates to sale price. Storage does provide some potential that the market will eventually return as this rig gets older/rarer, but I'm guessing long-term storage is a 3500-4000$ cost, before insurance/maintenance. Takes a lot of appreciation to make that worth it.

Shipping: I tend to agree that it would be a long shot for it to be worth it. I just don't see me using it much in Germany... unless I could find some deep-pocketed German national who wants a classic CJ for his collection.

Glad to see you post again, welcome back! Totally understand how things get in the way of Jeep stuff. That is how my 6-month rebuild has stretched into 2-years and still isn't done! Just a few thoughts...I think having someone like Raymond or Tommy store it for you would be the best option with having it in a storage unit here being second best. Shipping it over there could just been wasted money. Secondly, and I know this is a difficult decision, you might consider selling it. The longer you are away from it (and Jeeping in general) the more you lose interest and motivation. No reason to store it for 3 years only to come back and sell it then. This has happened to me with several hobbies. One last option may be to sell it to a friend to use/work on while your gone who would be willing to sell it back to you when you return. That way it gets used and not just sitting for that long. Whatever happens have a great time in Germany! My wife and I loved it there during our honeymoon!

PS: glad no one was hurt in the accident!
 

Bushmaster6

Legacy Registered User
City
the Springs
State
CO
I actually may be headed your way (Army funded school at Hurlburt Field) in Feb/Mar. Be good to link up/catch up, even if I'm Jeep-less at the time, as your yard/garage have become a bit of a Scrambler-mecca. ;)

If I can find some indoor storage somewhere close by, I would not have a problem storing it:thumbsup: But, that thing is too clean/new to keep in my yard for 3 years, unless they make some type of super car cover:shrug: But, "Yard Scrambler" and my Tan Scrambler are holding up just fine in the yard, but your's also has a new, very nice paint job:drool:

Let me know what you decide, we might be able to work something out:thumbsup:

You have done too much work to your Scrambler to sell it now, and I would think shipping it to Germany, then back to the US, would kind of be an expensive waste of resources, especially if you can't drive it/work on it too much while you are there:twocents:

Just let me know, and besides, if you "loan" me one, it will prevent me from buying another one:rotfl::thumbsup:

Maybe "loan" it to me, or one of the other "addicts" on this site who can store it for you, that would be the best option:twocents:
 

Bushmaster6

Legacy Registered User
City
the Springs
State
CO
had the exhaust installed today.. I asked for a basic system, perhaps slightly bigger/more free-flowing than stock, as I didn't want to constant drone in a non-sound-insulated vehicle..

Muffler Masters in Colorado Springs did the job, service-oriented, very reasonable pricing, and met my objectives.. happy!

will see if this facebook video shows up.. looks like it's not working for me so: link to video below, please let me know if you can see it

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202420483543207&l=7889166704976871946
 
Last edited:

Polarfire

Jeep Aficionado
Lifetime Member
City
Columbia
State
MO
Video works for me but you have to log in to Facebook. Sounds great!
 
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