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Top Shelf Scrambler

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
Wasnt sure what to call this build.

Then I remembered what it was like 18 years ago when I bought my first Jeep.
I remember pouring over all the catalogs wishing I had the money and what i would build if I had the means to buy
every top shelf part I was lusting over.:bow:

So this seemed fitting.:thumbsup:

I met my friend Buddy via a 4wd forum about 3 or 4 years ago.
Long story short he had an idea about 6 years ago,bought a brand new CJ8 tub and the first TDK Scrambler frame.

Over 6 years and alot of headache later this is how it stands now.
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6.0 LS motor.

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ATX beadlocks . . . man these things are NICE!!!!


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Teraflex axles front and rear.

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Evolution off road suspension with King coilovers.

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Atlas 3.8 Tcase

I have alot to sort through and my to do list is 3 pages long already!:banghead:
Yeah Im excited in spite of it all!
Body coming off the frame tomorrow.
More pics to come.

Later
Sean
 

DirtyB

Crazy Cajun
Lifetime Member
City
Port Allen
State
LA
OMG! It's got $$$ figures painted all over it. ahahah You will be one seriously bad dude when you hit the trail with that.
 

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob
FORUM MANAGER
SOA Member
City
Dexter
State
MI
Top shelf Scrambler deserves top shelf beer :angry: :rotfl:

So is this yours or his and you're just providing the muscle?

:bow::popcorn:
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
Top shelf Scrambler deserves top shelf beer :angry: :rotfl:

So is this yours or his and you're just providing the muscle?

:bow::popcorn:

Thanks guys!

The bottom shelf domestic beer I was swilling at the time should answer the question pretty quick as to who owns this Eric. ;) Upgraded to New Castle Werewolf tonight when i got done though!:thumbsup:

It belongs to a good friend of mine "Buddy" from northern VA.

I build alot for other people . . . I just love doing it and well the extra $ funds my Jeep addiction.

We talked alot over the last couple years,seems i was always busy though.
I think any guy that has taken on a long term project has hit the "Im just gonna sell it point"
I talked him out of it . . . couldnt quite bare the thought of this leaving my Scrambler family.

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Productive day and had a great time! My younger brother dropped by to check out the new project and help out for awhile.


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Finishing up fabbing, brackets ,gusseting,went over entire frame . . . man that list is getting LONG!

Pulled the Atlas to prep for this lil lovely addition.:headbang:
http://www.northwestfab.com/NWF-BlackBox-i-Underdrive-Unit_c_14.html

Ditching the adaptor and input ring on the existing setup and adding the Blackbox-i will put me darn near the length I started at!:smokin:

This rig is entended to be a do all type of rig. Reliable,strong,street legal,easy to drive,run highway speed with ease,and still crawl with the best of them.

Seeing alot i like and alot i need to change. Front bump stops are going to a challenge,headers will NOT work for this application,etc.

To all you LS swap veterans any input would be hepful. I used stock truck manifolds in the past 3 swaps, kinda liking the Cadillac CTS manifolds for this one if anybody has any input on them.

Having fun with this one but its going to be ALOT of work to finish by March.

Later
Sean
 
Last edited:

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob
FORUM MANAGER
SOA Member
City
Dexter
State
MI
I figured that was likely, but I just wanted to be clear. Wish I lived near you to get in there and help/learn. :drool:

This is going to be a seriously epic rig. :bow:
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
I figured that was likely, but I just wanted to be clear. Wish I lived near you to get in there and help/learn. :drool:

This is going to be a seriously epic rig. :bow:

Thanks Eric.

Yeah wish you lived closer too . . . especially if your bringing top shelf beer! LOL
 

W.R.Buchanan

Legacy Registered User
City
Ojai
State
CA
Sean:
As far as the headers go I would ditch them in favor of some nice stock exhaust manifolds. On a trail jeep headers are a pain. And for the small increase (or maybe not) in HP they just aren't worth the cracking and leaking and general headaches they deliver. Fine on a Street Rod which might get driven, but will never get banged around, but sucko on a Jeep which is supposed to be a Heavy Duty Truck and will get banged around more in one day than most vehicles get in a life time.

Randy
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
Sean:
As far as the headers go I would ditch them in favor of some nice stock exhaust manifolds. On a trail jeep headers are a pain. And for the small increase (or maybe not) in HP they just aren't worth the cracking and leaking and general headaches they deliver. Fine on a Street Rod which might get driven, but will never get banged around, but sucko on a Jeep which is supposed to be a Heavy Duty Truck and will get banged around more in one day than most vehicles get in a life time.

Randy

Randy,
I couldnt agree with you more,ordered a set of stock truck manifolds last week. Should be here in a day or two.
Its got a YJ sending unit in the gen right crawler tank now. Need more psi or the 6.0 will fall on its face at full throttle. Learned that lesson the hard way with the first LS swap I did.:rolleyes::banghead:
Going to swap in a Walbro 225 pump with a dedicated 40 amp feed should net me around 80 plus gallons per hr.

Got alot done this past week,nothing really pic worthy. Finished all the welding on the frame. Swapped out all hardware to grade 8 or better. Cut spacers for the coilover mounts,working on a mount for the ECM, etc,etc,etc.

Been talking to Dan with DoubleD fab about a custom dash. Hes a great guy and does awesome work on these dashes. :thumbsup:
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
Let us be the judge of that! :bacon:

How did I know that was coming? LOL

I will get some more up tomorrow evening oh picture craving moderator.:crazy::thumbsup:

Carl thanks for the info and the link.:thumbsup: They look very similar to the Cadillac CTS manifolds I was thinking
about using. The stock truck manifold won out due to the ease of use and the factory heat shield.

The owner plans to street drive and wheel this rig often so keeping temps in line was a priority. The whole under side of the tub has been done in Lizard skin to help with noise,heat, etc.

Looking into options for stainless brake and fuel lines. Gonna have to buy a new flaring tool though as my trusty 20 years old Mac flare tool wont due stainless.

What are you guys using to flare SS tube?

Thanks
Sean
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
Boring old weld and prep pics for Eric. LOL
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Waiting on the stainless tubing,manifolds, Blackbox,etc to come in.

Later
Sean
 

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob
FORUM MANAGER
SOA Member
City
Dexter
State
MI
I see nothing boring! Did the frame come set up for the links or was that his addition? a TJ or LJ long arm kit? The bent lower links look like Nth Degree.

Damn those axles are sexy. :drool:
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
Thanks Eric!

The frame is a TDK leaf spring model that was modified to run TJ style suspension with a mix of Teraflex and Evolution off road parts. The lower links are Teraflex the uppers are scratch built out of DOM. Most of the tabs and brackets are from evolution offroad. All of the coilovers mounts are from Evolution as well.

More to come.
Sean
 

jeepdreamer

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Colorado Springs
State
CO
Dang this thing is sick... Glad I read the thread! :)
How far are you from Ft Myers Sean? Seems I'll be there in a few months...
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
Thanks for the props man!
Im having fun with this build!

Im in Vinton VA about 4 hrs SW of Fort Myers/Arlington area.
Look me up when you get state side and lets go wheeling!!!!

Later
Sean
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
OK time for some updates!
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An Atlas and a Blackbox i from the guys at NWFab. Let the fun begin!

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Wanted to get a baseline on length to show the advantage of the Blackbox i.
4.5" from the face of the case to the face of the trans adaptor.

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Pulling the inspection plate to remove the cluster gear.

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Adaptor,clocking ring,and input plate removed. Pulling the input gear from the shaft.

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Blackbox seperated and input gear swapped over.
 

CJ ATE

Legacy Registered User
City
Vinton
State
VA
100_0664-1.jpg

NWFab supllies you with a few of my favorite never come loose goodies.
These are Nordlock washers commonly found on indutrial automation componnets etc. Ive been using these for years on headers bolts and numerous other things.

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All sealed up and back on the trans so I can start fabbing the trans mount brackets tomorrow.
Whats the length now your wondering? 7.5" thats only 3" longer than what I strated with!
This is why Im a big fan of these units! Crazy low ratio when you need it,near bullet proof,has its own fluid supply so less chance of leaks,no ridiculously short rear drive shaft etc.

More to come!
Later
Sean
 

bigwalton

Alaskan Postal nutjob
FORUM MANAGER
SOA Member
City
Dexter
State
MI
I've been :drool: all over those since I first saw them. Just need to win the lottery one of these days... :banghead:
 

MrBeep

CJ-8 Vendor Supporter
Member
SOA Member
CJ-8.com Vendor
City
Dillsboro
State
IN
Very nice Sean. Will this be at the Nationals? :wave:
 
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