My first jeep

[trav]

My fathernlaw gave me a 89 jeep wrangler.Stock, I would appreciate do"s and dont"s on any up grades. :confused: :confused:

[jode]

Don't buy Thornbird tires
Do go visit www.jeepforum.com (http://www.jeepforum.com) or www.jeepsunlimited.com (http://www.jeepsunlimited.com)
Don't put "No Fear" stickers on it
Don't EVER repair a Peugot transmission - just replace it with a better model (non-Peugot)
Do think about a locker ASAP (if you intend to drive offroad)
Don't buy trucknutz
Do thank your fatherinlaw - I wish mine would give me a jeep ;)

[jode]

Well, I run a Detroit gearless locker and I rolled my Wagoneer yesterday, so that is definately a good choice if you are looking for excitment in the snow.

Seriously though, the very best are selectable lockers that can be turned on or off at will (ARB, OX, Electrac, etc.) and of those, I would probably say that the ones that act as limited slips while disengaged would be the best. However, selectables cost considerable more than the "automatic" ones like a Detroit or a Lockright.

You will most likely need to use your new best friend (www.google.com) to search around and find out what will work best for you by what has worked best for others.
My advice is to do some serious thinking about what this vehicle will be used for. Any and all modifications that you do should be done with the intention to create a vehicle that is best-suited for your specific type of driving. In other words, tell us what you want your vehicle to be, and we can tell you what kind of modifications you need to do to it to get it to that state of being.
;)

EDIT - hey - you deleted your post, so now mine looks like the ramblings of a delirious fool...what happened?

[ December 01, 2004, 10:33 PM: Message edited by: jode ]

[kong]

Jode,

You are a ramblin' fool! I bet your wife isn't too happy about the rollover.

Back to the subject....

One thing I'd do is visit your local junkyard and make sure you have a few good vehicles you can strip parts off of.

First thing I'd do is TFI upgrade, you can find lots of posts on this, or ramblin' Jode will come and do it for you :D He's crazy!

[FSJ Thing]

My advice is to trade it in for a FULL SIZE Jeep. ;)

[gwinn]

Yeah, the first mod you have to consider is an upgrade to a FSJ. The rest really aren't as crucial. smile.gif

[fulsizjeep]

My 1st Jeep was a 72 J4000 in 76. I would thank him and trade up... :D You won't regret it. ;)
http://frontier.net/~mystkblu/my_j4000.jpg

[ December 03, 2004, 05:25 AM: Message edited by: Flint ]

[Rockmedic]

Wranglers are great. I had one for several years and never had any real problems. The point is every one has a wrangler, they are every where. If you really want a Jeep that stands out and you wont see at every intersection BUY A FULL SIZE. I just bought my first and love it. sure it takes a little work, ok a lot of work to keep one up but what the h*ll it fun.

[Bombadier]

Flint-

Thanks for that pic... It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling seeing a picture like that while I'm here in Iraq....

Some guys dig Maxim and P-boy mags....
My library here consists of 4x4 literature....
Yup, I'm sick....
:D :D :D

BTW, as for first Jeeps... Get an FSJ, and the sickness grows to include little Jeeps... Just get ready to warm up those Craftsmans, 'cause FSJs love the attention.

[fulsizjeep]

Yer welcome Joel... Hang in there man! smile.gif

[DerekTJeep]

http://fsjworld.tenmagazines.com/showownerpic.ten-u-3541-n-82782-pos-1

This is picture of my first 2 Jeeps. ENjoy!!

Derek

[rockcandy]

If it is the manual, don't bother to fix it if it breaks. If it is an auto, that is a good tranny. In my opinion, a locker or two will make the most dramatic improvement in offroad prowess of any mod. Before lift, tires, etc. If your still sticking with stock size tires up to 33" tires, lunchbox lockers can be had for about $225. If you have the 4.2, I am sorry. It is a good engine but your year suffers from a crappy carb system. '91 and newer has fuel injection. If it is a 4 cylinder your good to go. Never do a Super 35 kit. Visit www.jeepsunlimited.com (http://www.jeepsunlimited.com)
That is a good site if your new to Jeeps. Never invest in 4:1 kits for an NP231. If you go that far, swap to an atlas or flipped 300. If you lift it, stay away from Pro Comp. Spring over is the better way to go anyway. Invest in a good cage. Drive safe and if you don't know what the things I mentioned are....search search search! There is more information on the web than you will ever need to know.

[mudslider]

there will be good times and there will be fustrating times ahead. but you will have good times with it.

[NOI54X]

My first jeep was 46 CJ-2A,owned some kind of a jeep for past 24 yrs.Just haven't found the right one yet.

[ross6x6]

English 1979 AMC Cherokee Chief.
Well done for going for the free jeep wrangler!
Lots of folk here in U.K. drive Japanese 4X4's and also new'ish Cherokee's (downsize shape) Grand Cherokee's and new curvey Cherokee's. Wranglers etc are rarer. A few months ago I bought an old blue Chief - stock apart from big wheels & tyres + 5" body lift. Its good - but rusty so needs body off to derust/paint chassis and replace brake pipes with copper Kunifer pipe. I'll post pictures when I have some. These and Cherokee S were official imports into southern england (Andover, Hampshire) around 1978 to '81.

[J10Mike]

here is a pic from 1980 of my first Jeep. 67 j2000 gladiator thriftside.
http://12.29.16.230/mmimages/67j2000.jpg

[Carl Rasmussen]

my First jeep was a 1968 DJ5 2wd with a 153 chev 4cyl sm420 trans and a rear d44 3.73's
Then I upgraded to a 64 j200 with a 350 chev tuned port, sm465,np205
then I really upgraded to my now 1984 J10
93 chev 350,4sp auto,np241

[DieselSJ]

My first Jeep was (and still is) a '81 CJ5 Renegade. Came stock with a 4cyl and SR-4 trans. Still a great Jeep. Sitting in my garage awaiting a carb rebuild and some other fuel system repairs as a result of running about an 80% methanol mix to get it to pass smog, but that is a story for another day.

The other guys have covered the basic mods. Lift, lockers, tires. Keep the tire size moderate or you will be looking at a gear swap to get your power back.

[J4GRAND]

Here is a (blurry) pic of the first FSJ I ever drove. It was my sister's in WY; a 73 J4000 3/4 ton with a 360, TH400, and Dana 20.

http://fsjworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/J4GRAND/79168.jpg

[74chero]

My first car is a jeep and I still have it, here is a pic.

http://fsjworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/74chero/83273.jpg

[ January 11, 2005, 08:06 PM: Message edited by: 74chero ]

[Lounorcal4x4]

My first jeep I still have its a 00 TJ sahara. It has been the best 4x4 I ever owned. the supply of aftermarket parts is endless. I say keep it and enjoy it. And pick up a FSJ also so you can enjoy what they have to offer also. Save your money and go with a good lift kit like Rubicon Express. Tires? I run 33 goodyear MTR's Im on my 2nd set. good luck There are some other wrangler owners you can talk to on my web site forum if you need to ask. www.norcal4x4.net (http://www.norcal4x4.net)

[ January 04, 2005, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: Lounorcal4x4 ]

[J10_Jimbo]

First FSJ was a 77 Cherokee, stock when I bought it in '83, 3/4 ton running gear and 40" tires when I scrapped it. (To much money to rebuild again and couldn't stand to see anyone else driving it.) Now it is a '82 J10 Laredo, only been up to 38" tires on it, but one day soon.......

[slewfoot]

Originally posted by DerekTJeep:
http://fsjworld.tenmagazines.com/showownerpic.ten-u-3541-n-82782-pos-1

This is picture of my first 2 Jeeps. ENjoy!!

Derekyour 79 looks like my 78 same rust spots and damage lol wanna buy another one? tongue.gif

[Sycho15]

My first car is my '89 Jeep Wrangler. The first mod I did was to install a snorkel! Then I got 31" mud tires, did the TFI ignition upgrade, stripped the interior and applied a polyurethane bed-liner, yanked the sway bar and trac bars, and eventually put a Weber 36 carb on it.

I had it for a little over a year when the Peugot BA-10 broke. I promptly swapped in a TF727 from an '86 Grand Wagoneer and an NP208 from an '81 J10. Now I have an AMC401 to put under the hood. I also have a pair of D44s from an '86 GW that are all torn apart waiting for me to rebuild them with the 4.10 gears, Detroit locker, and full spool that I've collected. Lift will be GW front springs with a shackle-reversal up front, and 2.5" OME springs in the rear. I'll keep the 31s until they wear out, and then trim sheetmetal to fit 33s. Eventually I'd like to swing a Klune-V under there as well....

[80Laredo]

My first FSJ is a 80 J-10 and even with all the problems and the ridicule from my family, I bought another J-10 on the 5th. and, go figure it wasnt running. Welcome to the addiction.

[toolman]

this is my first jeep and i love it. I WANT MORE.

[jeepzilla47]

63 m38a1...i bought in high school. no top, no doors, no brakes...drove it a year like that! all original except for the custom duck weeds painted on the side..it was real fun in the winter...lets see, scrape ice off the seat, inside the windshield, outside the windshield, then the guages.

[jteckmann]

"My" first Jeep is the one I currently own - a '95 ZJ, 5.2, QT. I bought it used in '99 with lower milage, and got a great deal on it because it supposedly had a tranny going out. Turns out the tranny issue was a relatively cheap fix (no rebuild), and it's been a tank ever since.

Before the ZJ, I had gone through two Toyota Supras - an '82 that I drove into the ground (+300Kmi and actually still runs), and an '87 Turbo that I drove into a semi. Given that experience, I decided that another sports car wasn't in my best interests, and I went with the ZJ because I really liked my Dad's '98. Best choice I ever made.

Since it's purchase, the ZJ has filled every roll immaginable - 5 person carpool hauler in nasty Atlanta traffic, hauling all my worldly possessions and a 15' trailer cross-country twice, off-roading in Southeast red clay mud, climbing abandoned forrest trails to reach remote PacNW campsites, and the road-trip cruiser (has been in every state in the lower 48 except 3).

All this has been accomplished in relatively stock configuation - except for K&N and Flowmaster upgrades to help the 5.2 breathe and a tranny cooler & temp gauge to help me keep an eye on it. Plus non-mechanical upgrades like stereo, storage boxes, etc for the interior. Just regular maintenace and the occasional water or PS pump is all it's ever needed. It's quickly approaching 200K, and is still running strong. So, IMO, treat any Jeep right, and it will certainly treat you right!

A couple months ago, I caught the FSJ bug. After lots of research on this site (great resource!) I'm determined to take the FSJ plunge, and hopefully will soon have another rig to add to my sig ...

[Keebler]

Be CAREFULL of the addiction. Your friends and loved ones will think you insane, and risk divorce, excommunication and such. Its great fun. Looking to get my 4th FJS, and trade in my 04 Civic for an 04/05 Wrangler SE. So that would make my jeep ownage to 5 Jeeps. (Yes, I'm sick.)

Got my first FSJ in Sept. 04. 1985 Grand Wag. 2 weeks later bought a '75 wag for $75. Then a month later, an '81 for $100. Its bad now.

[Bombadier]

My first Jeep was the "Bomb", a red-black '77 Cherokee Chief N/T that I bought for $600. The deal was kinda shady, and went down in a Publix parking lot. That was a sign.
The Jeep was a heap, leaked fuel and oil like a sieve, had Florida rust-rot, sucked all my money straight from my wallet, smelled funny, and had some mismatched 32" tires and a crappy 3" Discount Autoparts block lift.

But I loved that truck.

Once I got the carb rebuilt, the driveshafts rebuilt, and some electrical gremlins banished, it was ok.
Then the Q-track chain gave out.
The main crankshaft bearings gave out.
The electrical system when nuts.

Yup, my wife sold it. Can't say I blame her. But that's ok, we had two FSJs at that point.
And we've managed to keep at least one FSJ since then.

My first vehicle was a cherry red 1961 Chevy Corvair. It was beyond my means mechanically, and it ran for about six months out of the five years that I owned it.
But my girlfriend(s) liked it, and it had lots of leg room, if ya'll catch my drift.... ;)

[stickman]

my first jeep was (and still is) a 77 Wagoneer with a 401 (blowed up), TH400, QT tcase, Dana 44 F/R diffs w/ 3.54 gears, sawz-alled wheel wells to fit 35" tires without lift!! **** I love(d) that thing!!! lookin to buy my second!!! 85 GWag w/ a 360. and possibly a third!!! early 80s Wag w/ I6 and lifted!!!

[stickman]

i forgot to mention, i got the Wag off of eBay for $1000 a lil less than two years ago, and the FSJ bug has definately bit me!!!!

[bigblack'74]

my first jeep was a 1989 cherokee back in '97 then a 82' wag broughm...and here i am 19 jeeps later smile.gif

[scott lauer]

i have a 1980 jeep cherokee with a 3 inch body lift and a 6 inch suspension. i've been looking all over to find parts like a new grille and new marker lights for it. if any one knows where i might be able to find these things please let me know. thanks

[L.E.McKinley]

something funny you can do is rig your wrangler so the gas tank is a beer keg, (don't worry there built very tough for shipping them), and so cops can see it than they will pull you over because they think you got a keg of beer in your jeep. i did it and iv'e gotten pulled over for it many times but never got in trouble worse than a warning!

[Karl Streich]

:D I think I'll do that, maby as a spare for my j truck :D

Originally posted by L.E.McKinley:
something funny you can do is rig your wrangler so the gas tank is a beer keg, (don't worry there built very tough for shipping them), and so cops can see it than they will pull you over because they think you got a keg of beer in your jeep. i did it and iv'e gotten pulled over for it many times but never got in trouble worse than a warning!

[L.E.McKinley]

my keg says duff on it, (duff from the simpsons), and the rear diff. cover has homer's head on it x-rayed with a jeep logo in his skull!

[L.E.McKinley]

here is wut is on rear diff. cover!

http://www.cjoffroad.com/forums/avatars/homer2.gif

[LEM]

i still got my first jeep, all the basic info is below.

[Hand's End]

This G/W is my first Jeep. My wife's 2004 Liberty is our 2nd and my daughter's Wrangler Power Wheels is the 3rd.

A regular Jeep family!

[Steelhead]

When I was 14 my dad picked up two mid-70s cheros that that weren't in great shape. They sat behind a barn, and he was having a guy build one good one out of the two. It was a orange-red WT. The guy working on it ended up going to jail for one reason or another, and eventually my mom told my dad to get the mess off the property. It was always supposed to be "my college car". And believe me I thought about what it could've been to have that old chero in Colorado during college.

Fast-forward 15 years and I'm long out of college, finally making a little dough, and I stumbled onto IFSJA, and within a week some guy with my last name posts an orange-red WT chero (in great shape). Miraculously he lived in Reno and I was planning to drive through the next day. It was meant to be...and thats how I ended up with good looking twin of the college car that never was.

[TheBondoBandit]

my first jeep was this 55 willys wagon (wagoneers older brother ?) had the flathead hurricane straight 6 in it . started with a tap of the key , ran better than most new cars , which is pretty impressive since i bought it only 3 years ago . everything worked . the only pic i have is before i painted it . i sold it about a year ago .

http://www.uploadyourimages.com/img/564283passside.jpg