What would it take for you to use your rig as your daily driver?

[orangecherokee]

let's see...

1) a roof
2) doors
3) heater
4) a/c
5) road tires
6) overdrive
7) speedometer
8) windshield
9) brake lights
10) turn signals
11) better steering

and that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more.

[ROK360]

It always amazes me how LPG (propane) gets a bad wrap from some. I am also pretty happy about the myths - of how bad it is for an engine, how the tank is a bomb, etc etc keep on keeping on. Keeps the masses out of using the stuff - that way the demand does not outstrip supply and it keeps the price down. My old Waggie has been running on LPG (dual fuel and a simple mixer) for 21years the 360 in it has 450,000 km on it and other then being tired runs really well. My oil at every change looks all but brand new - LPG is a clean burning fuel.

I have our 3 cars converted to LPG and it keeps the running costs down when the price of LPG is 40% of the price of ULP. The only issue with LPG in the Waggie is the fact that I don't have a second tank.

The only other thing I need in my Waggie to make it a all year round DD would be A/C as an Aussie summer with two toddlers in the car is a tad unbearable.

[Suddendeath]

I use my truck as my primary DD as it is, but there are some things that could be done to help it out in the daily driving department. Comfort things, like sound dampening due to my M/T's, perhaps a new headliner, etc.

Otherwise, I DD it anyway and don't mind too much. The girlfriend complains though

[my88wgn]

the '88 i still hav now was the "only" driver for awhile back when i was marr!&d...(cant bring myself to say it) other than needn a t-case now,its always been reliable.its just like everyone else...just cost too much in fuel to drive as a daily driver.

[REDONE]

Originally Posted by ROK360

It always amazes me how LPG (propane) gets a bad wrap from some. I am also pretty happy about the myths - of how bad it is for an engine, how the tank is a bomb, etc etc keep on keeping on. Keeps the masses out of using the stuff - that way the demand does not outstrip supply and it keeps the price down. My old Waggie has been running on LPG (dual fuel and a simple mixer) for 21years the 360 in it has 450,000 km on it and other then being tired runs really well. My oil at every change looks all but brand new - LPG is a clean burning fuel.

I have our 3 cars converted to LPG and it keeps the running costs down when the price of LPG is 40% of the price of ULP. The only issue with LPG in the Waggie is the fact that I don't have a second tank.

The only other thing I need in my Waggie to make it a all year round DD would be A/C as an Aussie summer with two toddlers in the car is a tad unbearable.

Absolutely!

have I ever introduced you to my 401? It's in my avatar. It's bored .060, stroked .20, with custom forged h-beam connecting rods and 13:1 (yes thirteen-to-one!!!) custom fly-cut Keith black pistons. My only regret is staying with a flat tappet cam instead of a full roller, but I made that decision based on the fact that nobody at the time made a mild RV-style grind roller, only high revving fire breather cams.

Why am I telling you this? Because I designed this engine to be a dedicated LPG powerhouse, with MORE economy per gallon than gasoline (petrol) as well as more power by taking advantage of LPGs higher resistance to detonation.

So why is that propane engine still sitting on a stand in my shop? Because last week when I filled up the tank on my house propane was at $3.68 a gallon, about 10 cents less than a gallon of gas. Last December when I filled the tank, it was $4.80 a gallon, or about a whole dollar MORE than a gallon of gas. The most I've been forced into paying for LPG up here in the US was $6.50, though Amerigas which is the largest distributor of LPG in the US, back in 2008. Gasoline at the time was at $2.90ish.

It's a screwed up mess, but it's OUR screwed up mess! heck, I like the smell of gasoline better anyways.

[frank_c]

i drive the J20 a lot. left the Wrangler parked a whole week and drove the truck to work every day. i'm only 5 miles from work and shopping though.

[mud89]

For someone with an average income, no way to have an FSJ as a DD overhere, or you'll have to make less than 5 miles a day..
Let's say 10 or 15 miles a day at most if its a rig with a 6 in line and a manual transmission
Propane is indeed more common for this rigs in Europe than in the US, because the price is way lower than gas : around €3 a gallon of propane, so a little more than $4 a gallon and it doesn't change a lot over time (10% at most)
Same price for Ethanol (E85) but i don't think it's really an option for these old trucks, i guess that the carb and all the parts which are fuel related (hoses, pump,..) won't like it. Not much feedback , It would be interesting to have one if some members use it

[Bill Moore]

As REDONE mentioned, the price of propane isnt cheap enough here to make it worthwhile, not to mention the other issues. I will agree its a clean burning fuel, buddy of mine in College had an old Nova he ran on propane, it had over 250k on the clock when we rebuilt it. Except for wear, looked like a new engine on the inside. Ill bet it would of gone another 250k if not for his brother running it out of oil (knocked a hole in the oil pan)

[Brizio]

I already use mine ad DD... The problem is keeping it working!

[Revhendo]

My better half already DDs her Waggy. 30 miles a day. Working on keeping it together and improving the reliability. TBI is on the workbench right now. I did vote for a modern driveline upgrade, though.

[Solitude]

This '75 J20 is mechanically sound and would take me on a road trip if I wanted. My son's coming to pick it up in a few weeks, and then I'm moving closer to him. He will be using this along with his Dakota as his daily drivers, using the Dakota when he's in the middle of a "project upgrade" with the J20. The original bench seat is toast and needs an upgrade.

[jeepjerry]

I drive my '81 wagoneer more than i drive my '05 wrangler unlimited. It drives nicer and gets better fuel mileage...

[austinaubinoe]

Originally Posted by jeepjerry

I drive my '81 wagoneer more than i drive my '05 wrangler unlimited. It drives nicer and gets better fuel mileage...

really! How?

I get 17 highway in my 2000 XJ (4.0/AW4) on 35's . Is geared to 5.13 though!

[jeepjerry]

My 6 cyl wag gets about 16. My LJ is on 35"s with stock 3.73 gears so its always working. XJ's are better than TJ's though. My girlfriends 89' XJ gets better mileage than my wrangler with stock 3.55 gearing and 35"s and it would run circles around my 05' LJ.... seems like it doesnt work as hard. My LJ downshifts out of OD on any slight incline and the XJ can retain its speed in OD up most inclines to an extent.

Dont know why, but thats what i got.....

Im re-gearing my LJ soon though.

[FSJunkie]

To use mine as a DD? Let me think.....uuuhhhhh...... Front seats.

[jeepjseries]

Lots of gas money.

[temps425]

Gotta have a diesel getting 22mpg+!

[Shwagoneer]

i daily drove mine for a while. i still drive it weekly. but it needs a softer ride, overdrive, a/c, radio, new steering linkage.

[SamW]

My commute is less then 15 miles round trip, so when the weather is not nice enough for one of my other cars or bikes, the GW gets the call. She does good!

[Kali]

If they didn't throw salt on the roads my J-10 would be the only vehicle I owned.