Hello. My name is Roy. I'm a Jeepaholic. Don't let this happen to you.

[derf]

Bear with me, this is a bit of a book...

It started with just one. A stock 2001 Cherokee in September of 2000 when I was living in California. December came and I ran into a guy by the name of Handlebars on JU. He was talking about a run to Miller Jeep Trail before the snow took hold. I took my new Jeep up there, turning 3,000 Miles on the odometer on the road trip up. The trip was a blast but I knew I would have to modify my Jeep to do well on the trails.

I put on some rock sliders to protect my Jeep and ended up following a crazy guy named William out to Los Coyotes, where I met a number of great wheelers. Another trip out there with Sergey was fun. A trip to Rowher flats was made with Handlebars and I knew I was completely hooked.

But the job situation was deterioriating and I had to look for greener pastures. I had it all lined up to move up to Palmdale but the job I signed up for dissapeared and they ended up moving me to Texas.

I met up with a great bunch of guys in the DFW chapter of TX4x4. After my first trip in Texas mud, the mods started to the XJ. First it was mud tires, then swaybar disconnects, an ARB bull bar, lights, and finally a Warn winch.

Life was good.

But the addiction had taken hold. In an effort to find a tow vehicle, I picked up a used, but still servicable 1985 Jeep Grand Wagoneer with the 5.9L v8. I've been working on it to get it running, fixing all of the problems of a 18 year old engine, culminating with a 4bbl intake manifold and Holley Truck Avenger carb. (which will be tested out this coming weekend)

Looking at the limitations of my XJ for building, and the clean lines of the SJ, I determined I needed a dedicated trail rig. The search started and I found a 1979 Jeep Wagoneer, much like my 85 but already used and in the perfect condition to turn into a trail rig.

So far, 3 Jeeps for one guy.

After selling off the parts I was going to upgrade (D44 axles, transfer case, etc) I came to the regrettable conclusion that it would never really satisfy me and what I really want is a CJ. I keep this in the back of my mind and continue to mull over what needs to be done to acquire one.

Well, that chance came the other day. A guy in my club was selling his 1984 CJ7. It's only a 4 cyl but it already has the SOA conversion and 4.88 gears. It's rough but it runs. And the deal was just too good. Too good to pass up...

So here I sit, 4 Jeeps in my possession. My garage is filled with Jeeps and parts. My driveway has 2 Jeeps in it when I am home.


It starts simple enough. "Hey, I need a practical vehicle that can do well off road" with a good trade in value for my car. But it just keeps getting worse. I can't seem to stop myself. But at least I'm working on parting out the 79 to make room in the garage for the CJ. Then I'll be down to 3 Jeeps. I can quit after that. Really I can. If I want too.

Maybe I need to get married so I have someone to help me moderate my addiction...


Wait. What the heck was I thinking there? Get married? And have less money for my Jeeps? Sha! Reight! And monkeys might fly out of my butt!

[Daddy Longlegs]

Getting married may not slow you down. My wife enjoys driving class 4.5 trails and fully supports the mods I do to my rig. As a matter of fact we were driving the Jeep home from from celebrating our 1 year anniversary when the tranny started failing. That inspired the auto tranny swap I recently did.

My wife bought me my Mastercraft seats, harnesses, Warn HS9500i winch, and some really nice tools bags that don't rattle around in the Jeep like the old toolbox did.

And no, she doesn't have a sister.

[truckjohn]

Yep, true

My fiancee is a farm girl... and out on the farm, men are supposed to fix Jeeps and keep old vehicles laying around.

Best regards

John

[derf]

Well, I may have found a buyer for my '79 SJ. So I'll be down to 3 Jeeps. But that's good because it will give me room to work on the CJ.

But I'm going through overload trying to figure out what to do with the drivetrain. The 4 cyl/T4 tranny are just not enough. So I'm considering everything from a 4.3l V6 to a 383 stroker V8. I already have a line on a 2wd SM465 tranny (gotta love a 6.56 granny gear and 35 spline output shaft) and all the parts to twin stick the D300 while putting in a 4:1 low.

And I'm still working on what axles to put in, from a set of dual chebby 10 bolts, to a chebby D44/Ford 9" to a D60/14 bolt combo.

I'm like a kid in a candy store!