Future Projects
Down the road a bit, there are a few projects and things I'd like to do with "Bob". Some are things I need/want to do quickly since this thing's gonna be my daily driver (or every now and then since I often go for days without leaving the house). Others are more fantasy projects that are fun to think about, and maybe do at some point. As I get to these I'll remove them from this list and move them over to the completed projects page - where they might even get dedicated pages of their own if the project happens to be big enough.
Need a real spare tire and rim - that original Goodyear spare probably wouldn't even hold pressure much less serve in a pinch.
Need a fire extinguisher or two. Thinking about going with at least one Halon bottle (H3R HalGuard) and one or two additional dry chemical extinguishers (to use on the *other* guy's car...). Update: I've installed one dry-chemical extinguisher. I plan to add a second (probably a big five pound bottle). I'll remove this item from the list shortly!
Need some sort of storage bin(s) to carry small tools, etc. Something that can be bolted down. Ammo boxes come to mind - perhaps mounted under the hood where they are out of site and somewhat secure. I also like the idea of using the space beneath the seats for storage - maybe some small shop-built drawers for flat tools. That'll probably come later under a "future" project.
Install a quarter-inch screen in front of the radiator to protect against small stones and road debris. I hate pulling radiators - long story... (good idea from Ralph Hassel's site).
Add an Auto Meter oil pressure gauge - and swap out the in-dash tach for a pedestal-mounted tack on the steering column for easier visibility. This will also allow me to re-use the hole in the dash for the other meter.
I'd like to replace the fender flares - they are pretty severely warped (no idea why) and look a bit shoddy.
One thing missing after the restoration - the windshield washer and fluid bottle. It would be handy to have one again...
A set of new all around, with a new steering stabilizer to match (I'm guessing the existing TrailMaster is probably nearly 10 years old now, as are the CarQuest and Monroe shocks).
Better spare tire rack that'll allow for carrying gas and water cans (and maybe the Hi-Lift). I'm torn between the fact that my off-roading is likely to be fairly limited (both timewise and also trail rating-wise, i.e., very light duty stuff) and that I like to buy high quality stuff. Buy good stuff once and you won't have to buy it again. Will need a rear-bumper/tire/Hi-Lift/gas can mount. When the time comes I'll go with some custom fabricated bumpers from Ground Pounder Fab. Eddie is a pleasure to chat with by email and the consensus is that his work is excellent - not to mention less expensive than some of the big companies.
Gas and water cans for the rack. Give me a bit more range when camping.
Some extra lighting - fog lamps, cornering lamps, etc.
I would be much safer driving with some better front seats - something I can run better seat-belts through (rather than the simple lap belts I have now). I'm thinking some Mastercraft Rubicon seats in black with red trim. Or, better yet, the Baja RS seats which recline. The current seating position is a bit close the steering wheel for me and reclining a bit would certainly help. $200 worth, though? We'll see...
A winch up front (probably a Warn XD9000i or maybe an M8000 would make more sense for my limited off-road use). At the moment, I’m loving the idea of a hydraulic winch. The MileMarker H9000 looks like a good choice for my light CJ. Lots of debate back and forth about electric vs hydraulic. Someday it would be fun to have both!
I'll be looking for a hard-top at some point. One drawback about the ragtop is that this thing cannot be secured if I happen to drive into some unsavory area (read: pretty much everywhere in the Bay Area). That's probably going to mean a used ACME top or something like that. Good luck trying to find something brand-new that'll fit the old CJ.
A set of cheap steel rims with good offroad tires I can put on the Jeep for those times when I actually do decide to play offroad. Don't want to break those nice, expensive aluminum rims.
Some Moser one-piece axles for the AMC 20 out back.
Dual battery setup, adding an Optima Yellow Top to my Red Top.
I've always wanted a bumper-attached jumper cable setup. Years of winter in Wisconsin. It was something I meant to set up on the old Wagoneer so maybe now I'll do it on the CJ.
Onboard welding setup? The Premier Power Welder seems to be the weapon of choice.
Perhaps swap out my stock T-150 tranny for a T-18. It should mate with the stock Dana 20 transfer case and will give me a much better/lower first gear for crawling. Though I don't plan to do much crawling, it'll also give me a fourth gear which may be handy for highway driving and economy. Here's a nice article about such a swap.
I'd like to replace the stock Prestolite distributor/ignition system with a Motorcraft model (one for a '78 CJ). Having done this I'll then do the full "TeamRush" upgrade of the ignition system. "Bob" idles a bit rough and anything that might help with better performance and mileage is a good thing!