marshal
Burrito Enthusiast
im not new to Jeeps, offroading or adventuring, but i am pretty fresh con the concept of overlanding. there is something incredibly romantic about it - loading up and heading into the unknown. when i sold my old TJ on the advent of my daughter, i got my hands on a 2010 SCrew F150 with big intentions of traveling every backroad and dirt road i could find. But, as all Jeepers know, once a jeeper always a jeeper; and ive been one since my parents brought me home from the hospital in our 1990 ('89) YJ Laredo. so i ditched the F150 and came full circle back to my true calling.
old jeep:
old F150:
the issue came to be though that with my knowledge of components and accessories available, as well as my understanding of mechanics and suspension design - i wasnt anywhere near satisfied with the available options or with the perceived 'expedition status-quo'. i wanted to build a jeep that would go anywhere and do anything asked of it at the drop of a hat
this is where i started. i ordered this exactly as i wanted it - a 2012 JK Unlimited Rubicon in Cosmos Blue pretty much stripped down except for a few options (technology, dual tops, info-center, seat heaters etc..)
this was the night it was delivered to the dealership, behind a chain link fence. my best friend who i actually ordered the jeep through ran out to the shop to snap a few pictures for me
the next day i went and got her and drove her home. what a night and day difference between the TJ and the JK - yet still familiar
the jeep wasnt even a full day old yet and i already had TruckLite Phase5's going in
i picked up a flat black hood center
i also added a personal touch
while i had the grille off i also switched to a set of IPF H4 lenses and fatboy bulbs that i had from my last jeep. i was REALLY unimpressed with the light output of the TruckLite phase 5's and i wanted more light.
old jeep:
![DSC_0032.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build/harlan%20april/DSC_0032.jpg)
old F150:
![IMG_1259.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/IMG_1259.jpg)
the issue came to be though that with my knowledge of components and accessories available, as well as my understanding of mechanics and suspension design - i wasnt anywhere near satisfied with the available options or with the perceived 'expedition status-quo'. i wanted to build a jeep that would go anywhere and do anything asked of it at the drop of a hat
this is where i started. i ordered this exactly as i wanted it - a 2012 JK Unlimited Rubicon in Cosmos Blue pretty much stripped down except for a few options (technology, dual tops, info-center, seat heaters etc..)
this was the night it was delivered to the dealership, behind a chain link fence. my best friend who i actually ordered the jeep through ran out to the shop to snap a few pictures for me
![photo1.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/photo1.jpg)
![photo2.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/photo2.jpg)
the next day i went and got her and drove her home. what a night and day difference between the TJ and the JK - yet still familiar
![904d0802.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/904d0802.jpg)
![3dae62fe.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/3dae62fe.jpg)
![photo1-1.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/photo1-1.jpg)
the jeep wasnt even a full day old yet and i already had TruckLite Phase5's going in
![photo1-2.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/photo1-2.jpg)
![photo2-2.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/photo2-2.jpg)
![DSC_0034.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/DSC_0034.jpg)
![DSC_0035.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/DSC_0035.jpg)
i picked up a flat black hood center
![9945508b.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/9945508b.jpg)
![828a8505.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/828a8505.jpg)
![d7487035.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/d7487035.jpg)
i also added a personal touch
![c019009c.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/c019009c.jpg)
![f48efad4.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/f48efad4.jpg)
while i had the grille off i also switched to a set of IPF H4 lenses and fatboy bulbs that i had from my last jeep. i was REALLY unimpressed with the light output of the TruckLite phase 5's and i wanted more light.
![1815525a.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/spyder6/build2/1815525a.jpg)