After 15 years of design and fabrication, time to downsize

[jscherb]

If you've followed my threads over the years you've seen me design and build dozens of fiberglass, metal and fabric projects to enhance my Jeeps. Many of them have become commercial products but many of them were just one-offs for my own use.

I'm running out of storage space so it's time to downsize. In this thread I'll offer lots of things that were parts of my projects and many of them will be free for the taking. I plan to get rid of molds for fiberglass parts, prototypes, preproduction samples and production examples of hardware I've designed, random Jeep body parts that were necessary for the design of custom parts or mold making and many other things. I'll post things here before I take them to the metal recycler or trash them.


I'll start with these two tub cowl sections, one is a TJ and the other is a CJ. Both are dirty but in reasonable shape and could be used to repair a damaged or rusty tub or for some other project.

I used both cowl sections to provide reference dimensions and mold masters for parts for my CJ Grille Kit for the TJ, shown here on my LJ compared to the CJ-8 I used to have:

Both are free to anyone who can used them. If nobody wants them, they'll go the the metal recycler.


When I was doing the molds for the fiberglass military replica trailer project that became the Dinoot m-series trailer kit (https://compactcampingstore.com/.../dinoot-m-series-tub-kits), I made a mold for a fiberglass lid. I made one prototype lid in the mold but Dinoot decided not to put the lid in production. The mold makes half of the cover; two sides bolt together to form the full cover. The mold is designed to make lids for the Dinoot kit but can easily be adapted to make lids for the M416 or other military trailers. The mold is free for non-commercial use, if you're interested in the mold for commercial use we can discuss that.

Next is a JK 2dr factory hardtop converted to modular. I documented the conversion in this thread: https://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/converting-a-factory-jk-jku-hardtop-to-modular.160775/

I also have at least one factory JKU hardtop I don't need anymore. It's still stock (not converted or modified in any way), I'll post that soon.


A JKU rear driveshaft. I recently replaced this one with an aftermarket u-joint driveshaft, this one is fine but does need a new front CV joint. Free.

As I clean out my basement, workshop and storage areas I'll be posting many more things here, so subscribe to this thread if you're interested in seeing what I'll be making available. I think the next area I'll be cleaning out has preproduction and production hardware products.

 

[Ozarker]

Good luck, I have a garage to clear out as well!

 

[shortbus4x4]

I am glad yer not my neighbour.... my wife might divorce me.

Especially when the stuff is Freeeeeee!

 

[jscherb]

This is a production MORryde spare tire cargo rack. In the photo I'm testing it with a cooler on Bull Canyon trail in Moab. Free to anyone who can use it. Can be shipped, you'll have to pick up the shipping.

And cresting a sand hill beneath the Gemini Bridges...

 

[jscherb]

Some things I'm listing on Facebook marketplace to sell them locally because it's a lot easier for me if someone local picks the item up. This evening I sold a pair of NATO-style jerry cans in almost new condition $25 for the pair. I got them when I was designing various jerry can mounting options for MORryde and I needed to test with both GI-style jerry and NATO-style cans but I basically haven't used them since, I like my GI-style cans better.

More downsizing to come.

 

[Ozarker]

Hang on, it won't be long before I push crap to the curb too. Jeep tires, wheels, two trailers, oh, the list goes on.

Glad to see someone having success, can't take this crap to my grave, neither can you, time to dump what you haven't used in 2 years.

You'll find real freedom when you aren't tied to piles of treasures you thought you had to keep.

Jscherb, you're on the right track, nothing like cleaning out some hoarder's crap after a funeral and guys, that could happen any time.

 

[jscherb]

What I'm going to do is offer most things on local Facebook or Craigslist first because it's easier for me if someone local comes and picks something up, but if nobody local wants an item locally I'll either trash it or post it here. Today locally I listed 4 Blitz jerry can holders, a JK grille and a pair of tub corner repair panels. Tomorrow I will probably list several CJ tailgates. I'm also thinking about getting rid of the CJ Grille Kit for the TJ/LJ mold master parts.

 

[Texoma]

If you find a JK Barn door in there I call dibs! LOL

 

[jgaz]

Subscribed

 

[jscherb]

If you find a JK Barn door in there I call dibs! LOL

I still have the barn door molds but I haven't used them since a few years ago when I made a barn door for a friend and I'm trying to decide if I should keep the molds or get rid of them. Same question for the rest of the JK and LJ Safari Cab hardtop molds, not sure how long it makes sense for me to have them taking up space here.

 

[AggieOE]

I still have the barn door molds but I haven't used them since a few years ago when I made a barn door for a friend and I'm trying to decide if I should keep the molds or get rid of them. Same question for the rest of the JK and LJ Safari Cab hardtop molds, not sure how long it makes sense for me to have them taking up space here.

Would you consider making some full tops and selling them or not worth the hassle?

 

[jscherb]

Would you consider making some full tops and selling them or not worth the hassle?

If I charged for my time in making a full hardtop at home (takes a lot longer to hand lay fiberglass at home than it does for a fiberglass shop to shoot it with a chopper gun), nobody would be willing to pay the price.

I have made several barn doors for friends but that's about as far as I've gone. I really don't want to be in business to sell things, I just want to be a designer who makes one or maybe two proof-of-concept examples of my designs.

 

[Texoma]

I still have the barn door molds but I haven't used them since a few years ago when I made a barn door for a friend and I'm trying to decide if I should keep the molds or get rid of them. Same question for the rest of the JK and LJ Safari Cab hardtop molds, not sure how long it makes sense for me to have them taking up space here.

Unfortunately now that the JK is not the current model, I don't think anyone would put the barn door into production. My hopes and dreams are dead. lol

 

[jscherb]

Unfortunately now that the JK is not the current model, I don't think anyone would put the barn door into production. My hopes and dreams are dead. lol

So I should never make another JK Barn Door, trash the JK Barn Door molds and make molds for a JL Barn Door?

 

[Texoma]

So I should never make another JK Barn Door, trash the JK Barn Door molds and make molds for a JL Barn Door?

No you should make about 20 JK barn doors and see how they would sell. Ill be the first on the take my money list. But in all seriousness I don't see why there would be any interest in a JL barn door either. But stranger things have happened.