Breaking in the J at Hollister Hills

[BKCowGod]

(this is crossposted from the IFSJA)

Finally got her to my mechanic, got every single fluid changed and a general checkup. The verdict is she's a solid truck with some light metal shavings in the diffs and a blown brake booster. Got 12mpg at 70-80mph on the way down/up. Used 4gal in the park (3hrs of wheeling). Not thrilled, but what I expected. For those who know Hollister, we ran the Rabbit Trail, part of the Obstacle Course, and a few other random runs. We also played in the Quarry for a while. This was where I got the painful reminder that I have a carb (see below)... All in all, I am very happy with the performance, but can't wait to swap in my 33" MT's - rock solid 31" highway treads just aren't as fun.

locking hubs at the schoolhouse

my ever-suffering girlfriend laughs as I try to drop it into 4L

bathroom break

going up the rabbit trail, just past the nice anti-FSJ hairpin

the angle really makes this hill seem tame... see the much more capable rig playing in the background?

mere seconds before I starved the engine, causing me to roll backwards downhill at 25mph with no brakes or steering, flying off a 2' ledge, slamming my head into the roof (leaving a reverse dent)... it was so cool!

so cool.....

so I'm a poser... it happens to the best of us.

 

[jerdog53]

Well good for you, I hope you had a good time.

 

[stevenmd]

Nice! I live about 2 hours from Hollister OHV. There are some really challenging trails that are not on the map but are marked. I have done quite a bit of damage to my truck there...

Perhaps one of these days those of us who live close enough will have to make a day out of it at Hollister OHV and BBQ/camp overnight.:beer:

 

[jim65wagon]

See, I'm thinkin' overdrive transmission and an aftermarket fuel injection unit would just be a darn good start to a great project...

 

[mountainpete]

See, I'm thinkin' overdrive transmission and an aftermarket fuel injection unit would just be a darn good start to a great project...

:iagree: Good start to building a solid platform!

 

[vengeful]

I know those Pathfinders!:jump:

 

[Haggis]

That's just one cool truck. Man, I wish I could find one around here in such good shape. That first picture is great, it reminds me of an old grizzled veteran taking a couple of young whipper snappers out to teach em a thing or two. I can hear it now; " Back in my day we didn't have none of the high fluentin' air conditioning! What's that!!! Electric switch for the transfer case!!! What's this generation comin' to...lazy punk kids."

 

[BKCowGod]

Actually - the Fullsize Jeep people are gonna be going to HH in a few weeks... Maybe we should get something together. Of course, it's not quite expedition wheeling, but it is still fun.

As far as the new rig is concerned, EFI may be in the future but not for quite a long time. 33" tires will complete the mod list for the forseeable future. It doesn't have a single piece of bodywork or respray - every inch is orignial. The more I drive it and look at it and research it, the more I realize I got a really good deal on it.