Forward Control Jeep (FC)-Scott Brady's Test Drive- A Great Read!!

[haven]

Here's a video of the Mighty FC in action

 

[snakedoctor]

Maybe not a Rubicon trim, but the portal axles would help you out!

Portals are cool but if you break down somewhere you can't just go to the nearest Autozone and get replacement parts. Same thing goes for jet packs, if there wasn't a risk of people falling out of the sky randomly then there would be more of them.

:coffeedrink:

Yes they would but at that cost not something I would want, With the issue of breaking down and having to find/order parts! Id rather have the base and see what I really need then order up/build up a nice set that I can find parts for easier and cheaper!

Although those axles are seriously cool!

 

[snakedoctor]

Here's a video of the Mighty FC in action

@4:08 that line floored me! "Its just a few guys that say i want to build this because its cool" DUH! Thats why allot of people want it!The yahoo autoblog more people wanted it than didnt. Here allot of folk want it to be built several other places that have ran stories majority of the people WANT IT why BECAUSE ITS COOL!

 

[Black Dog]

You gotta remember: #1 is that its only a concept and will never see mass production, and #2 is that a lot of people want a diesel Wrangler and Jeep still isn't giving it to us, so chances are they will never give this to us either.

 

[ExpoMike]

This (and the PS renderings) are very cool!!!! Too bad it will never happen as it would never past frontal crash tests. Mid and heavy weight vehicles could be done as they have different standards but this would fall into the light weight vehicle class and would never pass.

I love it as it's like a mini Pinz!!!

 

[haven]

"It will never pass frontal crash tests"

There are plenty of cab over engine trucks in use, so there must be some way to provide enough protection to the driver and passenger. So Jeep could build it...but they probably won't.

 

[Metcalf]

I think cab over 'trucks' are medium duty high GVW units. I think they don't have to meet the same crash test regulations as light 'passenger' vehicles?

 

[TRegasaurus]

Let's talk about the portals for a minute, what sort of service life can you expect from them?
Assuming for a minute the Super FC was on the market (with portals), would anyone use it as a daily driver?

 

[Metcalf]

Tough call, Unimog's get a fairly long service life but the maintenance is generally increased from a normal axle. While you can do some really neat things with a portal axle, I just don't know if its worth the extra overall height....

 

[DreamingOfExpeditions]

Really the question isn't if Jeep would ever build it. They wouldn't. As cool as it is, there's no market for it regardless of crash worthiness. If the Smart car can be made crash worthy so can this. Besides, slap a nice brush bar/winch mount bumper and it's not really an issue! :smiley_drive: Can a front mounted spare be considered crumple zone?

The real question should be aimed at AEV BRUTE or someone of their like. That question is "What does it take to get this as an aftermarket kit?". Personally I grew up working on street rods and see the FC as a pretty straight forward (pun intended) fab job. The Jeep is already frame on construction. The biggest challenge is building a swing mount for the body above the motor, and I bet two frame rails above the existing rails for the body to sit on. I bet there are a million Isuzu cab overs in the junk yard that could provide that hinge. The front grill is just a fiber glass shell, so that's easy. The rest of the cab looked relatively un-cut to me. Nothing more intense than a BRUTE Conversion. I agree the portals are overkill, but the rest seems like it could be just as doable and affordable as a BRUTE kit.

I know that someone technical from BRUTE lurks here, so what say you?

My dream overlander just became this FC with a Fourwheel camper on it....

On edit, I will say I looked it over in the pics and it appears that its not as much of a COE as I thought. Is the Cab really in front of the motor? Is the engine in the box behind the cab? I did see that it appears the lower door jamb is cut to accommodate the wheel well is that true?

 

[ExpoMike]

I think cab over 'trucks' are medium duty high GVW units. I think they don't have to meet the same crash test regulations as light 'passenger' vehicles?

Bingo, we have a winner!

Show me any US legal and available new "cab over" light passenger vehicle available today? There are none. Comments about a Smart car, still put the wheels in front of the driver. This is the impact zone area. Mini's, IQ's, etc. all put the driver feet behind the front wheels.

As cool as this rig is and as much as I would love to see it, it will never make it to the US market. If anything, it will be like so many other cool rigs, available everwhere BUT the US. Between the lawers and government, we will all be driving "bubbles" with wheels at some point.

 

[Black Dog]

Imported mini trucks are true small cab over light passenger vehicles. Sure, they're not legal in all states, but you asked for us to show you one!

 

[Piet]

If this can pass...

 

[DreamingOfExpeditions]

Some further pics I saw show it as a mid engine. The bed box is the cover, so that, would make it impractical as an expo rig. Has anyone ever put a Suby boxer in a Jeep?

 

[justfred]

For what it's worth, my Pinzgauer went to 100K kms (or so) with no issues from the portals whatsoever; and for several months I was using it as a daily driver. If I bought that truck, it would be my only vehicle.