MuleShoer
Adventurer
My original plan was to purchase the AEV Brute conversion "kit" from AEV. However I was to late as they had discontinued production, So after encouragement from my wife I started searching for a completed conversion. The challenge being it is believe that about 300 conversions might exist, AEV produced 147 and balance was in Kit form, no one knows for sure how many kits were completed as there is no registry. I seemed that the available Brute for sale were extensively built and thus priced accordingly. Also all of those units typically had the hemi V8 conversions as well. So after watching and inquiring I found two that would fit the initial budget and late last spring I purchased an AEV TJ brute, the conversion was completed by Cross Jeep in Louisville KY in 2015. The base jeep started as a 2005 Rubicon 6 spd manual. that had gone for a swim. The initial conversion also included rare leather Recarro AEV seats, Hutchinson wheels, RE super flex suspension 3.5" lift, Bilstein 5100 shocks, 4 wheel disc, currie steering, ARB twin air pump, nth tummy tuck skid plates.
I knew that both the suspension and engine were on the to be replaced list well at least that's what I thought
As a side note about this time the Cummins repower program was gaining momentum as well
My plan was to break this into build phases to take about 18 months as follows
Phase 1
Reupholster the seat bottoms as they had a wear hole in one bolster
Add front bumper
Add winches front and rear
Add decent driving lights
Add integrated switch panel
Install a real roll cage
Replace the 37" BFG MT's with a more suitable tire tread, maybe go back down to 35" tires
Phase 2
Upgrade to long arm suspension
Phase 3
Replace the 4.0 gas engine with a new R2.8 Cummins diesel
Phase 4
Outfit truck for endurance / expedition travel
Well Phase 1 took longer and cost were more then planned, I had the truck back on the road sept 1st
the old adage " nothing is as it appears" became apparent quickly, Also intended use was further defined as I will explain later
Since then my plan was thrown out as the engine conversion accelerated when I was able to pre purchase the engine from cummins before the release.
details and pictures to follow but here is what I started with:
I knew that both the suspension and engine were on the to be replaced list well at least that's what I thought
As a side note about this time the Cummins repower program was gaining momentum as well
My plan was to break this into build phases to take about 18 months as follows
Phase 1
Reupholster the seat bottoms as they had a wear hole in one bolster
Add front bumper
Add winches front and rear
Add decent driving lights
Add integrated switch panel
Install a real roll cage
Replace the 37" BFG MT's with a more suitable tire tread, maybe go back down to 35" tires
Phase 2
Upgrade to long arm suspension
Phase 3
Replace the 4.0 gas engine with a new R2.8 Cummins diesel
Phase 4
Outfit truck for endurance / expedition travel
Well Phase 1 took longer and cost were more then planned, I had the truck back on the road sept 1st
the old adage " nothing is as it appears" became apparent quickly, Also intended use was further defined as I will explain later
Since then my plan was thrown out as the engine conversion accelerated when I was able to pre purchase the engine from cummins before the release.
details and pictures to follow but here is what I started with: