My (not so) Far-Fetched Ideas for My Jeep Wrangler TJ pt. 1

 Ever since I bought my Jeep almost four years ago, I've been daydreaming about what I want it to look like, where I want it to take me, and what I want to create with it. Unfortunately for me, the image in my head changes with the days of the week. It's a morphing idea that constantly takes on new mods and purpose. However, there are a few ideas that I can't seem to let go of. Below, I'll share one of the possibilities of what I could do with my Jeep in the months to come.

But first, let's talk about my starting point. My 2005 Jeep Wrangler TJ today.

It's a mostly stock 2005 Jeep Wrangler in Patriot Blue Pearl with just over 125,000 miles on the clock (it had 89,000 when I bought it). I've done a few mods to it including an exhaust and an intake system, but most of the stuff I've done is making it look like it just rolled off the showroom floor. I switched the wheels it came with for silver MOAB wheels, gave it bigger tires, a new soft top, switched the wide fenders for stock ones, replaced the shocks and end links, headlights and taillights, and several other miscellaneous things. So now that I've done everything I can to make it the nicest Jeep possible, I'm getting a little bored with it. It's time for a change. Below, I'll share my ideas I have to transform it to be something different than anything else on the road.

Over the past summer, I built a bed in my Jeep and lived in it in Colorado (I also made a video series which you can watch here). But other than building the bed, I didn't do any other modifications. It just goes to show how capable this little Jeep is with the same parts it started life with. Now that I've tested the stock capabilities, I want to see what aftermarket parts can bring to the table.

Here's the build list for my first idea: a rally-inspired race rig

• There's nothing that would excite me more than racing through a desert in my little Jeep. Plus, a rally Jeep TJ would look awesome. To complete a rally Jeep build, I would want to do several things.
• First: weight reduction! This would be the easy (and cheap) part. First, I would remove the back seats and all the carpeting. This is the best part because it's free! I would also replace the full doors with soft doors. Ideally, I could get these on Facebook Marketplace for $200 for the set. Each metal door is around 60 pounds, and the back seat is about 50. The carpet is not enough to mention, and adding back in the soft doors (10 pounds a piece or so) would be a total net loss of about 150 pounds.
• 
  Next: the race bits. Any rally build needs a good suspension. Ideally, I would do a full independent front suspension swap. But in reality, I would opt for the Old Man Emu 2'' Sport Suspension System, which comes in at a cool $1k. It would provide the extra ground clearance and buffering needed for going over jumps. I would have two inches of extra wheel gap, but that's a good thing in rally. Then, I would mount my spare tire where the back seat goes. This would make for better weight distribution, and it looks more race-y. I could get a spare tire mount for around $250 from JcrOffroad. Other than that, I already have an aFe intake system and a Flowmaster exhaust, although I'm thinking about switching the Flowmaster exhaust for an MBRP exhaust. Next, a slip-yoke eliminator from Rough Country would add capability, longevity, and reliability - it would set me back about $200. Finally, more lights! Similar to the image above, I would get a pair of 6'' Daylighter off-road lights from kchilights, and double them up with the amber lights I already have for dusty conditions. I would use the Rugged Ridge dual a-pillar light mount for that. The lights run $220 and the mounts are $100. 
• 
  Last: the interior. A rally car needs to be comfortable and functional. First I would swap the seats for custom PRP seats in colors that match the Patriot Blue Pearl. These would be an expensive mod, but would increase the comfortability (and style) of the ride. They're $440 a piece, or $880 for both. A CB radio would be an important asset for important information and communication. I could get the radio mount for $40 and the antenna mount for $38 from Extreme Terrain. The antenna and all the extra bits I can get from cbradiosupply for around $100 total. 

Price breakdown: 

• Weight reduction: $200
• Race bits: $1,770
• Interior: $1,058

Total cost for the build: $3028 give or take. 

It's important to remember that I did not include everything that a true rally Jeep would need. A full roll cage, undercarriage armor, bigger axles, bumpers, and even an engine swap would be needed to win the big races. But, for a casual rally Jeep that is capable and comfortable on and off-road, this build would tick all the boxes. I just have a few more ideas before I make a final decision.

Thanks for reading!

-Sean Canoy