WHAT IF THE IRS DIDN'T LOSE MY REFUND CHECK?

Well, I'll never know - because they did.

So... not only did that happen - but I also had some minor hang-ups on the Jeep-Tank conversion project itself. I took a bunch of pictures before the project got really underway about a week and a half ago, and wouldn't you know it! - that damn camera walked out on me until last night when it magically reappeared! So here finally are the pictures I've been talking about for a few blogs now:















So this is my blank canvas, so to speak... A 1995 Jeep Cherokee Sport, 4x4, 2 door, Automatic Transmission, 4.0 High Output Inline 6 Cylinder Engine, Power Nothing, over 203,000 miles. While it has clearly seen better days - it is a very reliable daily driver, the body and paint are decent for being 13 years old and having the miles, the 4 wheel drive works well and I paid $650 cash for this thing. By the way, the steel wheels are of course not factory - I purchased them @ Goodwill for $40, the paint is brand new and high quality. The tires that came with the truck when I bought it were dry-rotted and pretty much bald, I bought new Off-Road A/T Goodyear Wranglers with road hazard package ~$400, ouch! I know, but they are very nice and will be replaced for free in the event of any flats. The interior is dank, dusty, dirty, decaying, decrepit, and in places downright disgusting. It smells like musty rednecks and gasoline (the latter of which being because the gas tank has a hole in it at about 3/4 up the side of the tank! Thanks for letting me know rednecks!). So this is my canvas and I will address some of the things that have been done/are going to be to it in the next blog.

Here are some photos of someone's Cherokee that originally served as an initial source of inspiration. As you can see it's definitely been built to go off-roading, that piping all around it is an external roll cage which is designed to keep the vehicle from being crushed and body panels being destroyed in the event of a roll-over. I really want one for my Jeep, we are kicking around the idea of doing both an internal and an external roll cage - which would make this thing damn near indestructible. I also really like his custom spare tire placement, mine is currently located inside the vehicle and obscures my rearview on the driver's side.