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Clan PM, moms JKU build

2K views 13 replies 4 participants last post by  deanp 
#1 ·
Well over the winter, we ended up selling my truck and getting a new JKU Sport for the wife in hydro blue. Thought I'd start a build thread for it even though we plan to finish my 2dr first (will see how that goes).
As it was when we brought it home


Since we don't have room to store a hard top and she really wanted a soft top we made a trade today for a new Bestop Trektop NX. I realize we could have sold the hard top for more than the cost of a soft top but without a place to store it (garage is already full of Jeep parts) this was a win win for us.

Started the install this afternoon. Got all of the hardware installed down to the top tonight. Leaving the top inside tonight and should be mid 60's tomorrow so we can let it sit in the sun a while and hopefully it will go on fairly easy.

Used some fray stop where I had to cut the roll bar pad for the 4 mounting plates on the rear to prevent it from tearing in the future. Thought about taking the roll bar cover off and sewing around the cut just to add a little strength but that would require removing the seat belt, dome light and sound bar so I thing the fray stopper will work just fine.

Couple shots of the hardware installed.





The only issue and it may not be an issue is the rear door surround doesn't fit all the way down onto the tub. There is about 1/4" between the top of the tub and the bottom of the surround. I see there is weather stripping there but I would have thought it would sit down further. Wondering if when the top is on and the side windows installed it will suck it down a bit.

Anyone else with this top have the same gap there?


Will add pics after we finish the install.

She named her Jeep Clan P M
Both of us have Scottish heritage and this is the first letter of my last name and of her maiden name. We have a local company that makes custom stickers/decals for emergency services vehicles and have talked to them about creating something with both of our family coat of arms on them to be put onto the hood.

Here's kind of a run down of the bigger things the wife eventually wants to do/have on her Jeep.

Poison Spyder sliders
Evo double d coil over conversion
Dana 60's
PSC hydro steering
37's possibly 40's
Bumper/winch
On board air
Not sure on the rear bumper yet
Evo body mounted tire carrier
Rock hard cage
skid plates
and a bunch of other things - anyone have winning lotto numbers they want to share???

Couldn't ask for a better wife, she's into guns and Jeeps!
 
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#2 ·
Finished up the top install. Everything went fairly easy. When they said it is tight to begin with they aren't kidding. Zipped the windows in a few inches, let it sit, zip a little more, let it sit, zip a little more until it was finally all zipped up. I do have a problem though. Where the hard top pieces met, the weather stripping is smashed down. Now I have wind noise coming through where the center footman loop is located. Tried some small stick on weather strip but it is not fixing it.

Hoping someone might have an idea how to get the memory out of the weather strip. Ultimately I think I may have to go to the dealer and get a new piece of rubber. Really hope not guessing they will be proud of that strip.
Anyhow, here are some shots of the top finished up and also got the decals on the hood. Looking like its going to storm so will get the windshield decal put on tomorrow.








Even with the noise, the wife is pretty happy with the look of the new top. Figure we'll leave it on for a few weeks to let everything relax and by spring shouldn't have any problem removing/replacing the windows.
 
#5 ·
Got to take advantage of a couple sales at the Northridge 4x4 open house. The wife got a set of heated Truck Lites and a set of Crawler Conceptz sliders. A fellow Jeeper had upgraded to 37's and we picked up his 33's and wheels so we could remove the little steel wheels and tires. Poor Jeep was looking so sad with those little tires.

A buddy came over and helped swap the tires for me. Must say it is now looking more like a real Jeep :) I think once we get new tires for my Jeep we will move the wheel spacers over to this one. It just barely rubs the sway bar at full lock. Rear has about 5/8" between the tire and the control arms. Spacers will give a little more room.

Also installed the new LED headlights and while doing that I shot the grill with some plasti dip. Had it on our old Jeep and the bugs seemed to just wipe off of it. Also in my mind,it protects the paint a little from rocks and such. Maybe not but makes me feel better. Anywho, here he is with new grill look, headlights and 4 more inches of rubber.
Think the black grill goes real nice with the blue


Before:

After:



Still need to get the sander out and smooth out some of the edges on the sliders then will get them taken in for powder coat. Wife is planning on making the accent color illusion purple.
Here is a sample of the color


Hopefully they will be done in a couple weeks. Ordered the Astro nut-cert tool last night to make the install a little easier.
 
#6 ·
Working on a design for the hood. The wife wanted to have both of our family coat of arms and her crest turned into a large decal/sticker and put on the hood. After a bit of designing/editing/playing around with photo shop I managed to get everything she wanted and have kind of a mock up of how it will look.

Played a bit with skewing the image to mock it up. Probably would have been better if I took a picture straight on of her Jeep, but I already had this one.


We played a bit with the scale to make sure everything will not interfere with the bumpers and footman loop on the hood. Should have the final product ready to install around the 4th of July.

Will certainly be the only one like it.
 
#7 ·
Got the sliders back from powder coat. The flash seems to make them look blue instead of purple. They are a real nice deep purple color. Looks better in the sun. Just need to arrange a wrenching party to get them installed.


Also got the hood decals installed today.


Next up will be taking the wheel spacers from my Jeep and put on hers so the tires don't rub at full lock.
 
#9 ·
Max, it is holding up well, I sprayed I think 4 coats on it. I only wash the Jeeps by hand and the bugs mostly just wipe right off. We had a 2010 Wrangler that I dipped the grille. After 2 years I had a couple spots to touch up from rock hits. The rocks had chipped the plasti dip but didn't hurt the paint under it. As far as touch ups go, you can use a latex/vinyl glove and a few drops of acetone on your finger. Rub the area that is scratched/in need of touch up. The acetone will re-liquify the plasti dip and allow you to kind of smooth the area with a finger. Let dry and re-spray that area. We also have a black 2 door and I did the same to the grille on it mostly to keep rocks from chipping the paint.

Hope that helps,
Dean
 
#13 ·
So what started out as a 4 or 5 hr job tuned into a whole day and still only got half of it done. Began working on installing the Crawler Conceptz sliders this morning. Found out I didn't have a 17/32 drill bit. Off to town for a drill bit. Back home, began drilling a boat load of holes stepping them up quite a few times to make sure I didn't mess up the thin sheet metal.

Had purchased the Astro nut cert tool.....what a great tool!!! Made installing all of the nut certs a much easier job.

With all of the nut certs installed, noticed the 1" bolts that are supplied was too long for the next to the rear hole. Back to town for 3/4" bolts (picked extras just in case)

Got the body piece mounted up


Went to install the slider and found it doesn't clear the factory flares. Masked off the flare and drew a line up 1/2" from the bottom. Got the rear flare cut. Moved on to the front flare and the air saw decided to self destruct. Off to town one more time for a new saw. Back with new saw and cut front flare. Finally get slider mounted.


Turned out really nice but what a day. Hoping to do the other side tomorrow and really hoping it goes a bit smoother.
 
#14 ·
Finished the install of the sliders. Passenger side went much smoother. Still needed a couple shorter bolts like the driver side and also had to cut about 1/2" off the bottom of the fender flares.



The wife loves the way they turned out.
 
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