Alberta CJ guy here

[Graveltraveller]

Hey all, I'm Mike, new to the forum, thought I'd share some of the trails I played on this past summer in Alberta and BC. My CJ was down for a chunk of the summer getting a Howell EFI set up on it, so there may be a pic or two of a Cherokee chief in there. Forgive me.

My CJ is an 85, which I picked up just over a year ago, after burning a jku to the ground. I've always been a CJ guy, just had the JKU to fit the kids and gear. Liked it, but there's nothing like a CJ, in my opinion. This area is west of Rocky Mountain House, in AB, not much for trails, but fun to play around for an afternoon. Just after the second trip, the CJ went in for surgery, and I didn't see it again for a few months.

This was in the eastern part of BC, around and above the town of Invermere. Sorry about the Golden Eagle Cherokee, but figured y'all might like to see the scenery.

By the time I got my CJ free, the high country was snowed in good. So, what better way to spend a weekend, than pull the top and doors off, drop the windshield, and see how far we could go?

The following weekend, I went out again, west of Rocky. Crossing the river, all forward momentum stopped. Turns out my passenger from the previous trip had unlocked my hubs when the CJ was on the trailer. I wound up with wet boots. I will get him back at some point

The last trip we did this fall resulted in a broken winch line, a toasted alternator, a destroyed power steering box, and every rust spot turning into a hole, as I spent 2-1/2 hours running that gully, which was only 500 yards long.

And that's why the jeep is in the garage. Tub, steering, rear Dana 44 from an 86 going in, and a T18a, with a 3:1 Dana 20.

And a shot of my first CJ. A 77 cj 5. Loved that thing.

I hope I haven't annoyed you with a dump of pics. I'm enjoying reading my way thru the board, and hope to make a Colorado CJ trip in the future. If any of you want to make your way to the great white north, I'd be happy to guide you around some of these spots! Cheers!



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[Lumpy Grits]

:ww:

Great first post!


LG

 

[Graveltraveller]

Thank you sir!


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[mtnwhlr]

:ww: loved the pics

 

[Torxhead]

Wow! those are some great shots. Quite a deep water crossing also, I might have to use a periscope there.

 

[Graveltraveller]

Thanks guys! Appreciate it! I'll be posting the progress on the 7 over in the build thread, need to get it done, as we will be wheeling steady come spring and summer


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[Belizean]

Mike how is that armored 8 coming along? Also great pictures as always

 

[Graveltraveller]

Mike how is that armored 8 coming along? Also great pictures as always

Well, thanks to many factors, I parted ways with it. Ex wife and $6g a month in payments being #1. I sold it as a CJ 7 tho, and have a plan for a CJ 8 build. I'm also in the middle of a 62 willys pick up. But that may have to go to, to feed that bottomless pit. Ugh. Regardless, I have one 7, and most of an 8, including the frame and drivetrain.


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[Belizean]

Well, thanks to many factors, I parted ways with it. Ex wife and $6g a month in payments being #1. I sold it as a CJ 7 tho, and have a plan for a CJ 8 build. I'm also in the middle of a 62 willys pick up. But that may have to go to, to feed that bottomless pit. Ugh. Regardless, I have one 7, and most of an 8, including the frame and drivetrain.


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Sorry to hear that. That was a very interesting build as I was reading about it. I was looking forward to see how it was going to handle the trails. Anyway good luck to your next builds

 

[Graveltraveller]

One thing that helped letting it go, was how big it had become. Way to large for what we run for trail. It's crazy how putting a CJ body on a jku frame become way more than a guy wanted. Even my buddies, with their built JKU's are realizing that exploring what we do, they are too large. The Golden Eagle went everywhere they went that weekend, for a price tag of $1500, vs their $100g. Loved it!!


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[Graveltraveller]

For reference, this is what I was in the middle of, before mother economics kicked me in the backside


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[Graveltraveller]

And this is where she's gone. 47" LTB's, and off road racing in her future. I want a scrambler, and will build one again, but this got way big, way fast. Oh well. Sometimes the dream and the reality don't match!


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[Posi]

Looks like fun thanks for sharing.
Have to put AB on the list for 2018
Are those yj aftermarket inners on your CJ?

 

[007]

Thank you for sharing! Beautiful up there... We sometimes forget the beauty of Canada...it should not be forgotten.

 

[Graveltraveller]

Thanks Posi! Reading the Colorado CJ get together pulled me in. I've wanted to wheel there since I started reading the 4x4 mags. Looks amazing.

As for the fenders, the whole set up is metalcloak, inner, outer and flares.

And if any of you want to come up, I'll take the time, and give you a guided tour that you'll never forget! We've been playing on trails that haven't been wheeled by jeeps in over 20 years in some cases. Lots of trail refurbishing, but been worth it!


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[Graveltraveller]

Thanks 007! Come up anytime


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