400 dollar wrangler

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I might be buying a 97 wrangler for a whopping 400 bucks. I haven't seen it yet put it belongs to our mortar platoon Sargent for A troop. He told me he was gonna scrap it and when I asked what is wrong with it, besides minor rust issues everything he described was just a laundry list of compacted maintenance stuff. Maybe needs a new tc, nothing at all outside of my skill set.

I figure if it's not salvageable I can easily break even for parts, if it is salvageable I could flip it or keep it.

I wanted to hear some thoughts, my dad is a retired master gunnery Sargent, USMC. He is going to retire again from the postal service this year. I was thinking about painting it of green and then stenciling it to look like an old M151. So it would be of green with a tan top. Then giving it to him as a retirement gift.

I've already had one jeep buddy tell me that would be as lame as the new dragon graphics available on the current jks, I'm just curious what other peoples thoughts are, especially since we all have been talking a lot about wranglers vs cjs lately on here.

 

[hole]

Buy it and flip it to help fund the purchase of a M151 For some reason when I see a non-military vehicle painted to impersonate a military vehicle it pisses me off, and I never even served, seems very disrespectful to me. .02

 

[gr8dain]

I know someone who did that to his CJ to memorialize the guys they lost in his unit. It was done very tastefully and I think it even had their names on it.


Dain

 

[jdcaples]

Ah, man..... I really wanna tell you to find a MUTT...... but when I did this search



the prices floating around are astronomical.

That being said, how would your dad use it? Is your dad a wheeler?

-Jon

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Ah, man..... I really wanna tell you to find a MUTT...... but when I did this search

View attachment 17802

the prices floating around are astronomical.

That being said, how would your dad use it? Is your dad a wheeler?

-Jon

Just cruising around town topless enjoying the ride.

 

[jdcaples]

If you can salvage it, make it reliable 'n everything, then go ahead fix it up, paint it, stencil it and figure out a way to surprise him out of his socks.

-Jon

 

[jzak]

I also agree with the other posts. It looks like you got a really good deal for $400, but in the end, it is a wrangler. Sell it or part it off for a few grand, and use that money to buy a old CJ5. In my opinion, you can paint a CJ5 to look like a military vehicle, because they're not that far off from the Vietnam War jeeps, but trying it on a wrangler is just a bad idea.

You always get the best deals from active military people. They usually have more money then they know what to do with (especially if they're single), and they don't have the time or interest in getting all their money back. I bought a jeep from a master sergeant in Fort Bragg for half the market price. Good Times!


Just my two cents!

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

If you can salvage it, make it reliable 'n everything, then go ahead fix it up, paint it, stencil it and figure out a way to surprise him out of his socks.

-Jon

That's the idea. I think he would get a kick out of the USMC theme but in the end of the day he needs something somewhat comfortable to ride and a little more reliable than an actual 50 year old vehicle

I should also note that he did 23years in the corps and then almost another 20 years in the postal service. He has a service connected disability that caused him to lose his balance so he can't ride a motorcycle anymore and I know he misses that. Which is another reason I think he'll enjoy an open top vehicle

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Here is a yj done up army theme
http://cdn.instructables.com/F7Y/6YWE/GP7IFZ63/F7Y6YWEGP7IFZ63.LARGE.jpg

And attached is a tj. I didn't even think about using flat fenders like they did on this one

 

[jdcaples]

<snip>
And attached is a tj. I didn't even think about using flat fenders like they did on this one

The CJ-like external mirrors on the TJ are a nice touch. It would your dad drive topless and door-less w/o losing the rear view mirrors.

-Jon

 

[Neuner]

Here is a yj done up army theme
http://cdn.instructables.com/F7Y/6YWE/GP7IFZ63/F7Y6YWEGP7IFZ63.LARGE.jpg

And attached is a tj. I didn't even think about using flat fenders like they did on this one

I'm torn between the two sides of this. I think it looks good, if it's done right - which I'm sure you'd do. Ya gotta get the paint and sheen correct (researching this myself, they did use a satin in later years). I think even the flat fenders would be cool to swap in.

Nothing bugs me more than some guy who took a bright shiny forest green wrangler with chrome wheels and slapped military symbols and letters on it.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I'm torn between the two sides of this. I think it looks good, if it's done right - which I'm sure you'd do. Ya gotta get the paint and sheen correct (researching this myself, they did use a satin in later years). I think even the flat fenders would be cool to swap in.

Nothing bugs me more than some guy who took a bright shiny forest green wrangler with chrome wheels and slapped military symbols and letters on it.

So here ya go. I probably couldn't do this good of a job as this guy.
Custom 2001 Jeep Wrangler Military Project - Page 6 - JeepForum.com

My plan would be to buy the flat fenders which are pricey. Then sand an paint the exterior with the same paint in the link above. And stencil. I'd leave the interior stock spice and spice soft top. Paint the wheels and get tall skinny tires. And do the bumpers up like him Initially.

If my dad likes it, I'm moving back in with him next year to go back to school, we can start expanding on the little details like black out lights and faux slave cable hook up

 

[mtnwhlr]

I say if you think your dad would like it than go for it who cares what other people think your not building it for them but your dad.

 

[tinman]

So here ya go. I probably couldn't do this good of a job as this guy.
Custom 2001 Jeep Wrangler Military Project - Page 6 - JeepForum.com

My plan would be to buy the flat fenders which are pricey. Then sand an paint the exterior with the same paint in the link above. And stencil. I'd leave the interior stock spice and spice soft top. Paint the wheels and get tall skinny tires. And do the bumpers up like him Initially.

If my dad likes it, I'm moving back in with him next year to go back to school, we can start expanding on the little details like black out lights and faux slave cable hook up

I dig that...

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I dig that...

So here you guys and gals go,M151 MUTT - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The m151 mutt is not actually a jeep. It has a unibody and an independent suspension, not to mention the grill is horizontally slated. It was the betweener for the armed forces from the m38s to the new crappy hmmwvs we use today.

I'd be using the mutt as the template for the project as that is what my dad drove around Europe when he was stationed there. Since the mutt isn't actually a jeep and the wrangler is not considered an actual jeep by some, I think this Will be a cool.project.

Now I just got to see if this wrangler is salvageable our better off donating parts

 

[jdcaples]

I hope it's salvageable!

-Jon

 

[jdulmer]

I say if you think your dad would like it than go for it who cares what other people think your not building it for them but your dad.

I agree, even though I am CJ biased, I think, if your Dad would dig it, go for it. As a vet, I would be touched by something like that. It isn't whether it's a Wrangler, or an "M" Jeep, it's the thought and work that goes into it.



"Libertatem Aut Mortem"

 

[jdcaples]

<snip>As a vet, I would be touched <snip>
"Libertatem Aut Mortem"

Huge thank you for your - and the OP's - service!

-Jon

 

[Only in a Jeep CJ]

For some reason when I see a non-military vehicle painted to impersonate a military vehicle it pisses me off, and I never even served, seems very disrespectful to me. .02

I feel the same way, but in the end, we would want our choices respected, so we respect theirs. I know a lady that has a white YJ with huge pink flowers painted all over it..wow,.right, but its hers and she has to be happy.

So when I paint my trail jeep Kawasaki Green and others hate it, I'll love it.

so a TJ done up to like military-like doesn't float my boat, but the choice is the OPs. I would just make it a real nice regular TJ if it was me.

 

[Only in a Jeep CJ]

I'm torn between the two sides of this. I think it looks good, if it's done right - which I'm sure you'd do. Ya gotta get the paint and sheen correct (researching this myself, they did use a satin in later years). I think even the flat fenders would be cool to swap in.

Nothing bugs me more than some guy who took a bright shiny forest green wrangler with chrome wheels and slapped military symbols and letters on it.

I second this too^^^^^

If your going to do it (which it sounds like you really want to), then do it right!