| As we have had some inquires about the Jeep TJ we wanted
to post some history on it as well as the specs. Thankfully,
one of our founders was directly involved with the original
buildup and we have some first-hand knowledge of this custom
truck.
This Jeep started life as a SEMA project for ARB back in
the late 90’s. The original concept was to build a modern
jeep to replicate the ones used for the historic 1979 Expedicion
de las Americas, a 20,000 mile, 3 month journey from Tierra
del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay, including a 103-mile stretch of
jungle that took a month to get through. Thus this TJ was
stripped bare and repainted in the same Omaha Orange used
on those CJ’s 20 years earlier. It was then reassembled
with parts appropriate for a long range expedition, but with
more comfort and features than the original Jeeps.
After that first SEMA show, ARB used the jeep for several
years for promotional work and trail runs including Easter
Jeep Safari where it was photographed for the October 2000
cover of 4Wheel and Sport Utility Magazine. Eventually, ARB
sold the Jeep to one of their employees who used it as a daily
driver/weekend off-roader until we bought the Jeep from him
in January of this year to use as the RRT test/play/promo
vehicle. Other than some maintenance our only modifications
so far have been outfitting it with a full length Yakima rail
system and crossbars and our Oasis II rooftop tent. A 1500
mile road trip to LA and back with all the gear installed
showed us what a great investment we have made. Dead reliable
and a perfect showcase for our products the Jeep has proven
it can handle everything from weekend exploring and camping
to 600 mile days with ease.
How is it setup?
The equipment list is fairly extensive, starting with an
Old Man Emu suspension, 1 inch Currie body lift and motor
lift clearing 285/75-16 BFG M/T’s on AEV 5 spoke wheels.
JKS disconnects offer a bit more travel when needed and allow
the Jeep to clear 1050 on an 20 degree ramp. ARB Air Lockers
front and rear with 3.73 gears improve traction further and
a 4.3-1 Atlas T-case drops the gearing down for off-road action.
The auto trans features a deep sump Currie oil pan kit to
eliminate starvation on extreme climbs and the 4.0L motor
runs a Safari Snorkel, T-body spacer, K and N filter, and
Dynomax cat-back to improve power.
Up front is an ARB Bullbar, IPF 960 lights, and a Warn 9500
winch. Headlamps are also IPF, the venerable “Magic Bulbs”
improving lighting substantially. Powering all the goodies is
a Premier Power Alternator and underhood welder in the event
we have to help someone else on the trail. Rocker protection
is by AEV with their wonderfully designed wrap around nerfs
bolted through the body. Currie builds the spare tire carrier
on which is fitted an IPF back-up light. The interior is fairly
mild, with a MORE “sport cage” bolted into the front
of the passenger compartment and through the floor. Twin sticks
run the Atlas and a variety of switch gear supports the lights
and lockers. Tuffy security boxes lock small valuables out of
site and the stereo is an uprated newer TJ CD player with the
sub woofer center console and sport bar speakers above the seats.
Nothing radical, but plenty durable for a Jeep that does occasionally
go topless.
Overall, we love this Jeep, it looks good, works well, and
fits our exploring needs perfectly. Our passion for setting
out on a 2 or 3 day trip into the America Outback works with
this truck, fully self contained and extremely maneuverable
we can set up camp anywhere in just minutes miles from the
nearest paved road.
Upgrades? We have a few planned. We intend to fit rear disks
to the truck in the future and already have a Rubicon Dana
44 housing sitting in the garage ready to be built and installed.
A good set of seats are also on the list and a good nav system
as well. Just time and money! If you see us on the trail please
come by and take a look, this bit of Jeep history is worth
a few minutes!
Questions about our Jeep? Please don’t hesitate to
ask at:
JeepTJ@Oasis-Tents.com.
| To find out how to fit an Oasis II tent
on a TJ click here. |
|
