New York After 15 years of design and fabrication, time to downsize

[jscherb]

Man, I'm really trying to justify a reason to buy that trailer!

You definintely can't build it for the price I'm asking. In fact you can't build it with the fiberglass hard lid because the lid that's on it is the only one that's been made in the mold - Dinoot decided not to put the lid in production so the one on this trailer is the only one that exists. And the covered wagon top is also one of a kind and all custom so most people couldn't build/sew that either

 

[jscherb]

Update on items for sale:

- All of the Cool Cowls I had have found new homes. The Cool Cowl mold master went to the landfill today but I'll keep the Cool Cowl mold a little longer in case any one wants it:

- The Bluetooth RBG Halo headlights have been sold.

- I cut up the teardrop camper topper for Jeep tub trailers since nobody expressed any interest. That and the molds for it went to the landfill this afternoon:

- I listed the military trailer locally on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace this morning, there's been a lot of interest in it online but nobody has come to see it yet.

- The TJ Commando hood and Hurst Commando Hood Scoop are still available. They'll be the next to go to the landfill:

- Auxbeam switch panels - I've still got three and soon should have four - they are about to release a new 12-gang panel with remote control; I was in touch with them today and they said they will send me one when it's released next week. I'll test it and write and post a review when I get it. I definitely won't need all 4 switch panels, so I'll decide which one I need the least and offer it here.

- The fiberglass CJ Grille is still available:

- Tomorrow I'm digging into my storage area some more and will get out the CJ Grille Kit mold masters. I'll offer them but since there's very little interest here in making fiberglass parts I'm guessing there won't be any interest in them either.

I haven't had much time to go through more stuff in the storage area in the last two weeks because I just spent 9 days on a Colorado trail expedition in the LJ and one day after getting home from that I had to go to Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina - I spent part of the weekend in the forest at the Tentrax Owners Weekend. My role there was to do a presentation on upcoming Tentrax trailer and RTT accessories that I've designed for them; I also gave a tour of a "well outfitted vehicle for Overlanding" (my JKU), showing how I deal with storage, food/kitchen/water/cooking and the electrical/solar/dual battery system, hopefully to give the crowd some ideas on how they might outfit their vehicles or trailers. (if people here are interested in some of those subjects I could start a thread on them).

Amazon Guide Joe Flowers gave a very interesting lecture/demonstration of bushcraft techniques - making fires, finding survival materials in the wild, etc. I enjoyed his presentation very much and learned some things.

Both sides of his business card:

He's brought dozens of machetes and knives to the presentation (some can be seen on the floor in the photo above); he's also a knife designer and enthusiast. He led us through some hands-on knife work, making useful campsite accessories with a knife from branches, and we each used (but couldn't keep) on of his Condor Terasaur knives. It was the best feeling knife I've ever held so I'm going to buy one to add to my overlanding gear. I highly recommend it:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ND14RCP/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I'm sure that's more than you wanted to know about my weekend but I wanted to share a very interesting overland-related experience .

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

As much as I'm not really looking to make fiberglass parts right now, it pains me to see the molds killed. If no one else wants them I'll gladly pay shipping on the TJ grill mold and cool cowl - put them in a corner of my garage for the next decade - Who knows maybe I'll even get around to making some one day.

Update on items for sale:

- All of the Cool Cowls I had have found new homes. The Cool Cowl mold master went to the landfill today but I'll keep the Cool Cowl mold a little longer in case any one wants it:

- The Bluetooth RBG Halo headlights have been sold.

- I cut up the teardrop camper topper for Jeep tub trailers since nobody expressed any interest. That and the molds for it went to the landfill this afternoon:

View attachment 458706

- I listed the military trailer locally on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace this morning, there's been a lot of interest in it online but nobody has come to see it yet.

- The TJ Commando hood and Hurst Commando Hood Scoop are still available. They'll be the next to go to the landfill:

View attachment 458707

- Auxbeam switch panels - I've still got three and soon should have four - they are about to release a new 12-gang panel with remote control; I was in touch with them today and they said they will send me one when it's released next week. I'll test it and write and post a review when I get it. I definitely won't need all 4 switch panels, so I'll decide which one I need the least and offer it here.

View attachment 458708

- The fiberglass CJ Grille is still available:

View attachment 458709

- Tomorrow I'm digging into my storage area some more and will get out the CJ Grille Kit mold masters. I'll offer them but since there's very little interest here in making fiberglass parts I'm guessing there won't be any interest in them either.

I haven't had much time to go through more stuff in the storage area in the last two weeks because I just spent 9 days on a Colorado trail expedition in the LJ and one day after getting home from that I had to go to Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina - I spent part of the weekend in the forest at the Tentrax Owners Weekend. My role there was to do a presentation on upcoming Tentrax trailer and RTT accessories that I've designed for them; I also gave a tour of a "well outfitted vehicle for Overlanding" (my JKU), showing how I deal with storage, food/kitchen/water/cooking and the electrical/solar/dual battery system, hopefully to give the crowd some ideas on how they might outfit their vehicles or trailers. (if people here are interested in some of those subjects I could start a thread on them).

Amazon Guide Joe Flowers gave a very interesting lecture/demonstration of bushcraft techniques - making fires, finding survival materials in the wild, etc. I enjoyed his presentation very much and learned some things.

View attachment 458710

Both sides of his business card:

View attachment 458711

He's brought dozens of machetes and knives to the presentation (some can be seen on the floor in the photo above); he's also a knife designer and enthusiast. He led us through some hands-on knife work, making useful campsite accessories with a knife from branches, and we each used (but couldn't keep) on of his Condor Terasaur knives. It was the best feeling knife I've ever held so I'm going to buy one to add to my overlanding gear. I highly recommend it:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ND14RCP/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I'm sure that's more than you wanted to know about my weekend but I wanted to share a very interesting overland-related experience .

 

[jscherb]

Next to go...

The white thing in the photo is a "blank" TJ grille overlay mold. I made it as an intermediate step in making the JL/CJ Grille Overlay for the TJ. It could be either used like I did as an intermediate mold for making some other type of grille overlay, or it could be used to mold a blank grille overlay into which you could cut any opening you wished.

The gray one is the mold master for the JL/CJ Grille Overlay for the TJ. The mold has been sold, but this master could be used to make additional molds for production.

This next photo shows a factory grille face (the dark green one at the bottom of the photo). I removed it from the grille in the top of the photo when working on the MB Grille. It's in perfect condition, so if your grille face is dented you could replace it with this, or, because it's only the face and not the full cores support, it would make a great wall hanging.

Anyone interested in any of the above can contact me.

 

[zackcj7]

I would definitely take the Commando stuff if you weren't so far away. I don't guess you are coming to Dixie Run and could bring the Commando hood and scoop

 

[jscherb]

Back when Gr8Tops licensed the Safari Cab design from me I proposed that they build a half cab version of the modular parts. Parts for a half cab prototype were made, but the prototype was never completed and they decided not to go forward with it.

I have those prototype modular half cab parts here and I don't want to move them to the new house. The top is unfinished, so final details would be a project for someone. The rear wall doesn't have a window so that would be part of the project.

It's a match for the hardtop on my Retro Wrangler pickup:

Being modular, the parts disassemble for easy storage:

Notice the notches in the back wall in the photo above, they allow the top to be installed without modifying the factory roll bars, like this:

I may still have the prototype parts to seal the notches after the hardtop is installed, I'll have to look for them but no guarantees that I can find them. In any case sealing those would be part of the project to complete this top.

A test fit on an LJ:

I also have both TJ and LJ bulkheads for it.

This is an unfinished prototype and will be a project for someone to complete. Might be best if I just cut up the parts and take them to the solid waste facility in town, but I'm posting it here first in case anyone is interested in a modular half cab project.

 

[bobthetj03]

Back when Gr8Tops licensed the Safari Cab design from me I proposed that they build a half cab version of the modular parts. Parts for a half cab prototype were made, but the prototype was never completed and they decided not to go forward with it.

I have those prototype modular half cab parts here and I don't want to move them to the new house. The top is unfinished, so final details would be a project for someone. The rear wall doesn't have a window so that would be part of the project.

It's a match for the hardtop on my Retro Wrangler pickup:

View attachment 459133

Being modular, the parts disassemble for easy storage:

View attachment 459134

Notice the notches in the back wall in the photo above, they allow the top to be installed without modifying the factory roll bars, like this:

View attachment 459135

I may still have the prototype parts to seal the notches after the hardtop is installed, I'll have to look for them but no guarantees that I can find them. In any case sealing those would be part of the project to complete this top.

A test fit on an LJ:

View attachment 459136

View attachment 459137

I also have both TJ and LJ bulkheads for it.

View attachment 459130

This is an unfinished prototype and will be a project for someone to complete. Might be best if I just cut up the parts and take them to the solid waste facility in town, but I'm posting it here first in case anyone is interested in a modular half cab project.

I remember back when you were doing this project. You made me a rendering on my Jeep. I actually liked the flat roof design best.



What a neat project that would be for someone! I hope somebody takes it on.

 

[wigsajumper]

Wish you were closer and I had more free time I would come get those Cab parts.

Once you are done with your move are you planning on still designing? Reading your posts and planning on how to add to my jeep has helped many a long night shift pass.

 

[jscherb]

I remember back when you were doing this project. You made me a rendering on my Jeep. I actually liked the flat roof design best.
View attachment 459215

View attachment 459216
What a neat project that would be for someone! I hope somebody takes it on.

I remember doing those renderings for you. I had a number of additional options I designed for the Safari Cab including the flat roof you mentioned, and Alpine roof (higher and with Alpine windows like a Land Rover Defender) and a Commando fastback version but Gr8Tops wasn't interested in any of those. Since they didn't want them and I didn't want those options on my Jeeps, I didn't pursue them, but those versions would have been pretty easy to make molds for.

I did try a flat roof on my pickup - while I was working on the Safari Half Cab, Gr8Tops lent me one of their hardtops:

It just didn't look right to me, I liked the sloped Safari roof better so I returned the Gr8Top when I finished the Safari Half Cab:

Wish you were closer and I had more free time I would come get those Cab parts.

Once you are done with your move are you planning on still designing? Reading your posts and planning on how to add to my jeep has helped many a long night shift pass.

I do plan to keep doing design work in the new place although perhaps not at the same pace I've done for the last 15 years. Not sure if I'll do any more fiberglass, although one project I always wanted to do but never got to is a highline fender and hood kit for the TJ. I'm keeping my CJ Grille Kit molds and bringing them to the new place so some of those can be the starting point for a highline kit if I ever decide to do that.

I'll mostly be focused on designs to enhance my use of my Jeeps for exploration and overlanding, and probably will keep doing designs for a few companies such as MORryde, Tentrax and Overland Outfitters and occasionally for Quadratec. Probably will continue to do a bit of consulting work for companies like Auxbeam and the OEM compressor company I've done some work for in the past few years (I'm working on a air up/down idea right now for them that handles a 4 tires at the same time and equalizes pressure).

I have a lot of work to do on the new house too, the oldest part of the house dates to 1815 and I've got some period-correct furniture and built-ins I want to build for it, as well as a new 3-car garage.

I'm getting rid of all of my molds and prototype fiberglass parts except the molds for parts that are on my Jeep, those molds I'll take with me to the new place in case I ever need to make a replacement part for any of my Jeeps. I'm keeping the molds for the Safari Cab hardtops (LJ/TJ and JK), the CJ Grille Kit, MB-style fenders for the JK and TJ and a few other miscellaneous ones.

I'm planning a run to the solid waste facility sometime next week, so more of the molds, etc. that I've offered in this thread will be loaded into the pickup for that trip.

—————-

Update on the military trailer: it's sold.

 

[rjaym]

If you’ve ever been on the AEV parts Facebook page you know that tj/ lj hiline kits are in demand and folks pay crazy $ for them. I encourage you to move on that hiline idea- with your already established network of vendors it likely an easy win!

 

[06TJ35's]

Not sure if I'll do any more fiberglass, although one project I always wanted to do but never got to is a highline fender and hood kit for the TJ. I'm keeping my CJ Grille Kit molds and bringing them to the new place so some of those can be the starting point for a highline kit if I ever decide to do that.

I would so be a buyer for a highline kit.

 

[jscherb]

Update on items for sale.

The JL/CJ grille overlay mold was sold a few weeks ago and the mold masters have gone to the trash since nobody was interested in them. All I've got left from that project is the one finished grille, which I haven't decided if I'm going to keep or not.

I posted the half cab hardtop on the local Facebook Jeep group for $300: https://www.facebook.com/groups/twintierjeeps/permalink/3162274400583136/

The green factory TJ grille face has been sold.

The Commando hood is still available, I may offer that on the local Facebook Jeep group as well. The aftermarket fiberglass CJ grille is also still available and will go on local Facebook next week.

The molds for the Cool Cowl are still available but will probably be trashed next week since nobody seems to want them.

 

[06TJ35's]

I posted the half cab hardtop on the local Facebook Jeep group for $300: https://www.facebook.com/groups/twintierjeeps/permalink/3162274400583136/

Can you estimate shipping to the same address you sent the lights?

 

[KingCarGuyZ]

The molds for the Cool Cowl are still available but will probably be trashed next week since nobody seems to want them.

View attachment 459817

If nobody else wants them, I'll take them - can't bare to seem the be trashed.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

The green factory TJ grille face has been sold.

What idiot handed you money for that old thing???

 

[jscherb]

If nobody else wants them, I'll take them - can't bare to seem the be trashed.

If you're serious, PM me your address and I'll let you know the total with shipping.

Can you estimate shipping to the same address you sent the lights?

I wrote that I hadn't yet decided if I was going to keep that completed and ready to bolt in place grille. If I decide to let it go I'll post a price.

What idiot handed you money for that old thing???

You probably met him when you looked in the mirror this morning I assume you've got it, UPS sent me a message that it was delivered today.

 

[Apparition]

What idiot handed you money for that old thing???

That’s two grills in one year for you

 

[cliffish]

What idiot handed you money for that old thing???

you beat me out with payment on that one! My wife probably glad I was going to rig up working headlights and hang it in the basement.

 

[jscherb]

One of the other products I designed for MORryde (BTW I designed all of their Jeep products: https://www.morryde.com/products-cat/jeep-accessories/) is tailgate storage compartment called the StoreGate. I've got a new-in-box TJ Storegate that I don't need anymore. These sold for about $200, you can have this one for $50 and I'll donate the money to charity because MORryde gave me this one and I don't feel right about keeping the money for it. This is the locking version with a door that also serves as a table; I've attached photos of one on my JKU tailgate. I've also got three unfinished shells that were molded during the prototyping process, I'll sell them for $25 each (all 3 for $50) and you can finish them as you like. There were two versions, I've got the "net" version on my LJ tailgate, there's a photo of that attached as well, the unfinished shells could easily be finished as that version with the addition of a net fabric you could pick up at Joann fabrics. The new in box StoreGate is a TJ version but the only difference between that and the JK and JL version is a small notch on one side to clear the TJ's tailgate wiring cover, so this one can be installed on any Wrangler. The white tailgate in the photos is a JL. The unfinished shells do not have the TJ notch.

The half cab hardtop is still available. The TJ Commando hood is still available but will be cut up and taken to the landfill later this week along with a few of the molds nobody has been interested in.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

you beat me out with payment on that one! My wife probably glad I was going to rig up working headlights and hang it in the basement.

No, Jeff told me that you were actually first - but he likes me better.