I've never chronicled a Jeep Build, and kind of wish I had on my last YJ, so here begins the building of the ElkTaxi!
Yep, the name says it all! I live in North Idaho, and here, calendars are marked around elk season. You see, as of TODAY, I have 78 days until Elk Camp!
So having a reliable, capable, and fun Jeep, that I don't have to worry about putting a little custom pen-striping on several times a year via our grown over Jeep trails, fire trails and abandoned logging roads is an integral part of the life of this North Idaho elk hunter. No, I'm not talking a beater-with-a-heater, but not a prom-queen either. The ElkTaxi will be well used, but not abused and need great road manners on Idaho winter roads (I'm 60 miles from the Canadian border), and capabilities to go wherever I point it (within reason of course).
Recreational Rock-Crawling isn't on the venue list, but at least some degree of on-demand crawling ability is mandatory, as well as dealing with mud and snow. Too great road manners are essential, as I frequently drive 3-4 hours to get to some places before we leave the blacktop and gravel roads.
Since my YJ was a very capable rig (at least for my purposes), the quest for a TJ to replace it is a tall order.
So, for quite some time I cruised the local auto-trader papers, The Nickel's Worth, and Craigslist. I wanted something pretty unspoiled, no rust, mechanically sound to start with, electrical system unmolested and hacked, and in a price range I could justify using it as the ElkTaxi.
So, after looking at lots of polished rust buckets "(PNW winter roads are salted and calcium-chloride in some places), I had nearly exhausted my wife's patience with the quest. Then in February, I found this Craigslist posting.
1998 Sahara, 126k with 27k on new OEM long-block 4.0. 2nd owner rig out of Arizona with maintenance records since mile 000006 on the odometer, most all of it at dealer service centers. UV damaged paint on hood, and upper fender flare surfaces. Never off road, and retired couple owned it since day one.
The black folder in the passenger floorboard are the service records since day one, and the original owner's manual along with original purchase paperwork!
After test driving, doing some under-carriage inspection and then price negotiations, we owned the new ElkTaxi-to-be.
Yep, the name says it all! I live in North Idaho, and here, calendars are marked around elk season. You see, as of TODAY, I have 78 days until Elk Camp!
So having a reliable, capable, and fun Jeep, that I don't have to worry about putting a little custom pen-striping on several times a year via our grown over Jeep trails, fire trails and abandoned logging roads is an integral part of the life of this North Idaho elk hunter. No, I'm not talking a beater-with-a-heater, but not a prom-queen either. The ElkTaxi will be well used, but not abused and need great road manners on Idaho winter roads (I'm 60 miles from the Canadian border), and capabilities to go wherever I point it (within reason of course).
Recreational Rock-Crawling isn't on the venue list, but at least some degree of on-demand crawling ability is mandatory, as well as dealing with mud and snow. Too great road manners are essential, as I frequently drive 3-4 hours to get to some places before we leave the blacktop and gravel roads.
Since my YJ was a very capable rig (at least for my purposes), the quest for a TJ to replace it is a tall order.
So, for quite some time I cruised the local auto-trader papers, The Nickel's Worth, and Craigslist. I wanted something pretty unspoiled, no rust, mechanically sound to start with, electrical system unmolested and hacked, and in a price range I could justify using it as the ElkTaxi.
So, after looking at lots of polished rust buckets "(PNW winter roads are salted and calcium-chloride in some places), I had nearly exhausted my wife's patience with the quest. Then in February, I found this Craigslist posting.
1998 Sahara, 126k with 27k on new OEM long-block 4.0. 2nd owner rig out of Arizona with maintenance records since mile 000006 on the odometer, most all of it at dealer service centers. UV damaged paint on hood, and upper fender flare surfaces. Never off road, and retired couple owned it since day one.
The black folder in the passenger floorboard are the service records since day one, and the original owner's manual along with original purchase paperwork!
After test driving, doing some under-carriage inspection and then price negotiations, we owned the new ElkTaxi-to-be.
Last edited: