I think I'm ready to talk about this

seventy1

seventy1

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Joined
Jun 28, 2020
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34
Location
Ann Arbor, MI
I’d been teaching my daughter how to drive a manual and thought she had the basics down pretty well, so I encouraged her to take the TJ out whenever she wanted. What I failed to do was to take her on a road with loose gravel over hard-pack and demonstrate what can happen if you suddenly lift off the throttle at high RPM without depressing the clutch. She was out with two friends going for iced coffee drinks, I was 600 miles away out of town. Miraculously, all three walked away without a scratch, which is all that really matters.

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We bought the Jeep 3 years ago as a bone stock no-option X and just completed a 2.5” lift w/ MML, the wheels and MT Baja ATZ P3s were only driven about 20 miles, plus half the distance to the Dunkin Donuts. Since the Jeep is safely in the garage 95% of the time and only comes out for off roading trips or occasional ice cream runs, it doesn’t have collision coverage (Michigan no-fault rates are ridiculous), so this hurts…

I’m not sure if it’s worth rebuilding yet, I need to get it mobile, then over to a frame shop first. It is back home, runs and makes huge clouds of oil smoke (oil must have drained into the exhaust and PCV). If the frame survived, then my starter list of parts is front fenders/flairs, hood, latches, doors, mirrors, windshield frame (just installed new last fall), glass, hinges, roll cage, tub straightened, front control arms, front shock, SB link QD, rear track bar and LR axle shaft. If anyone has leads on someone parting out some of this stuff close to SE Michigan, please pass them along. I thought I was pushing the fun budget with what we spent before the accident! Anyway, not looking for sympathy, sniff, but hoping to find some nearby clean (preferably red) parts, mostly the WS frame/glass, hinges, doors, cage, hood and maybe fenders for liners. Thanks for any tips!
 
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I really like the guy in the orange pants in the last photo. Clearly he came dressed to party :ROFLMAO:

It's hard to tell how much damage there is. It doesn't look too bad from the photos, but it's hard to tell.

And damn...that happened just from not depressing the clutch pedal at high RPMs on a loose surface? Sheesh, at least everyone is okay!
 
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Crap,yeah so glad they all are ok. If they got hurt you would likely be blaming yourself somehow. Chit happens fast

Have to say that is a great frame pic to lighten things up a bit.
 
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Glad no one was injured. Roll bar did its job admirably. Plenty of Jeep parts out there to fix her back up. Shame about the insurance. Opposite for me, full coverage was $20 more a month. Its worth it just for peace of mind with theft and hail.
 
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ive got some fender flares i pulled and tossed in the rafters, a bit faded but not horrible. may have my old hood latches but may have tossed, i know i have shocks but they are stock height... and possibly oe control arms but dependent if neighbor scrap guy snagged them back when scrap was actually somewhat worth something. i can look around, but i really dont have any of the major items.

Ive seen tj's in the salvage yard in flat rock. place is called parts galore, its a you pull and pay kind of place & really organized and clean. otherwise marketplace may be your friend... jeeps arent very common in yards whatsoever.

Clydes frame and wheel service in Pontiac is a very reputable place... just throwing it out there. neighbor has approved of his work many times.
 
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I grew up on gravel roads so I know how to drive on them. But I'd still be careful going too fast with something lifted and short wheelbase. Glad everyone is okay.

I have a stock front and rear trackbar I'm giving away.
 
Thank goodness they are ok. They must have also been wearing their seatbelts if they walked away.

Things like that happen so fast.
 
Good to hear everyone is ok.

I learned to drive a stick shift in a CJ5. Around the corner from our house, there was a sprinkler that always got the road wet. SO most days on my way home I would give it some gas and kick out the rear end of the Jeep. One day I hit it a little too hard and spun around 180 degrees, still going backward at about 15 mph. I have NO CLUE why that thing didn't rollover. That was my last time playing with the wet street.
 
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Let it out Man Let it out!😫
Really glad to hear everyone is ok. My oldest daughter gave us a couple heart attacks. I gave her my F150 knowing she would do a little bumper cars in it. Scary stuff. Again happy they are ok.
Look at the bright side know you can start a build thread.
 
Wow! Echoing other sentiments expressed, I am just happy your daughter and friends walked away with nary a scratch. A guy I know has been parting out his TJ, so I'll have to see if he's got anything left. I may have some odds and ends left over from installing MetalCloak fenders so I'll check my garage when I get home and get back to you.
 
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