Midnight LJR Build

[Fouledplugs]

Didn’t take it that way at all.

Just answering straight to the point. I do think it looks smaller too, I think it’s because we are not used to seeing it with so few brackets in that area.

You are right, not used to seeing them without the brackets. It does have a very clean look just as @Alex01 stated, I like it.

 

[Midnight LJR]

New soft top came in today, and sun came out long enough not too have to much trouble installing it.

 

[bobthetj03]

Like a glove!

 

[Nickgsjeep]

New soft top came in today, and sun came out long enough not too have to much trouble installing it.

View attachment 162777
View attachment 162778

Dude I love how incognito the tub rails are! Now I have to get another soft top.... and a few more sets of doors...

 

[Chris]

Looks killer with the half doors!

You my friend have one hell of a nice looking Unlimited. With the exception of the impact orange one Blaine built (and only because of the color), I would say yours is my second favorite

 

[Midnight LJR]

Looks killer with the half doors!

You my friend have one hell of a nice looking Unlimited. With the exception of the impact orange one Blaine built (and only because of the color), I would say yours is my second favorite

Second ain’t bad and that’s a tuff Jeep to compete with, one of my favorites for sure. But you have to see my color in daylight to make it a fair comparison.

 

[Chris]

Second ain’t bad and that’s a tuff Jeep to compete with, one of my favorites for sure. But you have to see my color in daylight to make it a fair comparison.

Very true, pictures don't do justice sometimes!

 

[B00mb00m]

Ok here are some misc detail shots.

I was SO excited Blaine was able to fix the hole I mis-drilled when installing the bumper reinforcements originally. I am way to OCD to have the bolt missing and am so glad he was able to fix it.
View attachment 153649

Blaine modified the tub sliders to clear the Moryde tire carrier and made it match up on both sides. It is probably my favorite detail of the whole thing and really brings it together. I was worried the tub sliders where going to stand out way too much and make the whole thing look off.
View attachment 153650

He bent the shifter so that my knuckles no longer hit the dash. The Savvy tummy tuck brought the shifter to close to the dash. This is actually a really big driveability improvement. (And yes I need a new boot shifter boot)

Wow, can't believe I missed this thread! I think i breezed by and thought it was just a stocker or something. Holy smokes its a fantastic build, and CLEAN AF. YOu have a beautiful rig there @Midnight LJR. Can't wait to hear how i performs offroad too.

@mrblaine rarely are things as easy for me as you describe them. I like what you did here to clearance the tub rail to the exogate hinge. It looks like you didn't use the exogate plate that goes over the armor. Did you do anything special as far as reinforcement of tub? @toximus mentioned there is quite a bit of tension in the rub rail as you bolt it down, did you have to do anything special to get the radius to match the armor so perfect? I imagine that if you try to pull the radius in with that single last bolt it might just bend the tab? Thanks for your help, this is exactly what i was searching for, how to make the rub rail look clean with the exo hinges.

 

[mrblaine]

Wow, can't believe I missed this thread! I think i breezed by and thought it was just a stocker or something. Holy smokes its a fantastic build, and CLEAN AF. YOu have a beautiful rig there @Midnight LJR. Can't wait to hear how i performs offroad too.

@mrblaine rarely are things as easy for me as you describe them. I like what you did here to clearance the tub rail to the exogate hinge. It looks like you didn't use the exogate plate that goes over the armor. Did you do anything special as far as reinforcement of tub? @toximus mentioned there is quite a bit of tension in the rub rail as you bolt it down, did you have to do anything special to get the radius to match the armor so perfect? I imagine that if you try to pull the radius in with that single last bolt it might just bend the tab? Thanks for your help, this is exactly what i was searching for, how to make the rub rail look clean with the exo hinges.

The plate is reinforcement for the tub sheetmetal. If you have armor, that is reinforcement for the tub sheetmetal and you don't need two layers. The tub rails are made to match the larger radius of the corner armor and won't fit very well on the tub by itself, nor should they.

The Exogate braces that go inside to reinforce the hinge tie in to the roll bar bolts are still there and functional.

All I did was cut the end of the tub rail off, bend up a tab, weld it on the open end and then drill a hole in it. A bit of smoothing with some sanding discs and that was it.

 

[Chris]

@Midnight LJR, which Vision X Light Cannon lights are those? Are they the 4.7" or 4.5"?

I want to order a set for mine since the Savvy bumper will be here this week.

 

[Midnight LJR]

@Midnight LJR, which Vision X Light Cannon lights are those? Are they the 4.7" or 4.5"?

I want to order a set for mine since the Savvy bumper will be here this week.

4.7”

https://www.visionxusa.com/shop/4-7-cg2-multi-led-light-cannon/

 

[ImpactOrange]

I have the 4.7's also. They're great lights.

 

[Captain Phoenix]

You guys just like making us spend money, don't you? Those are more than twice the price of the KC Hilites I was planning to get and I can't even afford those yet.

 

[Nickgsjeep]

You guys just like making us spend money, don't you? Those are more than twice the price of the KC Hilites I was planning to get and I can't even afford those yet.

Right?!?!

 

[Brianj5600]

Since the exhaust shop didn’t route the exhaust correctly. I decided to remove the OEM upper brackets so that they would not hit the tailpipe. I also cleaned up the shops terrible bracket they made.

View attachment 162478View attachment 162479View attachment 162480

However even after doing this I am still not happy with the shops work so will likely order some mandrel bends and redo it in the near future. But at least the exhaust won’t get smashed on the trail in the meantime.

Having a welder means never going to the exhaust shop again. I have not been to one in 20 years. Those crush bent sections probably make little to no difference, but mandrel bent is much easier on the eyes even though few will see them. To add to it, before I started doing my own I was never fully satisfied with routing and how well it was tucked up.

 

[Wildman]

View attachment 153939

@mrblaine do you sell these arms and other related parts for this steering setup? Will it work with a Ford HP44 with Chevy knuckles that have been shaved for high steer arms?

 

[mrblaine]

@mrblaine do you sell these arms and other related parts for this steering setup? Will it work with a Ford HP44 with Chevy knuckles that have been shaved for high steer arms?

No, I built them from blanks I ordered from one of the high steer arm makers. Those are the Reid knuckles that fit on the TJ inner C so I do not know if any of that crosses to anything else since it is such an oddball fitment.

 

[AndrewLJR]

This build is incredible. My LJ looks up to this one hahaha... New top looks sharp but Im still holding out for a khaki one. I found a guy with NOS Khaki top but he wants 2k for it.

 

[mrblaine]

I found a guy with NOS Khaki top but he wants 2k for it.

I have one for less than half that. I'm not shipping it. You find someone headed your direction with room for it though, we can make that happen. Top, sunrider door surrounds, tail gate bar, rollbar brackets, window bag. All NOS.

 

[AndrewLJR]

I have one for less than half that. I'm not shipping it. You find someone headed your direction with room for it though, we can make that happen. Top, sunrider door surrounds, tail gate bar, rollbar brackets, window bag. All NOS.

Ill keep that in mind. Thank you for letting me know. Maybe Ill fly out there and bring it back as a carry on hahaha