Wildman
Over Analyzer Extraordinaire & Attention Whore
Original poster
Staff Member
Supporting Member
This is what it looked like right before it was parked 8 years ago. The 5.2 Dodge magnum V-8 I had swapped into it was having overheating issues. So I had planned to either rebuilt the current engine or find another to rebuild. Well I came across a 5.9 from a Durango for cheap and bought it. I was almost done doing a cheap rebuild when I came across a fellow Ram owner who wanted to trade a stroked 5.9 for a stock 5.9. So after a little haggling we came to a deal. We traded short blocks. His engine had about 10K miles on it so I decided to tare the engine down and clean it up and reseal it. Of course things always happen you do things like that. I dropped the number 2 piston and broke a skirt off it.
About this time I was going thru a divorce so funds dried up for any Jeep repairs. Once I got back on my feet, so to speak I was having health issues that was limiting my ability to work out in my garage. So this past spring I took measures to make myself better. I had been wounded in Iraq back in 2004 when I was shot in the right thigh. The avatar is my femur. In May 2018 I had my lower right leg amputated to try and get rid of the sever pain I was in. Most doctors wouldn't do this surgery because there isn't any guaranty it will help.
My current socket that I designed the wrap for.
So plans for this facelift is to remove the Nth Degree longarm suspension, stretch the rear 5-10" and the front 2". To do the amount of stretch in the rear I am wanting to do I am thinking about lengthening my tub by about 5-6". I currently have a GenRight 24 gal fuel tank so that has to go and I'll be getting one of their stretch tanks. I'm going to 3 link the front and 4 link the rear while doing all this.
Then I'm going to install aluminum front highline fenders and rear corners. All my old parts will be handed down to my daughters 2002 TJ Sport. So no parts will be wasted or neglected.
Don't expect anything right away as I have to wait for the weather to warm up and the snow to melt. But as it gets warmer and funds permit I will be ordering parts.
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