Good-Bye Jeep Hello Ram

[fasteddy47]

For the last year and half or so....I worked on my WJ Grand Cherokee.... Spent hours and hours planning plotting, sourcing and working on it. Then last month it dropped a intake valve seat and destroyed
a cylinder head. Aluminum Head.... Steel Seat.... Kerblewy!

So as I sat contemplating ..... I thought about my upcoming holidays in May... What would happen if this happened to me all the way down South in Arizona??? Ouch....

I sat sobbing on my pile of Overland Journals ......(kidding) But I did one He!! of alot of thinking.... one word kept creeping into my mind... RELIABILITY!!! Yep
the one word that is the essence of what I was trying to accomplish. A 4.7 Gernader.... just wouldn't allow me the reliability I was looking for no matter how much money I spent on it.
Aluminum New World engine...over head cams... front drive oil pump.... etc etc...

I have to stick with Jeep or a Chrysler product... Not only are they in my blood they are my bread and butter.... I work for a Dodge Jeep Dealer... for the last 25 years I have been a Chrysler Service
Manager.. So It's not like I can show up for work in a Land Rover

So..... put an ad on Craigslist.... Sold My Jeep.... in a Week...



So...what do I have in mind for the next project.....


Meet my new toy.... 2000 Ram 1500 4x4 Base/ Short Box... 318/ Auto/Dana 44 front/9:25 rear/ 3:92 Gears/ Air / Cruise/ Vinyl Floors/
(No Power Locks...Windows...mirrors.... no options...no breakage )

So keep an eye out... The build starts soon.... The parts list is long... The Plan is big...The mind is hopefully smarter than my Wallet!

So Added a few things.... Lift / Tires / Flares/ March 25 2012


Cheers
Eddy

[redthies]

Which dealer are you at Eddy? It would be nice to know where we can find an ExPo minded service guy for our Rubicon.

Your Jeep looked awesome. Someone will be very happy with it! I should add I just sold a super mint '99 1500 Laramie that was owned for 13 years by a tech at Langley Chrysler, previous to my four month stint as a 1/2 ton owner.

[Saiyan66]

Man that was a gorgeous Jeep. Sorry about your misfortune with the 4.7 V8. I loved that motor in my Dakota and never questioned its reliability. But I guess once you have a major problem like that there will always be doubt in your mind. Good luck with the new truck and watch the valve seats in the Magnum 5.2 as they can be problematic from time to time. Also I have a Derale deep trans pan for that truck if you are in the market. Never used still in the box.

[sxharr05]

That was a sweet looking Jeep, but it's always nice to see another Ram owner pop up. Congrats on the new project.

[fasteddy47]

Hello Red.... I am at Carter in Burnaby.... We service a ton of Whistler Squamish Customers.... as they don't want to go to the "Other Closer Store ..... If you need anything for your Rubi... Give me a call.

Yeah... my Jeep did look awesome.. But the Wife is glad to have more room and wants me to put a hard shell on it instead of sleeping in a Roof Top Tent... So onward and upward!!!

[fasteddy47]

Man that was a gorgeous Jeep. Sorry about your misfortune with the 4.7 V8. I loved that motor in my Dakota and never questioned its reliability. But I guess once you have a major problem like that there will always be doubt in your mind. Good luck with the new truck and watch the valve seats in the Magnum 5.2 as they can be problematic from time to time. Also I have a Derale deep trans pan for that truck if you are in the market. Never used still in the box.

The 5,2 is coming out soon... I have a fresh crate motor 5.9 with a bunch of goodies done to it .... So that will replace the tired 5.2. The 46RE is also fresh with HD clutches , bands, Transgo Kit, and a soon to be mounted 26,000 gvw fan cooled trans cooler.
The Magnum 5.2 and 5.9 DR's are tough to beat for reliability.... In 25 years in Service I have only replaced a handful for issues. What do you want for your pan??? I may be interested!!!

[fasteddy47]

That was a sweet looking Jeep, but it's always nice to see another Ram owner pop up. Congrats on the new project.

Thanks SX..... I am looking forward to it.... I have the lift, tires rims, and a slew of other stuff waiting to go on...Just a time factor thing. Just got my flares back from the
body shop they are color matched and ready to go.

[redthies]

I have been to Carter a few times. You are definitely one of the "good" dealerships in my mind. Your finance lady (Joanie?), helped me with a lease buy-out on my '05 Cummins truck. My original dealer was trying to hide almost a $1000 in the buy-out for themselves, even after I asked them if they charged a doc or processing fee! Langley is a long drive too!
You probably know one of my good friends Peter D from Whistler. He has had 2 Dakotas, a 1500, and now has an '06 2500. All from you guys.

[TheAlmightySam]

Funny, I went from a Patriot Blue XJ to my Ram... Much like a disease, the Dodge Ram mafia is rapidly taking over ExPo!

For the trails we have in the NW, the short box is a good choice - you won't have near as much trouble as I do weaseling around trees.

Looking forward to watching the build!

[colodak]

definetly swap out that 5.2 for a 5.9. I love having the 5.9 in my Dakota. Good to see another dodge build up going. I wasn't aware someone made a kit for the 46RE, planning to get mine rebuilt in a few months but haven't seen any kits for it.