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JK Show & TellWhether they're just poser shots in your driveway or hardcore action shots on the trail, if you've got photos or videos of your Jeep JK Wrangler (or any JK for that matter that you think is worth showing off, inside or out), we want to see them so please post them here! Likewise, if you are wanting to see a photo of something specific like an aftermarket JK part or poser shot with a specific setup, this is the place to ask for it.
Back in April of 2016 I left the sports car world and traded in my SS Camaro on my shiny new JK. It had even been stored inside in the showroom at the time. I didn't buy it on a whim - I spent a couple months deciding which one I wanted and settled on a Hydro Blue Willys and got lucky that the dealer had one. I specifically wanted the factory mud terrains, the black wheels, 3.73's, Trackloc rear end, etc...the Jeep was to stay stock for a while - and it did. It saw no major changes or upgrades for 43,000 miles as we were traveling 1400 miles round trip a lot to Missouri where my ex was from.
I can't find some of the earlier pictures - so by the time this was taken she had been dubbed the Blue Bomber by my (ex) girlfriend. It was sort of a throw back to art on WW2 air craft and after all this was a 'Willys' package Jeep.
First mods were a trailer hitch and these awful mudflaps (was trying to preserve the paint at the time...).
Met my first Jeep club (which are now among my best friends) and got some 1.5" wheel spacers, which you can sort of tell are installed here.
Also cut the front bumper down and installed VDP stubby end caps. You can see the front mount CB antenna as well - its a 3' Firestik.
Cool/funny ejecto seat stickers and you can see my old CB radio setup.
I build emergency vehicles for a living and alot of our trucks have scene lights all around - I added a cube light facing out to each side with a left and a right switch. Some folks wonder why I have lights facing to the side - they have been VERY useful ever since I put them on.
Switch pod installed - bought an off brand one from EBay. Still working great a couple years later.
The two white rockers on the left are the left and right pod lights, the locking rocker in the middle is my rear facing cube lights - next was a switch that would allow my bumper lights to come on with reverse or let me force them on any time (those lights are gone as well as the stock bumper now), then on board air (more on that later) and the last turns the power on to my 7 way trailer plug.
The factory head lights suck so when the Quadratec Gen 2 Stealth lights came back in stock I ordered them and the matching LED fog lights. I love them and they have worked great the last two years.
My first big Jeep event and the sad flex of a Sport with no sway bar disconnects.
It was around this time the Great Flood of 2016 happened (for those who live around here - you know...) and my house was flooded - thankfully I got the Jeep to high ground. Without it I would have been in bad shape. It got me through countless miles of flood waters. I'd say our 'relationship' got really close around this point!
Despite the flood we took our schedule camping trip vacation to Missouri a week after gutting my house to the studs.
We will never know why - but the back window exploded somewhere in southern Missouri. Spent the next 3 days including the 700 mile drive home without back glass.
Pay attention....this won't be the first time...
Added 3" pods on top of my 3rd brake light and you can see my bumper lights that no longer exist (more on that later). The cube lights also ended up moving...and so did that 7 way trailer plug (more on that too!).
Got rid of the CB mounted to the side of my console and switched to this Cobra 75. I have an external speaker mounted overhead beside my switch pod. The whole setup works really well.
Mounted my Streamlight Stinger to the driver side rear roll bar and added a power outlet to charge it (and anything else) with.
Some family that loves me way more than I deserve hooked me up - new bumper AND winch. That added a lot of front end weight which was gonna need some help. More on that...
A few days later we are back in Missouri and the Jeep is on its first snow covered land (its a south Louisiana JK after all...).
Notice the running boards I added somewhere along the way. They end up going away. The front mudflaps also dissapeared...
Remember the last time the back glass popped? Imagine my luck. Its 7AM and its NEGATIVE 17 DEGREES outside. I shut the glass, shut the tailgate, the window blows up in my face like a car bomb. Again.
It's rural Missouri on New Years eve - nobody to get glass from before we go home.
So, this is two layers of cardboard with a piece of 1/4" ply in the middle, bolted to the factory hinges with a lip to hold it behind the tail gate. We weren't going to freeze to death on this trip.
Came home, had Safelite replace the back glass (again), replaced the stock battery which also crapped the bed upon getting home....
And installed front Rubicon four door (19) springs in the front to pick the front end back up. Way better!
Last edited by BlueBomber; 11-19-2018 at 07:10 PM.
Kicked off 2018 with two big mods - a Trektop NX in twill and we drove 750 miles to north Alabama to pick up this tear drop. At 1150 pounds the JK will pull it at 75 MPH with no drama in overdrive. Lovely.
The back of the new top, and you can see I bought a Smittybilt license plate relocation and also moved my pod lights at this time...all the lights have weather tight connectors so I can unplug them and take the plate off easy.
This summer I was overhearing a discussion during our Jeep meet of some members going to Windrock in Tennessee and they asked if I wanted to go. The Blue Bomber had NEVER been offroad in the first 43,000 miles and I said well, better get busy living, or get busy dying. I chose the former. It was an excuse to mod the Jeep - and so I started from the bottom up. First up? Diff covers and JKS disconnects!
Oh - and a Rockhard 4x4 trans and engine oil pan skid plate. Taking no chances. Turns out this thing took a few hits and has since paid for itself...
Mo betta. Look at all that flex now!
Notice the hard top has returned. The soft top is currently in storage.
Decided to change it up - took the bull bar part of the bumper off. Cleaner look.
Factory cheap speakers cut out and rattle at high volume. Replaced ALL the speakers with Mopar/Kicker upgrades.
These were very important. 'New' tires. BFG KM2 285/70R17 - bought them used with 20K on them. Still knee deep in tread and for only $400...
Notice there are also Rubicon rock rails installed. Picked those up from a close friend. And the last of the mudflaps are gone. She's slowly transforming.
Windrock Park was a success. 700 miles there and 700 back. Ran all the badge trails. I was the smallest Jeep in the group.
Destroyed the low hanging fruit (the 7 way trailer plug) on the entrance to Panther Rock.
Getting lost on Trail 26 in a boulder filled creek bed really showed the capability of a near stock JK - and also showed me I needed more skids. I smashed the front corner of the factory tank skid in smooth.
No important damage though. The trip was a success.
Badges arrived - badges installed. Some think its tacky or unnecessary, and thats OK! I like them though, and it's fun - and never fails to start conversation.
MORE SKIDS! Also Rock Hard 4x4 product.
Wasn't 'needed' (but really, what is needed...) but I was trying to rid myself of 'low hanging fruit'. So I installed the Metalcloak steering stabilizer and relocation brackets.
I was jealous of my buddy who had on board air and was able to air back up after the trail.
So I got one too!
Alright, so the trailer plug was installed before I started offroading. Lesson learned. Moved it up and out of the way!
After Windrock, I could feel myself turning into a junkie. Not long after getting home I asked WHEN IS THE NEXT TRIP?
Nobody knew...so I convinced my best Jeep friend to take me to Hot Springs! Naturally, he was game (all those badges on the side of his didn't get there for nothing).
We ran all the badge trails and more over the course of two days. Some 2's and nearly all of the 3's. One 4 (Ultimate Adventure).
Ultimate Adventure - a 4/5 rock ravine. No troubles. This thing is a goat!
What was that sound I heard? It wasn't a skid plate. Evidently I snagged the rear bumper on Ultimate Adventure and ripped it from its passenger side mounting brackets.
Well you know what that means...
A week after getting home from Hot Springs, the new bumper arrived. It's the matching counterpart to the front one.
And that trailer plug is still nice and high and out the way....
And now we are caught up, This past weekend I installed JL hood latches. I like these a LOT.
After Windrock, I could feel myself turning into a junkie. Not long after getting home I asked WHEN IS THE NEXT TRIP?
Nobody knew...so I convinced my best Jeep friend to take me to Hot Springs! Naturally, he was game (all those badges on the side of his didn't get there for nothing).
We ran all the badge trails and more over the course of two days. Some 2's and nearly all of the 3's. One 4 (Ultimate Adventure).
Ultimate Adventure - a 4/5 rock ravine. No troubles. This thing is a goat!
What was that sound I heard? It wasn't a skid plate. Evidently I snagged the rear bumper on Ultimate Adventure and ripped it from its passenger side mounting brackets.
Well you know what that means...
A week after getting home from Hot Springs, the new bumper arrived. It's the matching counterpart to the front one.
And that trailer plug is still nice and high and out the way....
And now we are caught up, This past weekend I installed JL hood latches. I like these a LOT.
Just came across your thread and went through the whole thing. Sounds fun. I have a 15 Willys W and it’s bone stock. Past two years it hasn’t done much but I’m looking to get her out there and make some changes. I was thinking of moving up to a JL rubi and still may down the road but for now I wanna have some fun. I’m in jersey and plan on headlights and tail lights prolly Jc Hilights gravity pros heads and fogs and jws tail lights and I’d like to move up to 285s. I noticed you changed your front springs to rubi 4 doors ..... they sit higher huh. What did you get out of that? I also want full metal cloak under armor after I clean up the underbody so I protect what I can before goin off-road. Lots I wanna do but hey the pockets are over flowin with money lol. Anyway was nice to see someone with a willys gettin out there nice truck. Btw mines a two door too
11-19-2018, 06:50 PM
My 2016 Willys Sport - Then 'til Now
