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1964 Kaiser Willys Jeep Gladiator J300 Pickup Truck "Cindy" Resto Mod Thread
Good Day Friends!
Welcome to my build thread.
Thank you forum leaders and members for all your help!
And thank you for reading. I'm writing this for you because this thread would have helped me during this build, and I didn't have it like it is presented here. We've got the "Resto Rules", Photo Albums for background, items related to Acquisitions, Builds, and the infamous, "Ole Fiver's Driving Skills Academy for People who Drive Kaiser Willy's Jeeps - Don't Fence Me In!!".
Hope you enjoy the ride. Let's get started!
This is a thread about "Cindy" - a completed truck build that is everything I aimed at, and done as done can be. Clocked me today at 64-67 mph on the freeway and dug out of a hole in 2Lo today too; has new air conditioning, heater, new roof carpet, new window tint, new alternator, new paint, new radiator, etc. See them pics!! So excited to be done, as much as is possible.
How's that? Cindy you say? Yep. She's got that name because I was in a carwash rinsing five years of filth off of a mountain jeep being gifted to a city grand daughter when suddenly I was in a jeep dealership checking out the new Jeep interiors. Why? Cause I wanted to see all the jeep offered packages, in case maybe I was gonna buy the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator pick up truck.
So they had a line of jeep about a mile long, all different trims, all open. I climbed through every color combination, every leather, cloth, two door four door, soft top, hardtop jeep variant I could see. Took hours.
Oh yeah, check in with the Mrs. I've been MIA for hours. Only went to the carwashes. Be right back honey. 4 hours later I text her 'hey Cindy, having fun in the Jeep, so many different ways we can do this!' okay. except my wife's name is not Cindy. Auto text, bruh. Not good. And she is none to pleased to hear of my fun times jeeps in any variety of ways not involving herself. So that gets sorted out with several efforts, phone calls, emogis, texts, pictures of jeeps, me with the jeeps, of the saleslady (not named Cindy).
Wife named whatever new Jeep I got "Cindy". I agree wholeheartedly.
For the story of Cindy, please read on ...
Who I was when I started the build... What I brung to the project...
What I had already: confidence, a dream, money to burn, time to waste, a competitor, knowledge of my limitations, research capabilities, and a supportive Mrs.
What I didn't have and still don't. I don't twerk wrench. I don't turn wrench. I don't own wrench. Extend that to mean I knew going in I would need a team to complete the build because after reading everyone else on here I simply do not have the aptitude, skills, experience, ability, interest, training to touch the truck beyond driving it.
The story goes...
I wanted a full size jeep pick up since I saw the 2004 green jeep truck. I had moved to the city, gave away my 78 doge ram charger V8 four on the floor snow plow wood hauler and my 2011 Jeep Liberty limited, sold my allis chalmers tractor, my car hauler, the 88 jeep comanche, and the 2004 jeep liberty. For the first time in a long time ... No Jeep.
I was gonna buy the new Jeep gladiator pickup. I had a price. $40,000.00 OTD, new. I won't pay more than that for a truck. Call me stubborn. Say I'm stuck in the past. I call it voting with my feet. I won't support an economic approach where an everyman truck costs more than everyman average annual wage. I'm a capitalist pig. Not a communist or socialist. But I'm also a pragmatist, a realist. No economy will thrive which over spreads that gap between haves and have nots. We all get better or we all fail. My opinions. Not meant to offend. Your mileage may vary, and welcome all ideas.
Couldn't get the one I wanted at the price I was willing to pay.
Challenge accepted:
I would build the 2 door, bench seat, manual transmission, long bed, No Tech, Bad Axe Jeep Gladiator for half my stated price point.
Goal, buy and build for 20K.