After using my trail rig to race for the last few years, it sure has taken a beating and is no longer the comfortable trail rig you’d want to spend the afternoon in.  So call me old, but I now require a soft and supple suspension, good heat, and air conditioning to make for an enjoyable weekend on the trail.

Follow along with me as I introduce you to the newest member of my Jeep family: the “Mach 5” TJ project.  The goal is to build a streetable Jeep that can be driven in comfort long distances to the trail and conquer all the toughest obstacles while enjoying climate control, good tunes, and cold drinks thanks to an ARB fridge.

I started with a bone stock 2003 Jeep Wrangler that had been ridden hard and put away wet.  This Jeep had been rolled down a drainage ditch and left for dead.

I purchased the Wrangler from the distraught original owner and immediately began bench building my new Jeep.  The desired parts list was pretty small and, as usual, my goal was to keep it low, low, low and utilize readily available stock type parts for easy trail repairs.

First on the mod list was to replace the damaged windshield and frame, top, and factory roll bar.  I found a top frame and windshield on our local 4×4 forum and utilized a new top with tinted windows from Smittybilt.  Next, I addressed the bent up fenders and started the armored protection.  I turned to Smittybilt again for their entire line of XRC trail armor, starting with the front tube fenders and working my way through the rock sliders and rear corner guards with the 3″ flare.  We also added the XRC front and rear bumpers for some added protection.

Next, we turned to the suspension upgrades with a strong emphasis on “less is more.” I utilized some factory Jeep Rubicon springs for the desired ½” of lift.  The front got a little bling with the addition of JKS ACOS Pro adjustable spacers, including nitrogen-charged air bumps for secondary suspension.  I added a belly up skid plate from TeraFlex and a 1″ Daystar body mount upgrade.

After all the body modifications and the 1.5″ of total lift were added, we were able to fit a 35″ tire in there with no rubbing.  For tires, I turned to General Tire for their new Grabber tire.  I must say that this is the best riding tire I have ever owned.  From whisper quiet road manners to incredible traction on the rocks and dirt, I can’t say enough good things about this tire!

Stay tuned next month to see what we have in store for the axles and the special off-road custom touches that will set this Wrangler apart from the rest!