Because of course I needed something else to work on lol, but one of my co-workers is transferring to another state and had to many vehicles. I picked this up for cheap, and it runs and drives. He bought it back in the late 90's when he was in high school, since then he sold it, bought it back, and his kids have been using it moving irrigation water. Its been rolled at least 4 different times (which is why the windshield frame is in the back seat).  I don't even know what I am gonna do with it yet but couldn't pass up the price, I may just fix a couple things and sell it, may run it this winter while we still build the Cherokee.

That looks like a solid starting point.  Any guesses on what the front bumper weighs?  It looks like it means business!

That looks like a solid starting point.  Any guesses on what the front bumper weighs?  It looks like it means business!

no idea but it is stout, I will be removing it and building something smaller, I will try to get a weight of it once removed.

Other than the windshield frame, it looks like the body is in relatively good shape, considering how hard it has lived!  Good luck with the bumper.  That thing looks like it came off of a tank or something.  Better pull it soon, scrap is up right now!

Pulled the broken windshield out last night, removed the track piece for the front of the soft top, I have a little rust repair to make before putting new glass in.









This is the only rust spot in the lower portion of the frame.

this weekend I worked on the windshield frame, cut out the rusted spots



welded in new material but I don't have a pic of that yet, definitely not quitting my job to go do body work lol.

also pulled the front bumper (which only had 2 bolts)



and for those who were wondering how much it weighed....

Well that is lighter than I would have guessed!  It is good you are making progress!

It's good to see another build on the forum. The earlier days of watching BrdHunter and his boys build their rigs, was better than any sort of tv time. I wish we had more of them going on. Mine has stalled, due to no free time.

It's good to see another build on the forum. The earlier days of watching BrdHunter and his boys build their rigs, was better than any sort of tv time. I wish we had more of them going on. Mine has stalled, due to no free time.

Ya the Cherokee were building has kind of stalled, i got the front axle removed and stripped about 2 months ago. the wife asked me the other day "what do you need to finish the Cherokee?" time and motivation.

Tuesday evening I bolted the frame on to the samurai for the first time, no glass in it yet as i figured it would be easier to install with the frame bolted down.

That is starting to look like something!!!

Just spent a bunch of money on this thing, lockers, soft tops (bikini, jammer, duster), 6.5 sumo transfer case gears, updated output shaft, alternator upgrade, extended brake lines, certified machine Toyota 3K carb (when they get some in stock).



I am meeting a guy tonight who has a set of seats I'm gonna look at, heated leather out of a Honda Odyssey

Saturday we did a bunch of running around and went to Milton Freewater to the drive inn theater, but I picked up a piece of pipe to sleeve the front crossmember in the frame.

Sunday we slept in since we didn't get home till 3AM from the drive inn, got fair entries turned in, moved some firewood. Installing the sleeve was the only thing I got done on any vehicle. The pipe is 1.25 which has an OD of 1.66 and the tube in the frame is 1.75 ID, the frame tube was dented from previous abuse so it made the tube fit nice and snug after driving it in with a 15 pound sledge lol. Only issue was when I got the tube I verified they got me the right size, I did not verify they cut it to the correct length so it doesn't go all the way across like I wanted, its about an inch short on each side but it will work. I sleeved the tube so I can incorporate it into my winch mount since I don't really trust the stock bumper holes in the frame.

So obviously the steering needs to be addressed, they welded the ends directly to the draglink which looks homebrew and moves around a lot.





I'm not sure which kit I want to go with though and was wondering if anyone had any insight between these or a better option?

You just have to love some of the home-brew stuff you find on pasture rigs!  A friend of mine bought a Sami that was a "never leave the property" hunting rig.  They just torched and bent the steering arms to make it all work!