Is it just me?

[Barnaby’sdad]

My two cents…JT + camper shell is about as close as you’re going to get…aesthetically…to a modern XJ replacement.

I had a ‘97 XJ. Great memories with that rig. That was what struck me the first time I drove a JT. To me…the front of the cabin felt like a slightly roomier XJ.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Is that a Javelin I spy next to it?

Yeah, a rather rough Pierre Cardin 73 Javelin. Body is rough. Prior owner rescued it from a muddy junk yard and got it going again, my brother bought it from him and passed it over to me. It's a work in progress.
I sold my 70 to buy my first Gladiator in 2019, bummer, I miss that car.

It's all Jeep related - AMC owned Jeep from 1970 forward until Iacocca raped and pillaged them, the 360 like in the Javelin was used in Jeeps, and the Eagle is the father of the modern unibody Jeep

 

[jjdustr340]

Yeah, a rather rough Pierre Cardin 73 Javelin. Body is rough. Prior owner rescued it from a muddy junk yard and got it going again, my brother bought it from him and passed it over to me. It's a work in progress.
I sold my 70 to buy my first Gladiator in 2019, bummer, I miss that car.

It's all Jeep related - AMC owned Jeep from 1970 forward until Iacocca raped and pillaged them, the 360 like in the Javelin was used in Jeeps, and the Eagle is the father of the modern unibody Jeep

Been a Mopar man my entire 49 years. Funny how so many brands actually fall under that umbrella, largely due to Lees reign at the helm. There was the infamous Red Car ad which featured a Mitsi and a Lambo if I remember.
On a related note, the Conquest TSI was one of my faves from his era. That thing was futuristic for the day.

 

[dcmdon]

Did you see the video of the Tesla 3 pulling a Rivian out of the snow? Yeah, the thing was stuck bad. The Tesla hooked onto it with a strap and pulled it out of the snow backwards. I had to laugh - seriously, a Tesla pulling the Rivian out of the snow bank.



I have a 4.0 from a 94 ZJ in my Eagle SX4 .......... so I can say I still own one.

as I am sure, you know, but others may not, snow performance is 60% skill and 30% tires.

Every Rivian that I have seen has low profile, high-performance street tires on it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

as I am sure, you know, but others may not, snow performance is 60% skill and 30% tires.

Every Rivian that I have seen has low profile, high-performance street tires on it.

And the Tesla had dedicates snow tires? Is marketed for off-road and snow like the Rivian?
Still had to laugh. Only the front half was really "buried" - the rear wasn't really in any snow to speak of.

 

[Cansberry]

Ask this guy what he thinks of his "Benchmark" now.
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2023...neymoon-phase-ends-wen-it-gets-stuck-in-snow/

Exactly my point though. It's the EV benchmark. If Jeep can beat that thing, it'll be a good seller for those who are looking for an off road EV.

 

[Cansberry]

My two cents…JT + camper shell is about as close as you’re going to get…aesthetically…to a modern XJ replacement.



I had a ‘97 XJ. Great memories with that rig. That was what struck me the first time I drove a JT. To me…the front of the cabin felt like a slightly roomier XJ.

I think the Gladiator is close, in some way. I don't think its similar in aesthetic, even with a camper shell, but there's something similar between them. Functionally, in Jeep's lineup, the JKU and JLU is probably the closest successor to an XJ which is also probably why Jeep made the following generations of Cherokee soft.

 

[TheOpa]

It is a fun car, and I've had fun restoring and refurbishing it over the years. It's one that I can say "it's not for sale".
Plus - it's all Jeep heritage.

Engine is 1994 ZJ 4.0, otherwise stock drivetrain. I transplanted the Jeep PCM, PDC, found an air box from a MOPAR van, had to move some things around to get it all to fit.
I really wish I had kept track of what I grabbed the coolant recover tank out of at the pick 'n pull back then. If it goes bad, I have no clue what car I got that from.
Lots of wiring, NOS parts, and time.

The black door handles are also Jeep half-door handles. Originally even on the Sport, the handles were chromed and I didn't like that look as well (besides they had 40 years and almost 200,000 miles on them)

Totally gratifying that something you put so much work into is called “absolutely stunning” by someone else, right? I’m sure you do it because you love it but still, that kind of recognition from someone else is nice. Very well done @ShadowsPapa !

 

[BearFootSam]

I think the Gladiator is close, in some way. I don't think its similar in aesthetic, even with a camper shell, but there's something similar between them. Functionally, in Jeep's lineup, the JKU and JLU is probably the closest successor to an XJ which is also probably why Jeep made the following generations of Cherokee soft.

I had the fortune to learn to drive in a 95' XJ Sport. The JT is the aesthetic child of the wrangler lineage but in terms of driving experience I think the XJ is a good close comparison. The feel of the longer wheelbase, solid axles and compact boxy greenhouse evoke the XJ.

That's a compliment if you appreciate the unique ride quality and slow but plucky 'go anywhere' feeling. Like the JT, the XJ was more cumbersome than quick, but I remember the back side of my neighborhood had this very steep hill and while the XJ never felt 'powerful' per-se, in second gear it gave the impression of digging in and climbing up without muss or fuss.

Similarly, the JT has the same unstoppable feel in the snow (IMHO), maybe something to do with still having a mechanical transfer case lever. I found myself telling my son I was engaging "snow mode" as I yanked it into 4-Hi much as my father said the same to me in the old Jeep. Being fun to drive in that way is probably why the old man has been driving one jeep after another for almost 30 years, I totally get it.

 

[dcmdon]

Every Rivian that I have seen has low profile, high-performance street tires on it.

And the Tesla had dedicates snow tires? Is marketed for off-road and snow like the Rivian?
Still had to laugh. Only the front half was really "buried" - the rear wasn't really in any snow to speak of.

Which leaves skill. Who knows.

The reality is that both of those vehicles equipped with dedicated winter tires and a skilled driver would be beasts in the snow.

And both, equipped with summer tires and an ignorant driver will be pretty terrible.

I have to say that this winter, we've gotten a fair amount of snow and my Gladiator with the Nokian snows has been an absolute beast. We've gone down trails in 16" of snow, we've driven 50 miles on packed powder. It's been fantastic.

We drove in conditions like this on one trip, for about 90 minutes and it was rock solid.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

We drove in conditions like this on one trip, for about 90 minutes and it was rock solid.

That's pretty close to what I was driving on when I got my General A/Tx tires and then hit clear spots and figured I should take it out of 4H part time - and reached down to shift only to realize I was in 2H the whole time. It did so well with those tires I didn't shift into 4 nearly as much.
Then I got my 2022 and drove to an appointment 30-35 minutes away right as a storm ended and before the roads were plowed fully and in 4H auto with those same tires, it was like having my Eagle wagon all over again. I didn't go full speed as there were "other drivers" out there in unknown states of experience and unknown vehicle/tire abilities (although not many - I'm sure some decided to stay home)
This stuff is nothing compared to how I grew up and learned driving in weather. I can't believe the things they shut down stuff over these days.
I drove my AMX is snow and road conditions many times worse than that, and while it was still storming. I guess things have changed and there's as many snowflakes in cars as on that road.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I had the fortune to learn to drive in a 95' XJ Sport.

The XJ was still years away from being on the drawing board when I learned. In fact, the Eagle was at least 2 years away from being proposed to the board of directors at AMC when I learned in a 64 Rambler.
My second Jeep was a Cherokee Sport (black in color and they continued the tradition of "Sports" having red trim unless the body color was red). Traded my Comanche for the Cherokee.
I abused that poor Cherokee towing a fairly heavy camper at interstate speeds. The 4.0 had the grunt to get moving easily, but once at speed, you didn't have the get-up-and-go to pass anyone real easily. We loved that thing. It was a great go anywhere in any conditions vehicle. Sold my wife on Jeeps and we later started buying Grand Cherokees after the ZJ was introduced. (the Grand Cherokee plans AMC had were why Lee Iacocca wanted AMC/Jeep, aside from some new engine designs also on the drawing board)

 

[dcmdon]

That's pretty close to what I was driving on when I got my General A/Tx tires and then hit clear spots and figured I should take it out of 4H part time - and reached down to shift only to realize I was in 2H the whole time. It did so well with those tires I didn't shift into 4 nearly as much.
Then I got my 2022 and drove to an appointment 30-35 minutes away right as a storm ended and before the roads were plowed fully and in 4H auto with those same tires, it was like having my Eagle wagon all over again. I didn't go full speed as there were "other drivers" out there in unknown states of experience and unknown vehicle/tire abilities (although not many - I'm sure some decided to stay home)
This stuff is nothing compared to how I grew up and learned driving in weather. I can't believe the things they shut down stuff over these days.
I drove my AMX is snow and road conditions many times worse than that, and while it was still storming. I guess things have changed and there's as many snowflakes in cars as on that road.

Unfortunately, I didn't take photos on the trail.

The conditions aren't that bad. What the photo can't convey is that I was able to safely maintain a pretty good clip because the traction was exceptional. Every so often on a straight section, I'd tap the brakes to just confirm the traction and it was pretty impressive.

I agree. They cancel stuff for nothing these days. The funny thing is that back in the 70s and 80s, nobody had AWD, stability control, traction control, or ABS. And we got there.

We had a Saab 99 back in the 70s and my dad's friend ran the Saab rally race shop, so we'd get used Vredestein snow tires from them and they were amazing in the snow. It helped that they were very very skinny, even for back then. 155/75-15s at a time when the standard Saab tire was 195/60-15.

I will probably replace my normal tires with the Grabbers when I need them.

How are you liking the SelecTrac? I can't believe so few people get it. My truck stays in 4H-Auto essentially all winter. Occasionally when I do a longish highway trip on dry roads, I'll switch it n and out a few times and leave it out just to exercise the FAD.

 

[Cansberry]

I had the fortune to learn to drive in a 95' XJ Sport. The JT is the aesthetic child of the wrangler lineage but in terms of driving experience I think the XJ is a good close comparison. The feel of the longer wheelbase, solid axles and compact boxy greenhouse evoke the XJ.

That's a compliment if you appreciate the unique ride quality and slow but plucky 'go anywhere' feeling. Like the JT, the XJ was more cumbersome than quick, but I remember the back side of my neighborhood had this very steep hill and while the XJ never felt 'powerful' per-se, in second gear it gave the impression of digging in and climbing up without muss or fuss.

Similarly, the JT has the same unstoppable feel in the snow (IMHO), maybe something to do with still having a mechanical transfer case lever. I found myself telling my son I was engaging "snow mode" as I yanked it into 4-Hi much as my father said the same to me in the old Jeep. Being fun to drive in that way is probably why the old man has been driving one jeep after another for almost 30 years, I totally get it.

That pretty much nails it, with all the words I couldn't get together. I learned to drive stick in an 07 Wrangler. XJs were going through the disposable off roader phase at that point. Shame so many of them got chewed up. Whenever I go looking for a nice one, its sticker shock every time.

 

[Cansberry]

I abused that poor Cherokee towing a fairly heavy camper at interstate speeds. The 4.0 had the grunt to get moving easily, but once at speed, you didn't have the get-up-and-go to pass anyone real easily. We loved that thing.

My first move in the military, I had a Uhaul hooked up to my XJ, going through the mountains in northern Idaho on bald tires. I've never been more terrified driving in my life, but the little Jeep, overloaded, on those bald tires, and at over 20 years old just chugged along happily, albeit, slowly.

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