sirsamuel764
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Hey all! You've probably seen me lurking around the forum for awhile now. My name is Sam and I have wanted a gladiator since the day they were rumored. I am excited to say that I've finally paid the price to get into the club, and I should have mine in a little over a week. It's been a long journey, but worth the wait.
Info on my Jeep and on Me. I am an Ohioan recently displaced to Dallas to get my Doctorate in history. I currently teach history at a university in Dallas, where I specialize in antebellum history, the founding, and congress. I also work for a nonprofit that provides nonpartisan political information. I named my jeep the Pequod after the ship in Moby Dick... I'm also a huge american literature buff.
So the long story is as follows. Back in 2012 I was working at a chevy dealer to work my way through college. I did custom work on trucks: radios, lifts, etc. I was between a used JK and a new silverado. I couldn't go wrong with the employee pricing at the time (they have since reduced it significantly). So I bought the silverado. I've loved the old girl dearly, and I was probably right to buy the truck at the time because I use the bed quite frequently, but I have realized that I don't need all that bed. Right after I bought the silverado, however, I began looking to trade it in for a JK. What made things worse was that less than two weeks after that I got my new chevy stuck in a hail storm, and when they fixed the dents they didn't do a great job. But I digress.
So yesterday I officially sent the check and signed the papers from vacation all the way up in Ohio. I've got a lot of mods in mind, but this is going to be my overlanding/camping rig, as well as a crawler and a daily driver, so I'm trying to do a ton of research and keep a good balance between toy and practicality. Here is what I am thinking for the rounds of my modding.
Round 1:
1. Mopar lift (i've debated this over and over again-- I was really close to going with Rusty's and might down the line--but I decided to go conservative. It's getting installed while I'm on vacation)
2. Method "the standard" wheels in 17 inch (on order right now from DTD, will drive straight from the stealership to DTD to get them put on)
3. Nitto Ridge grapplers, 35 inch (I've always run nittos, my chevy has nitto trails and I wanted to try something different with a little less noise and that wears a little better, we will see how they go)
4. Spiked Lugs.. I know, I know... I had to do it and I might end up hating them
5. Color matched flares from a fellow forum member I hope to pick them up the week after the truck and install them
6. Other minimal stuff, new antenna, spray in liner, the little cup holder things, stuff to tie me over until I save up enough to do more big modding.
Round 2:
1. Retractable tonneau cover with bed rack. I am really looking for a more affordable option to the one currently out. I like that it is American made, but I want to see some competition.
2. RTT. Hard top one, low profile. Definitely open to suggestions, but I want it to fit over the bed with no overhang, and I want it to be easily removable for daily driving. I am thinking the ikamper one but I am still doing some research.
Round 3:
1. Running boards. I am thinking the tygers.
2. Steel bumper. I am thinking the mopar?
3. American Adventure Labs highline fenders
4. Some kind of sound make-over
Theres probably a lot I am missing here that I have thought about, but this is my starting list.
Here are some pics of the old truck and the new truck.
This is the best I got for now! The in laws took it for my while I'm away
The old girl:
Info on my Jeep and on Me. I am an Ohioan recently displaced to Dallas to get my Doctorate in history. I currently teach history at a university in Dallas, where I specialize in antebellum history, the founding, and congress. I also work for a nonprofit that provides nonpartisan political information. I named my jeep the Pequod after the ship in Moby Dick... I'm also a huge american literature buff.
So the long story is as follows. Back in 2012 I was working at a chevy dealer to work my way through college. I did custom work on trucks: radios, lifts, etc. I was between a used JK and a new silverado. I couldn't go wrong with the employee pricing at the time (they have since reduced it significantly). So I bought the silverado. I've loved the old girl dearly, and I was probably right to buy the truck at the time because I use the bed quite frequently, but I have realized that I don't need all that bed. Right after I bought the silverado, however, I began looking to trade it in for a JK. What made things worse was that less than two weeks after that I got my new chevy stuck in a hail storm, and when they fixed the dents they didn't do a great job. But I digress.
So yesterday I officially sent the check and signed the papers from vacation all the way up in Ohio. I've got a lot of mods in mind, but this is going to be my overlanding/camping rig, as well as a crawler and a daily driver, so I'm trying to do a ton of research and keep a good balance between toy and practicality. Here is what I am thinking for the rounds of my modding.
Round 1:
1. Mopar lift (i've debated this over and over again-- I was really close to going with Rusty's and might down the line--but I decided to go conservative. It's getting installed while I'm on vacation)
2. Method "the standard" wheels in 17 inch (on order right now from DTD, will drive straight from the stealership to DTD to get them put on)
3. Nitto Ridge grapplers, 35 inch (I've always run nittos, my chevy has nitto trails and I wanted to try something different with a little less noise and that wears a little better, we will see how they go)
4. Spiked Lugs.. I know, I know... I had to do it and I might end up hating them
5. Color matched flares from a fellow forum member I hope to pick them up the week after the truck and install them
6. Other minimal stuff, new antenna, spray in liner, the little cup holder things, stuff to tie me over until I save up enough to do more big modding.
Round 2:
1. Retractable tonneau cover with bed rack. I am really looking for a more affordable option to the one currently out. I like that it is American made, but I want to see some competition.
2. RTT. Hard top one, low profile. Definitely open to suggestions, but I want it to fit over the bed with no overhang, and I want it to be easily removable for daily driving. I am thinking the ikamper one but I am still doing some research.
Round 3:
1. Running boards. I am thinking the tygers.
2. Steel bumper. I am thinking the mopar?
3. American Adventure Labs highline fenders
4. Some kind of sound make-over
Theres probably a lot I am missing here that I have thought about, but this is my starting list.
Here are some pics of the old truck and the new truck.
This is the best I got for now! The in laws took it for my while I'm away
The old girl:
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