Jeep Beach Anyone???

[RealTruck]

I'll be there starting Tues - Sun. You will most likely find me with the Outlaw Offroad crowd, as my Gladiator will be in their booth.

I'm going to scope out the event today, but I'm planning to head back again, later in the week. I'll have to look out for your rig when I return!!
-Todd

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[RealTruck]

Are there good deals to be had on merch at the expo?
Best time to go on Friday?
How many hours should I allot myself there?

There are always deals!
Not sure about times on Friday...
When you were a kid, how much time did you allot yourself at a massive toy store? LOL
-Todd

 

[RealTruck]

it's 18 hours away so l will not be able to go unfortunately.

Is there anything in particular I might be able to check out for you and report back?
-Todd

 

[RealTruck]

Thanks for the recommendations.

You did mention "watching underbuilt Jeeps try to tackle the hard lane" in prior years. Does that, in your opinion, exclude a basically stock Willys JKU (they have the Rubicon suspension and tires) that has not been lifted any further?

Just curious.

Even a stock Willy is pretty capable, but it is fun to see someone reach their rig's limit so that they can't quite make it. You know... because of science.
-Todd

 

[bleda2002]

Thanks for the recommendations.

You did mention "watching underbuilt Jeeps try to tackle the hard lane" in prior years. Does that, in your opinion, exclude a basically stock Willys JKU (they have the Rubicon suspension and tires) that has not been lifted any further?

Just curious.

On previous years with the lanes a stock Willy's should have been able to tackle everything but the last 2 hardest lanes (and possibly the 2nd hardest depending on how willing to pound it in to submission you were). The staff doesn't really tell you which lane to do based on vehicle build so you'd have gladiators or wranglers that had 35s and a leveling kit as their only mods trying to climb jersey barriers and then smash through a pit of broken concrete chunks. Sucks for the driver but fantastic as a spectator.

As for the deals, you can usually get some decent deals on stuff, it varies greatly by vendor but basically all of them will have at least some kind of discount even ones that normally don't discount at all.

 

[SingGladiator]

We head there first thing Friday morning through Sunday! I’m going to come up for the light show Wednesday night to check it out.

 

[tysongladiator]

it's 18 hours away so l will not be able to go unfortunately.

You can make it. I frequent 16hrs back and forth between Texas to go wheeling. Just joking with ya. Plan for 2027.

 

[Mr Miami]

On previous years with the lanes a stock Willy's should have been able to tackle everything but the last 2 hardest lanes (and possibly the 2nd hardest depending on how willing to pound it in to submission you were). The staff doesn't really tell you which lane to do based on vehicle build so you'd have gladiators or wranglers that had 35s and a leveling kit as their only mods trying to climb jersey barriers and then smash through a pit of broken concrete chunks. Sucks for the driver but fantastic as a spectator.

As for the deals, you can usually get some decent deals on stuff, it varies greatly by vendor but basically all of them will have at least some kind of discount even ones that normally don't discount at all.

Thank you sooo much. I guess I will take the Willys JKU instead of the Rubi Gladiator. I'll watch others first before doing anything to beat it up too much (I have a 350 mile drive home to the Keys). Since I don't have the stock rock rails but stitched them to the Sahara steps to make it easier for wifey to enter, I don't want the Willys to get too pissed with me ... lol. But thanks so much. It should be fun.

If you see a grey '16 Willys JKU with factory half doors (quite rare) say hi! By the way, my Willys has the standard grey Rubicon wheels (not the Rubicon wheels that they painted shiny black) and a grey grill cover (again, not the shiny black one that was standard). I'm in my late 60's, and I do remember a few original Willys Jeeps on the streets when I was a kid and never recall seeing anything shiny on them. That's why when I ordered mine, I wanted nothing shiny.

Let's have a great time!

 

[bleda2002]

Thank you sooo much. I guess I will take the Willys JKU instead of the Rubi Gladiator. I'll watch others first before doing anything to beat it up too much (I have a 350 mile drive home to the Keys). Since I don't have the stock rock rails but stitched them to the Sahara steps to make it easier for wifey to enter, I don't want the Willys to get too pissed with me ... lol. But thanks so much. It should be fun.

If you see a grey '16 Willys JKU with factory half doors (quite rare) say hi! By the way, my Willys has the standard grey Rubicon wheels (not the Rubicon wheels that they painted shiny black) and a grey grill cover (again, not the shiny black one that was standard). I'm in my late 60's, and I do remember a few original Willys Jeeps on the streets when I was a kid and never recall seeing anything shiny on them. That's why when I ordered mine, I wanted nothing shiny.

Let's have a great time!

For sure, feel free to say hi if you see my gladiator or the wife's jlu, next year I'll bring the jku I'm currently building but it's disassembled for paint.

 

[Trauma PA]

There are always deals!
Not sure about times on Friday...
When you were a kid, how much time did you allot yourself at a massive toy store? LOL
-Todd

Massive toy store
That’s what I’m afraid of

 

[RealTruck]

So, I drove out to Daytona yesterday, just to scope out what was going on. I'm not sure what I was expecting, since there was not much on the Jeep Beach schedule. I guess I was hoping to find clusters of Jeep folks that I could drop in on, and there may have been some, I just didn't see any. I did see what seemed like a few more than average Wranglers and Gladiators, but I didn't see any groups huddled up. I even drove through the parking lot at Buc-ee's.
The biggest events are this coming Friday and Saturday at the speedway. I'm planning to head back on Friday. I need to see some of my RealTruck friends that will be in town, and visit some of the other vendors I know. As always, I'm looking forward to chatting with people about their builds and their adventures!
-Todd

 

[KevinC]

I will be camping at Tomoka State Park Wednesday thru Saturday.

It would be cool to meet up with some of you forum people. I know it is hard to do as we are all over the town doing various things.

Thursday will be the beach day for me. I will be right off the Cardinal Ave ramp in Ormond Beach. 4x4 only ramp and a lot less crowded.

Friday I will be at the vendor show. I'm not sure how long I will get to attend. I will have my 5 month old dog with me and she hasn't spent much time alone in a strange setting (camper). I'm going to do a few test runs beforehand and see if she tolerates it.

 

[RealTruck]

I will be camping at Tomoka State Park Wednesday thru Saturday.

It would be cool to meet up with some of you forum people. I know it is hard to do as we are all over the town doing various things.

Thursday will be the beach day for me. I will be right off the Cardinal Ave ramp in Ormond Beach. 4x4 only ramp and a lot less crowded.

Friday I will be at the vendor show. I'm not sure how long I will get to attend. I will have my 5 month old dog with me and she hasn't spent much time alone in a strange setting (camper). I'm going to do a few test runs beforehand and see if she tolerates it.

Awesome! I'll send up a signal when I get out there on Friday. Maybe we'll cross paths and get to hang for a bit!
-Todd

 

[Mr Miami]

Well, we are leaving Key Largo after lunch on Thursday (yea, about a 5 1/2 hour drive without traffic) so we should be in Daytona by 6PM, hoping to see any events or I am sure there are sufficient watering holes to prepare for Friday and Saturday.

Still not sure which Jeep I am driving. In my mind, about 70% Willys JKU Wrangler and 30% Gladiator Rubicon. But since both of them are relatively stock (I don't count the Apex 1200 winch since I'm not planning on getting stuck but if I do, I bet I am not far from help ... lol) and both have the rock rails removed and Sahara OEM side steps, I don't want to get into tooooo much banging underneath. I am still pondering the choices here on Monday evening. So goes the life of a Jeep owner.

 

[Trauma PA]

Spending 3 nights in Orlando on our way to Jeep Beach. It’s our 25th wedding Anniversary week. Had an amazing dinner last night at The Palm Restaurant at Hard Rock Orlando. Relaxing pool day today and then off to Daytona Beach tomorrow at O dark 30. Looking forward to seeing all the creative and awesome builds.

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