Looks awesome!A few years ago, I got tired of waiting for the Gladiator so I turned my 97 TJ into a Brute:
That's the original AEV Brute, it's been out of production for a while. You could buy the kit in sections or all at once, I think it was around $10k. I think I sold one back in the day when I worked at Quadratec. It was a very well done kit, with excellent instructions... if you had some basic fab tools and a little experience you could do it at home with a few buddies over a winter, but I think most of them were built at shops. And you could buy one turn-key from AEV for a few years, too. https://www.quadratec.com/brand/aev/aev-brute-conversion https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_204_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_201_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_203_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_202_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_204_T.htmBoth look awesome!
Was that a kit you used for the TJ?
It does drive & handle as well as it did before the conversion, except the engine needs more power going up a hill. I plan to swap motors at some point. I was encouraged to replace the 4.0 when I did the conversion but I didn’t have permission from the wife to spend the extra money. HahaI might grab up one these one day, because fits in JT history. Looks like it should drive and handle okay... True? Thanks for the pics!
Yes. The kit came from AEV. I bought it through an AEV dealer in Chattanooga (Tom’s 4x4) who had built one himself several years ago and still had it. It took a year for AEV to ship the kit but it was worth the wait!Both look awesome!
Was that a kit you used for the TJ?
I saw it in the Quadratec catalog many years ago when I first bought that TJ. When it needed to be refurbished I decided to spend the extra $10k to make it a collectors item and a great conversation piece. I think it was 2016 when I did the conversion and I have heard that they are no longer available but you can send a JKU to AEV and they will turn it into a Brute Double Cab. I’ve seen a white one and a black one around Nashville and they are gorgeous! I have to believe Jeep used them as their model for the Gladiator.That's the original AEV Brute, it's been out of production for a while. You could buy the kit in sections or all at once, I think it was around $10k. I think I sold one back in the day when I worked at Quadratec. It was a very well done kit, with excellent instructions... if you had some basic fab tools and a little experience you could do it at home with a few buddies over a winter, but I think most of them were built at shops. And you could buy one turn-key from AEV for a few years, too. https://www.quadratec.com/brand/aev/aev-brute-conversion https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_204_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_201_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_203_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_202_T.htm https://www.quadratec.com/products/12503_204_T.htm
A very cool truck, I really like the lines of the bed.
Great looking trucks. I really loved the straight six in my 97 TJ. You must love you some power up hills. Unless you go 8cyl I don't know what the other options are for a motor. Do you stay jeep, Mopar, or do you change out to something different?It does drive & handle as well as it did before the conversion, except the engine needs more power going up a hill. I plan to swap motors at some point. I was encouraged to replace the 4.0 when I did the conversion but I didn’t have permission from the wife to spend the extra money. Haha
I love the JTs! I consider CJs & JTs to be the best.
I’ll probably go with an LS or a hemi. The only time I wish I had already swapped the motor is when I’m on the interstate going up a hill and dropping it into 4th at 65 and 3rd at 55 and running it the rest of the way up the hill at 4000 rpms. I’m sure having 200,000 miles on it doesn’t help. I’ve thought about rebuilding this motor but I’ve never completely rebuilt a motor and I don’t have a lot of free time so I’m hesitant.Great looking trucks. I really loved the straight six in my 97 TJ. You must love you some power up hills. Unless you go 8cyl I don't know what the other options are for a motor. Do you stay jeep, Mopar, or do you change out to something different?
Lol. I’m not sure why I got so much hate for tossing that idea out there. If someone said they wanted to run for President I would think that they were foolish but I would wish them the best of luck.Very nice, excellent effort at redeeming yourself for trying to scalp your LE