Build Updates: Project Redneck

We recently headed out to the Temecula Promenade Mall for Off Road Nights 2016. The show featured everything off-road in the ultimate dirt lifestyle event. The show gave us a great spot to show off our project vehicles and all the hard work we have put into them.

Project Redneck headed to the show dawning a completed new green custom roll cage and custom fabricated front bumper and Mean Mother winch. The Jeep drew a lot of attention due to the bright colors, but also because all the custom work that was done.

Redneck’s owner, Dean Jigamian, was on hand to answer the questions of everyone who came to check the vehicle out. Up on the mini-RTI ramp, Redneck was able to show just how much articulation it had to conquer any rock on the trail.

A view that you do not get to see too often, and one you do not want to see if you are on the trail. Even with the show going on we were able to do a quick inspection on the ramp to make sure everything cleared. This was a great show for people to see all the custom, one-off fabrication the owner has done to the vehicle.

Cracks are never a good thing, especially in the windshield. The one on Project Redneck had seen better days. We replaced it with the help of Optic Armor.

The replacement windshield fit just like a factory replacement. No special tools or mounting was needed to get the new glass in the Jeep. The window dropped in with some new window seal.

We did not realize how bad the old window was until we got behind the wheel and looked out of our new glass. The crack was something we had become accustomed to, but everything looked clearer now. The clarity was as if a muddy pond had suddenly turned crystal blue — it was that much of an improvement.

It was somewhat odd for us to treat a new product, especially a windshield, the way we did, but it was designed to handle this type of abuse. Driving next to trees trying to hit the branches was unusual, but we had to see what the window could do. To our amazement, there were no scratches to be found.

Out at a local 4WD meet, Project Redneck showed off the beginning stages of the transformation. The Jeep caught peoples attention with its unique style.

The interior cage structure is completed and gives the aluminum something to hold on to. The cage mirrors the body of the Jeep, while still giving that extra safety assurance on the trail.

The rear part of the Jeep is now all inclosed and covered with aluminum that will be covered in a durable truck bed material. Some side panels around the doors still need to be fabricated, but it will be a very unique custom addition to the build.

Every off-road build gets to the point were you just do not want to use any more bolt-on parts. That time has come for Project Redneck, as we get ready to play with some metal and make some great additions to the truck. The majority of this tube will be going into a roll cage.

In addition to the roll cage we will be adding rolled tube fenders. These fenders will allow for more wheel clearance as well as adding strength.

The fenders are starting to take shape and over the next couple weeks will be completed and installed onto the Jeep. Hand fabricating the fenders allows us to make sure we have the exact fit we want.

And that is how you fit 80 feet of tubing in a Jeep. We have a lot of fun work ahead of us. Stay tuned for more updates on the build.

Fuel Boosted OMF beadlock conversion wheels, wrapped in Dick Cepek Extreme Country tires look to add the traction needed for the trail.

The wide outer voids allow for more traction in the mud, while the inner voids are tighter for traction on smoother surfaces.

The sections of terrain we were going through consisted of hard packed dirt, loose gravel, sand, and smaller rocks. The Jeep rolled over everything with ease. Once done playing around on the flat land, we headed to the hills to see how they did on an incline.

TNT Custom’s Rock-Tek High Clearance Long Arm Upgrade kit, complete with steel belly pan, coil mounts, and more.

Dean maneuvers the new bumper into place before reattaching all the nuts and bolts.

Next stop: soft top removal and installation.

A soft top that will stand up to the sun and tree branches, bumpers that offer excellent entry and departure angles as well as support lights and accessories such as a winch, a tire carrier that can put up with abuse and stay still, and a duo of lights to stave off the night; Project Redneck is definitely prepped for adventure now.

Project Redneck is our 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ. It came to us needing some upgrades to make it trail-worthy and live up to the Jeep legacy. The Jeep had seen its fair share of dirt on the trails, but needed to get some more love in the areas it was lacking.

When off-roading, we need to be prepared for anything. The addition of a winch and other accessories will allow us to know that when the tires hit the dirt, it will be able to get off the trail or help another vehicle get unstuck. We want to make sure the Jeep is equipped with what it needs to allow the owner countless hours of fun.