Since 3 years I have topaz gold '84 grand wagoneer that has been imported from the Reno Nevada area all the way to The Netherlands.
I absolutely love driving it, but with the wet Dutch weather something needs to be done to preserve it better as the worn out paint will not protect it any longer.
over the last 3 years my family and I made some trips, we absolutely love it, my two teenagers are calling dibs on it for when they get their drivers license, so that's proof of good parenting right there!
We also to want to take this thing on longer journeys the drivetrain has got to go. highway speeds here are 75miles an hour and the 3 speed does not like that at all. The MPG is terrible which hurts a lot with European gas prices, ($9 per gallon)
here it comes:
the tank takes 19 gallons, taken the current fuel cost here and the exchange rate that costs the equivalent of $144 to fuel her up
so 144,- takes me around 180 miles... that has its impact on the amount of smiles per gallon
Ok, not fair, I live in one of the most car unfriendly countries in the western world, and I knew that when I bought it.
however, I have grown to like the wagoneer so much, I want to drive it more, and further, so it will get:
- 5.7 hemi
- 8hp70 gearbox (engine /trans on order)
- hydroboost brakes
- Soundproofing so it does not sound like a tin box anymore
- razor grille since you all voted for that! - nope, liked the egg crate grille more!
- LED headlights (but they need to look good, current JL or renegade style is cool, but aftermarket not so much)
- super wagoneer inspired center console with armrest (found one, yay)
- new upholstery, carpet , headliner
- fresh paint, midnight blue!
- - no more, it will be changed for something else.
as soon as the engine is in, time to start fabricating! I'll be posting image of the progress regularly, although I am able to work on it only one day a week. unfortunately the jeep is in a shop 30 minutes away as I do not have a shop or good garage space at home.
pic of last summer:
in the picture it sure looks a lot better than it is. all the clear coat has been burned off by the sun, the woodgrain is bubbling off, and there are little rusty paint chips allover. all the weatherstripping is rock hard and leaky, this is a typical unmolested desert car and I am looking forward to getting her back to glory!