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1983 GMC, Jeeper Eater Project
Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:36 pm
by PR
I mentioned in another post about my old GMC pick-up project - happy to share with you guys what was a LOT of fun, both modding and driving!
(it wasn't 1981 as I had written, that was another project, a Patrol MQ, which I'll also share another day LOOL)
BEFORE
AFTER
my daughter who helps me with all projects 8)

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:21 am
by t_almagboul
good luck in your project PR it look great
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:18 pm
by Wasif Ahmed
Ausome....must have been a blast to drive.....do you still have it ???
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:30 pm
by pseacraft
The full-size Jimmy did not stick around very long. The GMC badged Chevy Blazer. good motor and short wheel base...a jeep eater only in the sand..but i would still take a CJ7. It would be nice to be able to have projects like that here...you are fortunate.
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 3:59 pm
by PR
Yeah, it was a fun project. Sold to a buddy several years ago: he has since re-painted and dropped in a Chevy Avalanche engine and auto gear-box!!! I had the old 3-gear manual box (plus tree-stump puller LO

and the gear lever was like 3 feet long! LOL
This was the 1/2 ton Jimmy, the K5, the short wheelbase one... the original brochure said "you never know when you'll need to cart a half-ton of gravel" LOOOOOOOL
Funny thing is, I start a project with a vision in mind, in fact, that's what makes me buy the vehicle... this one was to be the recovery vehicle of excellence, and hence the name Jeeper Eater - it could and did pull all sorts of stuck vehicles effortlessly, including dead cars over dunes... nothing could stop the Jeeper Eater.
Climbing errrrrrr it was just okay... not enough speed... but that didn't matter, the project was not meant to be a dune climber. I see beauty in the different capabilities of various vehicles, not only screaming up dunes. My dune climbing project was in fact a Jeep Wrangler YJ - the white one in the flag post. Light as a feather, wheels not too big, tuned to perfection 8) it came in first place in the Dune Climb at the Dubai4x4 King Vehicle of the Desert, climbing a clear full length above everyone else... but the Jeeper Eater, too much low-end torque to fly, but if I tied a rope onto any car, I could drag it behind me whether he liked it or not LOOOOOOOL
Lifted it 6" and was wearing 37" tyres! Removed the tailgate and had a net there instead, and added 3 PIAA lights up top. In addition to the usual mechanical overhaul stuff.
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:02 pm
by tintin
great project PR, I just wish I had teh time for something like that. One day eh!
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 9:22 am
by Wasif Ahmed
Whats the current ongoing project these days
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:39 pm
by PR
That's a great question!!! Not quite sure, actually.
Buddy DesertDude last night suggested I build a buggy... it might actually be the answer. Has a UAE offroader built a home-made buggy before?
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:47 pm
by Wasif Ahmed
I'm sure you will have the honor of being the first to do so PR
Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:59 pm
by PR
Cool 8) I wonder if it's too big a project, though... I think it would take a lot of design work, and engineering background to make sure it doesn't just bend over the first bump!
I don't have a mechanical or engineering background at all, and I'm self-learned at the mechanical work I do and I rely heavily on the repair manuals. I'm pretty good at following instructions, but it's a very different game to make up your own instructions!
I'll start a new thread for ideas...