The Tipping Point

I think at this point, I've gotten carried away. Suddenly, there's a big pile of parts where a Jeep used to be. Bonnie is not quite herself these days.

However, we are making progress! I had a local specialist, (as the guy on "Wheeler Dealers" would say) Mike Deaderick at  Auto Electric on W. Market in JC rebuild the original starter and generator. He has 27 years experience and did an absolutely amazing job. Better than new bushings and bearings in both of them. The manual oilers on the generator won't even be necessary any more! He bench tested everything with the voltage regulator to make sure everything worked. He repainted everything back to the original, factory look. Bill was barely over $90 for everything. That is an AMAZING deal.

Generator at top, starter at bottom. All cleaned up and brand-new again! 

Since everything on Bonnie is in such great shape, I just keep taking more and more apart. I'm pretty much diving in head first and stripping her down to the frame. Thank goodness we have a large garage/basement and an understanding landlord. Yes, landlord. I'm doing this whole restoration in an apartment! 

Front axle and frame rail. This is as bad as any age/corrosion gets on Bonnie. No reason to not strip it down, clean it up and rebuild it while I'm here. 

The only problem is... I'm starting to end up with a big pile of parts in baggies, piles of big parts, crates of big parts. What do I do with those? Hmmm... does anyone remember the episode of M*A*S*H where Radar tries to mail home a Jeep one part at a time? How much is postage these days...

2 of the bigger parts I have to get out of the floor: the fenders. They don't need any work done, just a good cleanup. 

At this point, I have to figure out how to sneak a paint-booth and sandblaster in the apartment. Maybe this has gone too far. Eh, resistance is futile... prepare to be restored! 

Also, tonight, the wife had me stop and look at a 1986 Grand Wagoneer for sale. $3900 or best offer. I swear, we are in danger of starting a herd. You know you're a Jeep fanatic when someone ask you how many head of Jeep you have. 

Would it be a herd? A pod? A gaggle? A murder? 

A friend says they are pack animals. They recognize your own. You park yours in a parking lot, and almost always, when you come back out, another one has parked near you. I guess they keep each other company whilst their owners are gone.