I'm home.
First of all ... thanks to all y'all that called and checked on me durin' the drive. The previous owner was also callin' ... 'bout ev'ry two hours. 'Bout midnight last night, he admitted they'd never driven the thang over a hun'erd miles.
Facts and figures ...
1178.9 miles from the hotel parkin' lot in Fenton, Michigan to the awnin' of the shop here at The 3X's. 20:10 drive time. Mainly runnin' 75 mph at 2100 rpm. 11 - 13 mpg. Two tanks at 13 were drivin' thru Indy and St. Louis where speed limit was slower. Brutus don't exactly slice thru the wind. I bet a Fella could get 15 if'n he had the patience to drive 50 or so. I'll stick with the 11 mpg at 75 mph.
Major delays:
1) As previously reported, ran outta gas in Indiana. Recognized fuel gauge was hung up at half a tank for awhile but misjudged my mpg on the first tank. So coasted 'er to a stop on the side of the highway and started walkin'. Fortunately, I had only walked a hun'erd feet or so when a stretched limo pullled over to offer me a ride. Already in the back were two Indianapolis Colt cheerleaders. They then proceeded to get buck nekkid and started havin' sex with each other ... or at least that's what I was hopin' for as I friggin' hiked two miles to a convenience store and bought the only gas cans they had ... (2) 1-gallon jugs at $6.99 each ... filled 'em with fuel and friggin' hiked back. The worst part of the hike was worryin' lack of fuel was the only problem I had and not some sorta elecrical glitch in the computer harness that would mean I was major stranded. Cost me damn-near an hour.
2) Now gun shy ... and tired of walkin' ... I stopped ev'ry hun'erd or so miles the rest of the trip to fuel. Cost alot of time.
3) 'Bout 8 pm last night, I got off the Will Roger Turnpike in Big Cabin, Oklahoma and turned onto 69 headed south to Muskogee. Pair of headlights behind me changin' lanes back and forth. Then lit up a big-ass spotlight on me ... then lit up the blue lights. Dammit man ... Johnny Law. Pulled into the parkin' lot of the big truck stop there and shut 'er down. Gentleman walked up and quickly explained he couldn't tell with just his headlights whether or not Brutus was a modified Scrambler or a Brute conversion ... so he hit his spotlight. He then instantly realized it was an actual Brute ... so he hit the blue lights. Seems he'd never seen one in person and had only seen one on Pirate4X4 where he frequents to get info on buildin' his rockcrawlers. Held me up for 25 minutes while he went inside, outside, on top of, beneath ...
As I was finally pullin' outta the parkin' lot ... I realized that was the exact location I had stopped and crawled into the sleeper for some sleep when I drove Lil' Pete down after I bought her ...
So the bad:
1) Fuel gauge don't work.
2) Glitch in the harness makes check-engine light and 4wd-indicator light stay lit. We unplugged the 4wd light. Also disabled the air-bag light.
3) Wind noise really sucks BAD. Gonna need some new weatherstrippin'.
4) LOTS of heat from firewall and floor. I'm thinkin' bedliner spray. Sure helped on the Cruiser.
5) Shock reservoir rubs under the hood. Other misc. rattles and squeeks need to be tightened up.
6) Tranny shifter is interestin'. Don't light up ... and don't line up with the factory indicators. When in "Drive", indicates "neutral" for example.
7) No cruise control.
8) Stereo speakers are blown.
... and the good:
1) PERFORMANCE!! Handlin' on the interstate is comparable to a brand new half-ton truck. Very comfortable ride. Hit 90 a couple of times durin' passin'. Just unbelievable for a one-ton rockcrawler with coilovers and 40" tires. Lots of power and shifts strong. Accelerates like a sports car. Bonus points for the odometer/speedometer bein' within 2% over (2) 1-hun'erd-mile tests based on highway mile posts.
2) STYLE!! jeep or not ... Brutus is one mean lookin' SOB.
I'll go outside and get some pics now to post up.
... and the unknown:
1) Look forward to seein' how she does wheelin'.
