From Breakdown to Build: The Jeep That Changed Everything
It's hard to believe that it's been six years since we purchased our first Jeep. In the summer of 2020 chaos, we had a curve ball thrown at us when Angie’s engine locked up, and that one moment forced a decision that completely changed the direction of our lives.
I wasn’t about to replace it with another boring, hard-to-work-on SUV. As a backyard mechanic, I had a few non-negotiables: a rear-wheel-drive platform, true 4WD, and something I could actually wrench on without fighting it every step of the way.
At the time, a truck wasn’t in the budget, which limited our options. Then we came across a high-mileage Jeep JK. It had solid axles front and rear, a body-on-frame design, and everything I was looking for. The mileage was the only downside—and probably the only reason we could afford it.
So we bought it.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that this Jeep wasn’t just a vehicle, it was the start of a chain reaction.
Before the Jeep
I’ve been drawn to the outdoors for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the country, I spent most of my time outside, exploring whatever land I could get access to.
When I turned 18, that turned into an obsession with four-wheelers. What started as ditch riding with a friend quickly escalated into racing. I went from a Honda 250EX to an ’86 Honda 250R, and eventually to a fully built ’88 250R with long-travel suspension and a built motor. That machine was an absolute rocket, and I put countless miles on it.
By 2005, I stepped into a brand-new Honda 450R. It had great power, but the suspension didn’t compare to what I had built before. After a single 15-mile ride, I tore it down and started over. Over the next few years, I turned it into a full race machine—long-travel suspension, built motor, everything I could possibly do to it.
Then, just like that, it ended.
I was riding at a friend’s track after a rainstorm. I hit a section I had cleared countless times before, but the conditions were different. One tire caught mud, the other didn’t, and the machine kicked sideways mid-air. When I landed, my leg got caught in the nerf bar netting.
That crash led to surgery, a long recovery, and the end of my riding career.
Shifting Gears
Like a lot of people, I shifted focus into building a career. I went from being a prototype machinist to a full-time CNC programmer, eventually starting my own contracting business.
For years, that’s where my energy went.
Until the Jeep.
The Trip That Changed Everything
In 2021, we decided to take the Jeep to Moab for the first time. It was a stock 2008 JKU, and we didn’t have much of a plan, just a sense that we needed to go.
We grabbed some trail maps from the visitor center and spent the week exploring. Even in stock form, the Jeep handled level 3 trails without issue.
That trip flipped a switch.
It pulled me back into off-road motorsports in a way I didn’t expect. Honestly, it was something I needed more than I even realized at the time.
Building Something More
When we got back, I didn’t ease into it, I went all in.
I started collecting parts and planning the next version of the Jeep. One-ton axles, larger tires, a full long-arm suspension, and eventually an LS V8 swap. Piece by piece, it transformed into something entirely different from what we originally bought.
But somewhere along the way, the build stopped being just about the Jeep.
It became about creating again.
A New Direction
That momentum is what led me to start a YouTube channel, sharing what I’ve learned, documenting the builds, and hopefully inspiring other people to get outside. It also pushed me to take things a step further and start building a business around designing and manufacturing parts for off-road vehicles.
Even with a solid career in CNC programming, I’ve been feeling the pull toward something different. Over the years, I’ve built up the tools, the skills, and the experience. Now it feels like it’s time to actually use them, to create parts, build vehicles, and see where it goes.
I’ve always believed in controlling your own direction, even when it means taking risks.
The Next Step
And that brings me here.
As much as this Jeep means to me, it’s time to let it go. Not because I want to, but because it’s the next step forward.
What started as a simple replacement vehicle turned into something much bigger: a return to building, creating, and pushing limits.
Now it’s time to take that momentum and turn it into something real, which means the Jeep is officially up for sale. As tough as it is to let it go, it’s the move I need to make to fund what comes next.
The next builds are already in motion:
- A Chevy Colorado Stage 1 BDR build
- A fully custom Jeep LJ
- And eventually, a 4800 class King of the Hammers race car
This Jeep started it all—but it’s just the beginning. Stay tuned to see what I have in store.