well at least a merry christmas to me. got my gift a bit early because it would be dumb to get it in Connecticut and then bother with shipping it here so...

here it is



and what could this box possibly contain?

the excitement was just to much, I couldn't refrain

so I ripped it open, being skillfull with my knife

and revealed a wonderful piece of property that is better than a wife





but for real...Merry Christmas

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 11:46 AM. Reason : .]

12/8/2005 11:45:14 AM

hmmm, looks familiar...

12/8/2005 11:47:45 AM

we don't have gas yet tho ivan....or a helmet......or gloves

btw, u think the miller big window elite would be a good choice? which helmet did u get?

12/8/2005 11:50:21 AM

we just got some new miller elite helmets for tig work at the shop, they are freakin sweet.

but im all nervous about using them for mig work after ruining a lincoln autodark last week with an overhead drip.

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 12:01 PM. Reason : and whats with the bling ass cart? shopping cart not good enough for ya? :flipoff2:]

12/8/2005 12:00:58 PM

eh, i can't remember... it's whatever the nicest miller auto dark was out at the time a few years ago. XLi or something like that? def. don't skimp on spending money on a decent helmet, and get an auto dark one for sure. who needs gloves and all that gay crap though...

Quote :

"and whats with the bling ass cart? shopping cart not good enough for ya?"

haha, yeah they'll learn soon enough how much those carts suck ass, especially if you're trying to roll on anything but smooth concrete.

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 12:06 PM. Reason : .]

12/8/2005 12:04:21 PM

haha! we were gonna do the good old shopping cart, but it was a gift, and came with the cart. there are no handles to push/pull tho, might hafta make some now that we can

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 12:06 PM. Reason : i know ivan, no gloves, sandals, and athletic shorts, you're a BADAZZ, sunburn after that tho?]

12/8/2005 12:05:04 PM

Quote :

"sunburn after that tho?"

nah, i weld enough like that when it's warm i keep a nice "tan" from it, lol.

12/8/2005 12:08:42 PM

so i talked to tuite and he said dillons supply downtown was the place to get metal. looking to get some 2x4 box steel and some 1/4 in plate. is that the best place to get it?

12/8/2005 12:11:37 PM

Quote :

"especially if you're trying to roll on anything but smooth concrete."

shit yeah. thats why i put a lift kit and 33s on my old welder.

well maybe not 33s

12/8/2005 12:13:48 PM

yep, dillon is the place. how much 2x4 are you getting? i'll go in on some with you if you don't need much, i could use 10ft. or so (comes in 20ft. lengths). what are you using the plate for? if it's just for gussets, etc. just get a piece of flat bar. a 4x8 plate of 1/4" is gonna be $texas.

12/8/2005 12:17:01 PM

^^lol, i had some like 25's on the rear and 10's on the front of my old cart... it was a beast for rolling around in the yard, haha.

12/8/2005 12:19:08 PM

the plate will be used for a winch plate for a yj, and capping off the ends of bumpers, and we might take ya up on goin in on that 2x4. did u get ne work done on the ram over thanksgving? how wide is the flat bar?

12/8/2005 12:20:50 PM

you 2 gonna hook up 220 at your place in raleigh?

12/8/2005 12:22:29 PM

once we build a garage it'll be out there, but for now we're gonna do an extension cord, and run it out the window from the dryer plug. ghetto? yes. will it work? yes. as long as the breaker doesn't blow. i'm not sure on the breaker for that plug, but we'll see

12/8/2005 12:24:33 PM

^^nothin much, just some piddly crap. i've got this monday and tuesday off, just need to motivate myself to go out there and build the front suspension. need to yank my nv4500 out too so i can sell it. check out lowes for the plate, they sell smaller quanitys of plate and may have one large enough. you can get flatbar is various widths.

12/8/2005 12:27:06 PM

if u want, i can come out there tuesday, be a tool bitch or whatever

12/8/2005 12:32:33 PM

fo real ivan. lets have a wrenchfest some time and get your junk done.

12/8/2005 12:39:55 PM

^^works for me. drop me a pm monday night, i could use some help.
^for real, it's just downright depressing to even think about my truck now, lol. once i actually make some progress on it and it starts resembling a vehicle again, it'll be alot easier to be motivated to work on it.

12/8/2005 12:46:18 PM

i'll do that, i could help monday afternoon too if u wanted. i have a final, but after that i'm free for the rest of the break.

12/8/2005 12:47:38 PM

cool, just shoot me a pm when you get done with your exam.

12/8/2005 12:52:16 PM

i can drink beer and shout encouraging profanity, but other than that im useless til its warm out again.

12/8/2005 12:52:36 PM

hey ivan, if you need another tool bitch or don't mind me just hanging out watching and learning, i would like to come with matt. just an idea though. not trying to invite myself, just seeing if you would mind

12/8/2005 12:53:45 PM

what are you using for a tranny then ivan?

12/8/2005 12:59:09 PM

You fuckers better include me. If I have the time.

12/8/2005 2:07:23 PM

Damn, I'm missing out on all the fun. I want to see pics of some proof that work was done on hte ram.

Hey, Matt I will be in town this weekend messing around on the trooper, give me call if you bored.

12/8/2005 2:35:10 PM

i may stop by too, just let me know if i'm being too jjraw23 like

[Edited on December 8, 2005 at 3:04 PM. Reason : .]

12/8/2005 2:54:19 PM

Quote :

"just let me know if i'm being too jjraw23 like"

LMAO!!!

we're always looking for tool bitches! Of course the only things you'll learn from us are bad habits and how to have a good time.

12/8/2005 3:36:04 PM

yeah, whoever wants to come is welcome... as long as you don't come back later to break in and steal our shit, lol. i know all you fags though except southern, and i guess he's guilty by association. so, wrenchfest monday and tuesday it is.

as for a trans, i'm thinking on switching up to a 4 speed. ford np435 to be exact. trans has to come out anyway to repair a cracked bellhousing and a stripped clutch, so i'll decide for sure then.

12/8/2005 3:52:00 PM

i won't steal shit...not my way of doing things. and bad habits and how to have fun are all valuable lessons in life. based on what jeepman has told me, ya'll are definately the best to learn those from. haha. preciate it though

12/8/2005 4:18:04 PM

Well I'm not one of Ivan's crew... I don't have any "references." I was talking about me and the bunch off ruffians I hang out/wheel/work on trucks with. You'll probably learn a thing or two about a thing or two from Ivan and his boys though.

12/8/2005 4:30:24 PM

tuite, i'm down for whenever. give me a call when u get here and i'll head out. ivan, u need us to bring nething?

12/8/2005 5:34:54 PM

you guys at ivans shop today?

12/12/2005 2:44:30 PM

^not today... gotta go in and write up a contract at work in a little while. tomorrow though, probably head out there around noon.
^^^fo sho, ya'll def. know what's up too. we need to get up sometime to party and/or wheel.

i dunno how many good habits anyone will learn from me, especially when i'm working on my own junk, lol. i don't really care who works on my stuff or what gets done to it though, people gotta learn somewhere. like my old 4 runner your boys have dan, 2-3 people learned to weld on it and who knows what else, haha. i try to keep it real working on other people's stuff though.

12/12/2005 2:58:57 PM

^ what're u gonna be doin? front suspension? i think u said something ab that

12/12/2005 3:50:54 PM

yeah, finish up the front housing shave, link brackets on the housing, and make the lower arms. upper will probably have to wait until i do the trans crossmember. get one of ya'll to cut off the flatbed if you come.

[Edited on December 12, 2005 at 6:10 PM. Reason : .]

12/12/2005 6:09:17 PM

i'm comin!!! i'll do whatever.

12/13/2005 4:19:26 AM

I can be there around 5 if you'll still be working

12/13/2005 7:16:11 AM

BLING!

12/13/2005 11:02:55 PM

man, that is awesome. is that a christmas present for me ivan?

[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 12:51 AM. Reason : i should've gotten a side profile shot on it]

12/14/2005 12:51:13 AM

it's bout time those axles saw a little lovin... wish i was in town to help out...

12/14/2005 3:07:01 AM

ive got alot of 3/16'' plate that i'll sell if any of yall want it

12/14/2005 3:29:10 PM

pm me a price and i'll let ya know, is it one big piece or what?

12/14/2005 3:32:54 PM

Quote :

"fo sho, ya'll def. know what's up too. we need to get up sometime to party and/or wheel."

Yeah man, that'd be cool. I'm sure we could exchange some hilarious wheelin'/workin on trucks stories. Definately sometime once URE opens back up.

12/14/2005 3:38:46 PM

The mohawk looks purty, Ivan. Definately not the typical pure function, no form work you do on your personal rigs.

12/14/2005 3:42:13 PM

yeah. or no function, no form

12/14/2005 3:53:38 PM

hey as long as we are offering to help.....how bout yall follow me to high point tomorrow, bring yo tools, ill provide the beer

lets get the buggy done

12/14/2005 4:50:20 PM

i would but i'm in charlotte now, and my mom has stuff for me to do . i'll prolly be able to help later in the break once i knock some things out if that works for you.

12/14/2005 10:59:14 PM

the rock looks good, now get to work on the second. hah, only like 10 hours of work right? just messing man. it looks good. that third member is a pain to move though. if you need a hand lifting it let me know. thanks for having me over though and I gotta admit, it was interesting to just show up and participate in cutting the truck in half. highly unexpected. thanks again

12/15/2005 5:37:13 PM

no way i'm doing that on the rear. too much damn work. i'm just going to trim it up to the ring gear and do a flat bottom, no mohawk. besides being a pita, i'd like to make sure there is still adequate oil capacity on the rear since it'll see street miles. i'll be out there again tomorrow and tuesday if anyone cares to come.

12/18/2005 4:10:22 PM