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Easter Jeep Safari Concepts - Unbelievable Builds... Maybe
Easter Jeep Safari Concepts - Unbelievable Builds... Maybe
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About this episode
Jeep concept vehicles at Easter Jeep Safari get dissected hard—especially the “lacklustre” lineup and how Jeep’s budget/leadership constraints may be showing. Neil, Scott Brown, and Phil Bruce debate what counts as a true concept, then rank favorites and disappointments: the Buzz Cut, Red Rock/Laredo-style sticker builds, Anvil 715 safari theme, and a retro-inspired 1984 XJ resto-mod. The crew also calls out missed opportunities (engine swaps, overlanding practicality, and design follow-through) and ends with personal updates, including FedEx chaos in Charleston and Jeffrey switching from Jeep life to a Subaru hatchback.
Topics:
33 inch BFG All terrain tires
33s
35s
37s
A-pillar and bumper lights
BFGs
carbon fiber flares
concept vehicles
Easter egg
interior
We want to hear from you, Send us a Text
The Easter Jeep Safari has always been the proving ground for Jeep’s wildest ideas—but the 2026 concept lineup left a lot of enthusiasts scratching their heads.
In this episode, we break down all six builds—from the military-inspired Wrangler concepts to the retro XJ restomod—and ask the bigger question: did Jeep play it too safe this year? While the lineup leaned heavily on heritage cues and subtle upgrades, many felt it lacked the bold innovation and boundary-pushing creativity the event is known for.
Thanks for listening, give us a review and check us out on YouTube -SFJ4x4 and visit our website to grab some great gear or products for your Jeep, SFJ4x4.com. Don't forget, you can email [email protected] for special content requests, blind react videos, suggestions, special guests, or general questions. Check out our Patreon patreon.com/ISpeakJeep
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Technical
Too Afraid to Ask
Concept
taking the top off
"I used to love, love, love taking the top off [190.6s] In March, April"
“Taking the top off” refers to removing the Jeep’s roof panels and/or doors for open-air driving, a hallmark of many Jeep models. It’s especially popular in spring and early fall because it turns the vehicle into a more outdoorsy, weather-friendly ride.
Brand
Jeep
"But like in the past jeep Would do like teasers... So we're going to be discussing the EJS stuff"
Jeep is the car brand this episode is about. They put on the Easter Jeep Safari and show off special off-road concept Jeeps there.
Jeep is the brand behind the Easter Jeep Safari and the concept builds discussed here. Their EJS concepts typically focus on off-road accessories, trail-ready upgrades, and styling that fits the event’s theme.
Concept
block of clay
"Unlike other concepts Where it's a block of clay That is on a turnstile And you're just It doesn't move"
In car design, a “clay model” is like a life-size sculpture used to figure out the shape of the body. The host is saying Jeep’s concepts are different because they’re built to be used outdoors, not just displayed.
A “clay model” is a full-size sculpting method used in automotive design to shape surfaces before final tooling and production. The host contrasts clay models that sit still for design review with Jeep concepts that are built to be driven and used on trails.
Car
Ford Bronco
"And I know that this year Bronco was out there At the same time that EJS was"
The Ford Bronco is a type of SUV built for off-road driving. It’s designed to go on dirt roads and trails more easily than a typical car. The podcast brings it up because it was around during the same timeframe as EJS.
The Ford Bronco is a rugged, off-road-focused SUV known for its ability to handle trails and rough terrain. It often comes up in discussions around classic off-road culture and modern revivals, especially when people compare what was happening in the same era of events. In the podcast context, it’s mentioned as being around the same time as EJS.
Term
wind tunnels
"And put them through the wind tunnels And then"
A wind tunnel is like a giant fan test area where engineers study how air hits a car. It helps them make the car more efficient and stable.
Wind tunnels are facilities that measure how air flows around a vehicle. Engineers use them to reduce drag, improve cooling, and refine aerodynamic stability—especially important for concept vehicles that may be shown at events before production.
Term
interior
"Most of the time they didn't even have an interior Just be like top of seats"
“Interior” refers to the cabin components like seats, dashboard, and controls. The segment notes that many concept vehicles shown at events may not even have a finished interior, emphasizing that some builds are primarily for design presentation.
Concept
concept vehicles
"Where they want their concept vehicles To be appreciated by the masses"
A concept vehicle is basically a “what if” Jeep or truck. It’s built to show off ideas and see if people get excited before it ever becomes a real production model.
Concept vehicles are one-off or limited-run designs meant to preview future styling, technology, or off-road capability. They’re often used to gauge public reaction and internal buy-in before any production plan exists.
Car
Wrangler Rubicon
"... worth doing And ultimately that was EJS and the Rubicon That was where the Rubicon"
The Wrangler is Jeep’s off-road SUV. The podcast mentions it because it’s a common choice for serious trail driving and routes like the Rubicon. It’s brought up as something people consider doing for off-road adventures.
The Wrangler (in general) is Jeep’s signature off-road SUV, known for its trail-focused design and strong aftermarket support. In the podcast, it’s mentioned in the context of what’s “worth doing,” tying it to events and specific off-road routes like the Rubicon. That makes it a central reference point for people building or planning off-road trips.
Concept
SEMA
"And then ultimately at SEMA [873.2s] You'll have all six on display"
SEMA is a big car show in Las Vegas where companies bring custom builds and new aftermarket parts. If something is “at SEMA,” it’s usually meant to impress enthusiasts and get attention from the industry.
SEMA is the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas, focused on aftermarket parts and custom vehicles. When a podcast mentions concepts “at SEMA,” it usually means builders and brands are showcasing new ideas, styling, and performance hardware to the enthusiast market.
Part
winch
"It's got a worn winch which I think they have to [964.4s] At this point [965.9s] It's got"
A winch is like a heavy-duty pull tool mounted on the front or rear. It helps you get unstuck by pulling the Jeep out using a cable.
A winch is a motorized cable system used to pull the vehicle out of mud, sand, or obstacles. In off-road builds, it’s a key recovery tool, and a “worn winch” implies it may be older or not in great condition.
Term
37s
"It's got [968.3s] 37s on V-Lock wheels [969.7s] Never seen that before"
“37s” means the tires are about 37 inches tall. Bigger tires help the Jeep handle rough terrain, but they can make the ride heavier and more demanding.
“37s” refers to 37-inch tires, a common size in serious off-road builds. Larger tires improve obstacle clearance and can help traction, but they also add weight and can affect gearing, steering feel, and ride quality.
Concept
tire size
"We don't know how big the tires are [1214.9s] I want to see the front end of that"
Tire size isn’t just about looks. It can change how high the Jeep sits and how well it handles bumps and trails, but it can also affect ride and efficiency.
Tire size affects how a Jeep looks and how it performs off-road. Bigger tires usually mean more ground clearance and better obstacle clearance, but they can also change gearing, ride quality, and fuel economy.
Concept
Non-removable roof
"You love the Fact the roof is Non-removable So You know"
A non-removable roof means you can’t take the roof off. That can make the vehicle feel more solid and sealed, but it won’t give you the open-air “remove the top” experience.
A non-removable roof means the vehicle’s roof structure can’t be taken off like a typical convertible or removable hardtop. On concept Jeeps, this often signals a focus on structural rigidity, weather sealing, or a specific safari-style silhouette.
Company
Kelsey Hayes
"[1464.3s] And friend there [1465.0s] Talked about the original aluminum [1468.2s] Slotted wheel manufacturer [1470.0s] Kelsey Hayes [1471.3s] Kind of a nod to the Kelsey Hayes days"
Kelsey Hayes was a company that made parts for cars, especially wheels and brakes. Mentioning it here is basically a throwback to older, classic wheel designs people get excited about.
Kelsey-Hayes is a historic automotive supplier best known for wheel and brake components. In the Jeep/Easter Jeep Safari context, referencing “Kelsey Hayes days” is a nod to classic wheel designs and the era when aftermarket-style wheels were a big deal.
Term
stock plastic bumper
"[1478.6s] This [1480.2s] Literally has the stock plastic [1482.6s] From bumper [1483.1s] That is what [1485.4s] Irritates me the most [1488.2s] Literally [1489.3s] You went so close [1491.2s] It is a stock plastic bumper"
That means the Jeep still has the factory bumper cover made of plastic. The speaker is annoyed because a custom build usually swaps that out so it looks fully upgraded.
A “stock plastic bumper” means the vehicle is still using the factory bumper cover material rather than a fully custom metal or aftermarket bumper. In concept builds, keeping the stock bumper can feel less “complete” because it limits the visual and functional transformation.
Term
tow hooks
"[1493.4s] They did a contrast color match [1495.3s] On the tow hooks which you know [1497.1s] I'm okay with that [1497.9s] They matched that to the grill"
Tow hooks are the strong points on the front (or rear) of a vehicle used for towing or recovery. In custom builds, people often paint them so they look like part of the design.
Tow hooks are recovery points used to attach a tow strap or recovery rope. On off-road and concept builds, they’re often finished to match or contrast the grille/bumper so the recovery hardware looks integrated rather than like an afterthought.
Concept
JL builds
"And with this really Stalantis Jeep Chrysler Gives us potentially one of our most Underwhelming JL builds"
“JL” is the Wrangler generation. A “JL build” means a Wrangler JL that someone has modified, usually for off-roading.
“JL” refers to the Jeep Wrangler JL generation (2018+). Calling something a “JL build” usually means a Wrangler JL that’s been modified—often for off-road use—so the discussion is about how well those builds perform or impress.
Term
orange seatbelts
"For the buzz cut Is that it has orange seatbelts"
Orange seatbelts are a visual styling cue that can make a concept build feel more distinctive and intentional. In concept vehicles, color-matched or contrasting safety hardware is often used to reinforce the theme.
Term
A-pillar and bumper lights
"I think You've got orange rings On the lights You've got really classic A-pillar and bumper lights"
The A-pillar is the part of the Jeep’s body right by the windshield. Some builds add extra lights there and on the front bumper to help you see better off-road.
The A-pillar is the vertical support between the windshield and the side window, and it often houses trim and lighting on off-road vehicles. “Bumper lights” are auxiliary lights mounted on or near the front bumper to improve visibility when driving off pavement.
Brand
Mopar
"You've got the Mopar Rubicon bumper"
Mopar is the official Jeep/Chrysler parts brand. If a build mentions Mopar, it’s usually talking about Jeep parts made to fit and match the vehicle’s style.
Mopar is Chrysler/Jeep’s official parts and accessories brand. When a concept build references Mopar components, it usually means Jeep-specific aftermarket-style parts designed to fit and look factory-correct.
Brand
BFGs
"Yeah, there's a lot of BFGs It's all BFG"
“BFG” means BFGoodrich, a well-known tire brand for off-road driving. People pick them because they tend to handle rough terrain better than regular tires.
“BFG” is a common shorthand for BFGoodrich, a major off-road tire brand. In Jeep builds, BFG tires are often selected for their reputation in all-terrain and mud-capable traction and sidewall durability.
Concept
resto mod
"The biggest investment in this In this resto mod which is Most people will never know Most people will never ever know"
A “resto mod” is when someone restores a classic vehicle but also modifies it to improve it or customize it. It’s not just stock restoration.
A “resto mod” is a restoration-modification hybrid: the vehicle is kept in the spirit of the original, but updated with modern upgrades or custom fabrication. The speaker is emphasizing that some of the biggest work (like custom body pieces) can be hard for casual observers to notice.
Part
33 inch BFG All terrain tires
"You got custom painted Wheels with 33 inch BFG All terrain tires and I'm going to Jeep nerd out For a second"
This describes a tire setup: 33-inch BFG all-terrain tires. The larger diameter and all-terrain tread are common in Jeep builds because they improve off-road traction and ground clearance.
Part
structural rock rails
"They put an integrated Structural rock rails on this"
Rock rails are the tough bars under the doors that protect the sides when you hit rocks. “Structural” means they’re built to help the vehicle’s strength, not just look cool.
Structural rock rails are heavy-duty side protection designed to take impacts from rocks while also adding strength to the body. Unlike simple cosmetic steps, they’re typically tied into the frame/structure.
Term
period accurate
"It has period accurate [2455.1s] Beaded seat covers [2457.1s] That's right"
“Period accurate” means the car looks like it belongs in that exact era. So the details inside and out are chosen to match the time period.
“Period accurate” means the build is styled and equipped to match what would have been available in the specific time period being referenced. In concept builds, it often affects interior materials, dashboard details, and even small accessories.
Term
Rubik's Cube on the dash
"Cause those are [2461.0s] Rubik's Cube on the dash [2462.9s] Yeah [2464.3s] So Davey would want this one"
Putting a Rubik’s Cube on the dashboard is a fun throwback detail. It’s there to make the interior feel tied to a certain time period.
A Rubik’s Cube mounted on the dashboard is an example of a “retro tech” or nostalgia prop used in concept builds. It’s a visual cue to a specific pop-culture era and helps sell the theme of the vehicle.
Brand
Motorola
"[2482.0s] Like Motorola [2484.0s] Car phones [2485.9s] You know and again outside of the fact"
Motorola is a well-known electronics company. In this context, it’s being used to point to the kind of old car phones people used back in the day.
Motorola is a major consumer electronics and communications brand, strongly associated with classic car phones and other mobile tech from the 1980s and 1990s. Mentioning Motorola helps anchor the concept’s “era” theme with recognizable real-world tech.
Concept
NDAs
"[2487.9s] That we don't actually get to know who the builders are [2490.1s] And the NDAs"
NDAs are legal agreements that stop people from talking about a project details. Here, it means we don’t get to know who built it or exactly what they did yet.
NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) are legal contracts that prevent builders from publicly sharing details about a project. In concept-build contexts, NDAs are common to control information until the official reveal.
Car
1984 Cherokee
"The concept is built from a well preserved [2513.6s] 1984 Cherokee [2515.1s] Focusing on functional air quotes"
They’re talking about a Jeep Cherokee from 1984. It’s the older, classic generation that people like to build on for car shows and themed builds.
The speaker is describing a Jeep Cherokee from 1984 as the base for a concept build. In Jeep terms, this is a classic-era Cherokee that’s often chosen for its simple, rugged platform and strong aftermarket support.
Term
33's
"And it's got 33's on it [2565.8s] Because we know that [2567.2s] You need two inches and high clearance flares"
“33’s” means tires that are about 33 inches tall. Bigger tires need more room in the wheel wells so they can turn and flex without hitting the body.
“33’s” refers to 33-inch-tall tires, a common size upgrade for off-road Jeeps. The speaker is explaining that fitting 33-inch tires requires enough clearance and flare space to avoid rubbing and to keep the setup functional.
Term
35's
"You could have had 35's on this thing [2580.4s] Had this real low slung"
“35’s” are even bigger tires than “33’s.” To run them, you usually need more clearance and more suspension/body modifications so the tires don’t hit anything.
“35’s” refers to 35-inch-tall tires, a larger step up from 33-inch tires and typically requires more lift, trimming, and clearance work. The speaker is arguing that the build could have gone bigger if the vehicle had been set up differently.
Part
carbon fiber flares
"As it sits The carbon fiber flares The paint"
Carbon fiber flares are the widened parts around the wheel wells. They can help fit wider tires and they also look really cool.
“Carbon fiber flares” are wheel-arch extensions made from carbon fiber. They’re often used to add tire clearance and a lightweight, high-end look—common on show builds and performance-oriented concepts.
Concept
Easter egg
"Cool that type of easter egg stuff That sells"
An “Easter egg” is a fun hidden detail you only notice if you look closely. It’s there to surprise and delight people who really pay attention.
An “Easter egg” in automotive design is a hidden or subtle detail meant for people who look closely. On concept builds, it’s often used to reward enthusiasts and create a story behind the styling.
Company
Nitto Recon
"[2842.3s] It's got the 35 inch [2843.9s] Nitto Recon [2845.3s] Which is literally what we just put on"
Nitto Recon is a specific off-road tire model. The speaker likes it because it grips well on rough ground but still feels stable and smooth. They’re basically saying it’s a good all-around tire for a Jeep.
Nitto Recon is an all-terrain tire model from Nitto. In this context, the host is highlighting its off-road traction and how well it balances for ride quality. It’s being compared to other common Jeep tire brands used on similar builds.
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SFJ 4x4 Studios presents
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Cure monocity
What? Say that again!
With mad scientist Scott Brown
I use my drill press as a sort of lathe
Our host, Neil Simpson
If one light goes on they all go out
Phil Bruce Shenanigans
We are really professional with Jeeps
This is I Speak Jeep
SFJ 4x4 Studios presents
In my oversized four-wheel drive Jeep
A Jeep podcast starring industry experts
Cure monocity
What? Say that again!
With mad scientist Scott Brown
I use my drill press as a sort of lathe
Our host, Neil Simpson
If one light goes on they all go out
Phil Bruce Shenanigans
We are really professional with Jeeps
This is I Speak Jeep
Good morning, afternoon, evening, wherever
However, you are joining us
This is the I Speak Jeep podcast
Presented by SFJ4x4.com
My name is Neil with Simpson Family Jeeps
And joined in Grandma's couch studio
There's a producer guy over there
Jeff, the Italian stallion
Man, you were quick to jump on that
But let's introduce the mad scientist
Scott Brown over there
Wearing his named hoodie so that everybody knows who he is
The Cherokee chief
How are you wearing your hoodie today?
I'm wearing a hoodie as well
It's like 70-something degrees out
And the heater was on when I walked in
So I came in early this morning
Odd thing is I got up and I walked the dogs
And I was in a t-shirt and I was like
Hey, it's kind of a warm breeze
I was fine
And then I was like I'll just have a hoodie
It's easier to take the layer off
I'll practice what I preach
I tell my kids this all the time
I got into the shop
And this is the challenge with the shop
Because it's concrete and cold steel
It was cold in here
It felt cold
It was not
I looked at the thermostat
And it was one of those cognitive dissonance situations
Where the thermostat did not say it was that cold
But compared to outside, it was cold
I was like nope, I'm turning the heater on
I'm keeping the hoodie on
I'm not having it
I was like spring is here
The Jeep should be naked
I'm good to go
Yesterday I totally wanted to strip down my Jeep
I really thought about it
The morning was a little breezy and chilly
But by afternoon it was amazing
Yeah, I really, really, really considered
Stripping the Jeep down yesterday
And I thought do I want to be that guy again
I used to love, love, love taking the top off
In March, April
And leaving it off until October
November pushing it
Man, I just
I don't know if it's
I like locking my stuff up in there though
That is the challenge I'm running into
Going to the stores and lock my groceries up
Or take the dogs with me
That's a little bit of the challenge I'm at
Anywho, today we are going to be unpacking
The Easter Jeep Safari concepts
I have not looked at them ahead of time
Other than you just walking in with the papers
So this is the first time
I have not followed along with it
Yeah, you know what
I think it's interesting
I think it's worth mentioning that
In the conversation that
I feel like there was not as much hype
And I wonder if
I was going to say from what I looked at
I'm still wondering where the concepts are
What you handed me weren't concept vehicles
And that's what we're going to unpack
And hopefully people in the comments
Will kind of weigh in and tell us
Their thoughts and how they felt about it
I felt like leading up to EJS
I recognize that we as a business
Are exceptionally busy right here and now
And while much of the world and the economy
Is a little downtrodden
We actually have a very full schedule
With quite a few jeeps on property
With quite a few logistics in process
And so I wonder if we just
Weren't conscious of the EJS releases
But like in the past jeep
Would do like teasers
They did a bunch of good quality marketing
Remember they did the blurt out
They had jeeps worthy of teasing
Hell, see you are just full of piss and vinegar
This morning
I went looking for them a couple weeks ago
And I was
Well we'll have to wait
It was a little mid
So we're going to be discussing the EJS stuff
And if you are unfamiliar
I'll bring you up to speed
That I did a kind of document
A timeline of EJS jeeps
Historically back to
Basically the late 90s, early 2000s
And so this is actually a concept
That I am particularly
Passionate about
And so I'm looking forward
I think I like this episode annually
While we talk about these jeeps
I think we need to define the word
Concept for jeep though
So they understand what that means
Well and we'll get into that
And then obviously folks
If you're interested in knowing what happened
In our personal lives
Stay tuned through the outro
And you can hear whether or not
Jeffrey has left the jeep community
At this point
Just sow those seeds
I think he might have downgraded
To like a Hyundai or a Kia or something
Oh this is going to be fun
So in the comments Billy Joseph
Said good morning, she was first
We got Jeanie saying good morning
Bill McWilliam saying good morning
Charles saying it's 70 in Texas
Fridgen
Yeah that's cold for Texas
Brad first checking in
Charles said he wanted to take the top off the YJ
But there's too much rain
That's fair
That's fair
Billy Joseph is 64 here at the moment
In Pennsylvania
And Bill McWilliam's jeep people
Are recession proof
Sort of
At least we are
Resilient
I was going to say is that we're recession proof
Or we just don't know how to say no to jeep parts
I was going to say
Bullheaded
We like our jeep parts
Yeah we're resilient
And we still break our jeeps
Regardless of
What's happening in the economy
Also
Our jeeps transport us to our happy places
You know what I mean
And that's what the concept
Vehicles are supposed to do
They're supposed to tickle our imagination
And that's ultimately when you have the YJ
When you have the TJ
When you have the JT
That's built the way you want it to be
It tantalizes your imagination
Of where you could go with it
Whether or not you actually go on that epic road trip
Coast to coast or just camping
Your local off road park
The jeeps
They do that for us
So even in recessionary times
We need that hope
There's
You know we talk about in a recession
Alcohol increases right
Yeah
So I mean
I'll substance abuse
Well
Jeeps abuse me on a regular basis
That's true
So to me
Jeeps are your drug
Yeah I was going to say
Jeeps are certainly my drug
Before we get too far though from the comments
Do we need to do a wellness check on Nate?
Yeah Nate
That is crazy
Joe
I mean how
We got Ken jumping in saying morning guys
And Fred saying good morning
Good morning good morning to everybody
Yeah I hope that they're okay
There's a lot going on in the world
They may be just building another Jeep
With Nate that's actually possible
Potentially
So
Tickling our imagination
I'm obsessed with that term at this moment
It's
The concept vehicles are supposed to kind of
Transport us
As members of the Jeep community
To the potential
Or the possibilities
Of what a Jeep platform vehicle
Can be
So I have a fun game for us
Each one of us has to pick the best
Of the concepts on this paper
And the worst
I don't like this game
The worst
Both pages
The best that's not on there
So
What we have before us
If you're not familiar
Maybe you're tuning in
You're new to the Jeep community
I will unpack for the most
Briefest
For 20 years roughly speaking
Jeep has
Worked with
On a degree of a secretive level
With builders
Who are near the assembly plants
This is almost a geographical exclusivity
There are NDAs involved
Because these are not exactly
Individuals who
This is not like at the factory line
And this thing's over in the corner
And they're bolting this stuff on
Or doing things to it
And the cool part is
Unlike other concepts
Where it's a block of clay
That is on a turnstile
And you're just
It doesn't move
It doesn't do anything
These are literally going to the trail
They're getting used
They're functional
We've seen them then
At Jeep shows later
Which kind of
You know
We're the only brand
That does that
Correct
The only industry
And I know that this year
Bronco was out there
At the same time that EJS was
So Ford was
Yeah, you know
Because
And I don't pay attention
All that closely
But I recognize that EJS is either
Shortly predated
Or followed by a Bronco run
Which of course
Because it's not part of my community
I don't pay a lick of attention
But I do know
From friends of ours in the industry
That they actually had Broncos out there
Well hopefully they do it after
Sure
So they're not broke down on the trail
As a Jeep
Yeah
Go around them
Make the Jeeps go around
This is another obstacle
Traverse
But you're
I think you're
You're absolutely
You hit the nail on the head as a kid
I remember watching
Automotive engineers
Do clay models
Do cardboard aided design of sorts
And put them through the wind tunnels
And then
You know start to form it
And eventually you would get it at a car show
It would just be sitting on a turnstile
Most of the time they didn't even have an interior
Just be like top of seats
Or top of steering wheel
I mean they were just something to look at
It was a piece of art
And I remember in the 2000s
Buick made a concept
It was retro
And they could actually drive it
Had interior
The doors were suicide
That was the first time
I had seen any other automotive brand
Attempt to do what Jeep does
And like I said
These vehicles they use and abuse them
They wheel them
They go for a tour for the next
Year
Year or so
Which I can appreciate
And maybe you know with great
Great Jeep parts comes great responsibility
Yes
And so therefore
While I understand we're still having things
That are drivable
And you know a whole fleet of them
They've done so much better in previous years
I mean we've had
You know the hurricane with the Hemi
That was so cool that
Fisher Price had to make one for kids to drive
Yeah matchbox picked that up
And had the four wheel steering
And I mean
And this year we got a V6 Cherokee
Stop it
Okay
So and I will know that
Again
We know which one that touched him most though
Right
I really really love and appreciate
The Jeep brand for being responsive
To the community and doing this
And understanding the value of being present
At EJS with these vehicles
To torture test them to say your piece
Additionally this particular leadership team
In my opinion is
Harkins back to the early 2000s
Of the Mopar Underground
Where they want their concept vehicles
To be appreciated by the masses
If you're unfamiliar with that
There was this moment in
Somewhere between 07 and 10-ish
Where Mopar Underground actually had
A series of semi trucks
They were wrapped and they would stuff
The concepts the prototype vehicles
In the back of these semi trucks
It would roll into an event
It was very cool
And the Jeeps were over the top
Kind of what you were talking about
And I think we had a decade
07 was kind of meh
And then shortly thereafter
We had a decade of these over the top
I feel like we're back pre-Rubicon days
Where they had to prove to the higher ups
That this was worth doing
And ultimately that was EJS and the Rubicon
That was where the Rubicon
Not the trail but the model was born
Because again these
A little bit of the skunks work
So they had to prove it
Where I feel like this year
They're like hey guys
So we have no budget for this
And that's true
So there is truth there
And I was going to say
We have to mention that
This particular leadership team
Jeep is tanked for the last three years
Stalantis
Jeep not necessarily
Stalantis as a whole
And I spoke at length about this
Has just been on a downward slide
For several years at this point
And so
But this particular leadership team
Was highly responsive for the Toledo Jeep Festival
And I think you can count
On having all of these concept vehicles there
They brought a ton of vehicles last year
I bet you all six of these will be here
And then a smattering of them
Plus the V6 brakes
A smattering of them elsewhere
And then ultimately at SEMA
You'll have all six on display
Again
This particular grouping
I think is absolutely indicative
Of what is going on in our
Greater global economy
At the moment
It just is lackluster
I mean I would rather have had less
Jeeps and had cooler jeeps
So
With that said
Let's talk about them
And let's pick
We each talk about two
He's purposely not handing me the one with the Cherokee on it
That was fun
Don't give the Cherokee to the Cherokee guy
So I'll be honest with you
I handed you the one
What I think is the most disappointing
Personally
They're all disappointing
I'm sorry
Jeff was saying
Man, we're firing on this
And while you guys are kind of
I mean last year
Sorry to cut you off
But last year I remember we were
Basically we see you Stalantis
We have
TIT for TOT
JT's
Big tires, long armed
All that kind of stuff
We had a diesel they had
Not a diesel
This year we have
Something on 37s
Their JT is the
Is the least interesting
That was literally like
I mean there is just nothing about that JT
It's got a cool paint job
I like the paint job
Nothing else
I mean it's got a stock Rubicon front bumper
It's got a worn winch which I think they have to
At this point
It's got
37s on V-Lock wheels
Never seen that before
You know they got the
36 penistar
I love that they hyped that up in the right
I mean
They hyped that up
Give me something unique
Give me a D something
Or stitching
Or stitching on the buzz cut concept
I just read that I'm like that's your highlight
Yes
And then the 715 vehicle
Let's not get off the JT
We're not done beating that horse yet
I'm not done beating this dead horse yet
They have an ARB onboard air system
I just thought to myself
This is somebody's daily driver
And they were like hey
Give me a paint job
And we can put this in there
Like marketing just bought this red JT
So we'll just go ahead
Dana Spicer did this
For their SEMA booth like three years ago
It was just like a guy and a friend
Of like one of the marketing guys
Who was like hey do you want to set a tons
And they like got the Jeep
Locked the doors parked in their booth and walked away
It was just like hey he got some free tons for the weekend
You know
That's not even tonned out
That's just on regular stock axles
It's basically a red version of my Jeep
On 37
100% you guys
Custom graphics combining the
Jeff's former Jeep
As far as I'm concerned
I mean Jeff's Jeep
Is arguably better than this
I agree
At least Jeff's was long armed
I know right
I mean
It's got a cool deck system
This has got like wants to be
Rotopacks on the bed so you can't see out the back of it
I mean
I like the red
There was lots of storage to it
The goal was to
Give the overlander something
To sink their teeth into
It's not a good overland rig
Well and that's
Where do you sleep on your overland rig?
I was going to say there's not even an RTT
If you want to make that overland put an RTT on it at least
You sleep under it and
You get bit by the bugs and everything
I kind of think that what they're doing here
They didn't lift it here enough to sleep under it
Last year they had that
I probably wouldn't fit
They um
Last year they had that
And I don't exactly recall what it is
But in my mind
What they called the name of it
But in my mind it was the catalog Jeep
And from a business standpoint
I love this idea
It was a black Jeep and they had
Blue
Mopar performance products
Everything was QR coded
I thought that was brilliant
Absolutely
So why wouldn't you do that again
And you don't even tell us what lift is on this
Correct
So I think that that's what this Jeep was
Was basically a bunch of Mopar
Because I think that it's a Mopar performance lift
That's my guess
Then they should have told us that
Well who knows what the write ups are
Obviously I did not
That horse is dead and buried
So I'm moving on to my next hateful
The 715 concept vehicle
And
I'm sorry
I remember when I could buy this front end kit
For my JK
And just bolted on in the weekend
So this does not
Impress me
It's basically a 392
With an ugly front end
And a custom top
Again we've seen before
Because it's the safari
There should be someone with
A big elephant gun on the roof
And this should be
Gazelles running in the background
The wheels literally look like
392 ish wheels to me
I like the front end
Heavy duty steel and rear bumpers
You can order your Rubicon with that
Legendary
392 v8 power
Yep you can buy it with that
Custom non-removable roof
Non-removable
I think they've missed out
Who their demographic
We don't know how big the tires are
I want to see the front end of that
No you don't
He likes the front end so I want to see it
One more
With the stick
He's feeling spicy today
You're supposed to only do two
Give me that
We didn't say we were doing our favorites in that
You were just reading off too
Give me that paper
You can look at the front end
I think the front end is unique
That's ugly as heck
Unique is the word
Wow
I don't like the front end
If you
If you hadn't seen the name of that
The front end of that is almost like a Land Rover ask
I think that's exactly the market there
If you hadn't seen the name
Of it being
Would you have had any connection
To the 715
No
No
Alright
Do you want to go or you want me to go
He's going to try to be nice and stuff
I'm staring at the 715
Ask the front end of it
I actually
I don't dislike
This particular Jeep
The Anvil
Concept the Anvil 715
You love the
Fact the roof is
Non-removable
So
You know
You're not wrong so it's got that safari
Inspired kind of Range Rover
Land Rover
It needs a tire on the hood
And ultimately we're competing
For some third world
Countries developing
Malisha
Really I see you Jeep
It definitely doesn't have any protection
And they're going to die
Well that's what their Toyota Hilux is
From 40 years ago we're doing as well
Well Lisa will keep running
Wow
I do like that they gave us
I think this is the only Hemmy
That they gave us
Well
Yeah this should be the only Hemmy that I gave us
I think that the commander here should be the Hurricane
Straight 6 would be my understanding
Of that
Which we'll get to
Motor swaps are hard
So
Yeah okay I guess
I will get into
The next two even though I find them to be
Holy underwhelming they're more what I would call
The sticker package
Concept vehicles
Which they always have one or two of those
We always have one or two of those
This one's going to be the Laredo
Which is really confusing
For a lot of periphery
Jeep
Owners
Who like they don't understand
Like all of a sudden when they have something that's badged
Laredo they no longer have a Jeep
They have a Laredo
That's a weird thing that's lost on me
But here for those people
Here's a Laredo
So half doors
Never seen that before
Can't buy those at the dealership
Wow
And I think that
What I want to like out of it is
The purposeful rugged
And unapologetically
Analog interior
Feel
So they took a JL
And they stripped it down
To
Make it
Like a stripper package
They gave it a nice contrast trim
You got the bays
You got the striping
This is the one that they took the older
Dash
And they just removed the radio
And they took a tablet
Like went to Walmart got a tablet
Stuck it right in the middle
Stuck it in the center
And it just looks like that
Maybe
That would actually be fitting
I would understand kind of the throwback feel to it
They gave it the kind of the kidney bean
But they're not kidney bean but the slotted wheel
The aluminum wheel
Kind of a throwback of sorts
Kind of on a super side note
I had
Rob, our good customer
And friend there
Talked about the original aluminum
Slotted wheel manufacturer
Kelsey Hayes
Kind of a nod to the Kelsey Hayes days
That
Everybody got real excited about
This
Literally has the stock plastic
From bumper
That is what
Irritates me the most
Literally
You went so close
It is a stock plastic bumper
They did a contrast color match
On the tow hooks which you know
I'm okay with that
They matched that to the grill but then you had
The
At least took the plastic inserts off
Between the fender and the bumper
The air
The aerodynamic
I would have loved for them to have left that on
It actually looks worse like that
I just wish they would have done something
About that front bumper
Why it doesn't have a Rubicon front bumper on it
I would never know
The silver trim
Color match the trim
At least do that
I like the badgine
The aluminum wheel
I like the tan top
I like their attempt
To
The analog interior feel
The bone stock jail
And just put stickers on it
And didn't even bother change the bumper
And so
I mean
I can't help but
Think of like you know there's some really sick
You know
Jake Fenlocks JT
Which he made as like a scrambler
He stickered it up
That's what I'm feeling like
Like literally Jeep
You did something
That a guy on a family budget
Did
Three years ago
Our two boys could do that concept
And it's a good idea
And that's what I feel like
Everything, see I
At least like the fact that the anvil has
Unique stuff
Like the 715 has unique stuff
But they've done it before better than that one
I don't think this grille has been used before
That grille has not been used before
But that concept has literally been done before
And it was done better than that one
I was gonna say I think
They had the right ideas
They just didn't follow through with any of them to make them
It doesn't actually look like the 715
So this one
No I'm with you
There's not really much on these papers
That literally couldn't just be done right now
Also can we talk about it
I'm gonna jump back to the 715
I'm with you Jeff that's a great sentiment
Again we talk about Fenlocks Jeep
I think the 715
Why is it not a 725
Right because the 715
Is a pickup truck
And what you did was give us a Jeep
That has a non-removable
Roof
So unless I'm missing something this is a range road
This is a knock off range road
They could have literally gotten the see-through vinyl
Act out the windows
Put the little red cross on it
And had a cool
Hark back to a 725
And educated the people that don't know
About a 25
Into that
But instead they did like this half
Half vehicle
Because again they've done the Safari top before
On a different concept
And they had a, if I'm not mistaken
The other one was a truck
With the 715 ish grille
I think it had the Rhino grille on it
Which yes
But still
Or maybe there was actually a 715
And a Rhino concept
As well now that I'm noodling on it
But
Yeah and so
As I'm jumping around here
It didn't say about a lift on the quote-unquote 715
It does not look particularly lifted
When we made the guess
It's basically stock 392
Yeah
Right because that's got a little extra lift
To it and whatnot
So then the Laredo has the
2-inch Mopar performance
Suspension on it
Alright
And you know what
The thing is I spent a good bit of time
Unhappy
With
The Laredo
Jeff
I think I'm going to jump and grab one of these
Because I really want to track
You're doing the buzz cut
I really want to trash the buzz cut
You're going to go in the buzz cut
Because I want to talk about something
Good on these other ones
Go ahead
Do the buzz cut
Breaking news
And with this really
Stalantis Jeep Chrysler
Gives us potentially one of our most
Underwhelming
JL builds
It's a true door
Which is probably the cheapest Jeep on
The dealership lot that nobody wanted to buy
Last year
I mean
This was an attempt at the power to weight
Like
Think of any of their pork chop
Or their lower 40
Any of the cool Jeeps they did
Where they had
And of course
I love the idea of
The 2-0 turbo
Is a great engine
Sounds like a diesel
They've worked a lot of the bugs out over the time
I don't know how it's going to last
As far as how the turbo is concerned
This one
Literally reminds me
Of
One of my earliest
My dad's 95
4-cylinder
YJ that we drove to the Carolinas
It does kind of remind me of a 4-cylinder automatic YJ
That's what it is
It is the
The armpit
Of the topless doorless model
Ara vehicles
The 2-0 turbo is actually
A pretty healthy engine
This actually has the 8-speed automatic
Behind it
Has the Mopar cold air intake
Because they don't have to fix the clutches yet
So they had to be automatic in
I don't think we have a manual
Period
Because that really would have been the opportunity for the JT crowd
You could have put
That could have been a 6-speed
That really incredibly over
I'm not sure which one I'm more disappointed in yet
The
Red Rock concept
Or the buzz cut
The big take away
For the buzz cut
Is that it has orange seatbelts
And
Vitamin C orange accents
And stitching throughout
It's
People are really worried about those
Aesthetics
Of the interior
This one really speaks to the
Thematically inclined individuals
I think
You've got orange rings
On the lights
You've got really classic
A-pillar and bumper lights
You've got the Mopar
Rubicon bumper
Without the wings on it
It made it a stubby
That was hard for them
Taking those bolts out
At least it doesn't have a plastic front bumper
Looks like we're rocking KM3s
I think we're on
Yeah, there's a lot of BFGs
It's all BFG
BFG must have stepped up for
Purposes
Tell me what's on the 715
But
I think BFG stepped up
And sponsored tires
Are they the KO2s?
That's what you want when you're out
Give me that off the 715
I should have given it to Jeff
Anyways
The buzz cut
The buzz cut is supposed to be
That low center of gravity
Powered over
I'm just gonna keep talking over you
It's supposed to be
That LCG
Big-tired, big-horse power
They are a
Massive, they don't say
But I'm certain they're
I bet those are 37s
I don't know, let's google that real quick
Juggling is happening
Fortunately, Jeff's back for that
And they made sure to brand down
The hood of it
Buzz cut
On both
The red rock
And the buzz cut
What else can we show up with folks?
37
BFG, KM3s
And they've got the Rubicon
High clearance flares on both of those
So they've got 2 inches of lift
Thought it was 37, the high clearance
And the tires still up there
And you have a 2 inch Mopar lift
They started with a Rubicon
And put a 2 inch lift kit on it
Yup
Did they even start
With a Rubicon
It doesn't say anything about the lockers
Granted, we're not reading the full
Right-ups about it
If you like orange
This is the Jeep
For you
If you like thematic stuff
And you're excited about color
And you too can build this in your driveway
In a weekend
It's very relatable
I'm trying to find something nice
To say about it
I'm over it
Well, if you thought those were awesome
I actually really love
This next one
You love being broken down
In an old XJ
Alright
So
I get the XJ just because I know how much Scott
Loves this one
This rewinds the tape
Back to 84
As the Jeep brand's OG
Compact SUV remastered
Oh, wait a second
Breaking news
They chopped the top of
Buzzcut 2 inches lower
You can see that
It looks squished
I don't like it
I think I prefer Bradford Watson's
Low-key to Buzzcut
What was the point of taking 2 inches
Out of the roof line?
To make people that have any height to them
Not fit
I do think
That
Two-door JLs look a little goofy
They look a little bulbous
But I've almost started to
Appreciate
That
Hey guys, what can we do with
No budget
We came to McDonald's for lunch
Budget
I can cut 2 inches out
They're going to call it roll over protection
Because there's less metal that can squish
That's right
Oh man
I'm trying to defend them
I really have no good transition to this
It was just something I was aware of this weekend
On the JL owners community
Two-door JL owner
Just totally had
The most
Let me speak to the manager moment
You know
They went to EJS
With their two-door JL
Did they get confused with one of the concepts?
I seriously could have
Went and talked to all the
Different manufacturers
After talking to all the different manufacturers
Ended up
Buying with a rock-jock
Lift kit
At
Two and a half, three inches or whatever
All of a sudden the post
They do the install
And then
They're super mad
Because they're the person who has measured
Actual how much
And the Jeep actually
Netted them over five inches
Of lift
It's like 1995 again
Yeah
And of course
They did again
Well
They did not do lower control arms in the rear
So the rear axle
Is sucked forward
It really does look bad in the picture
They made bad choices
And they just did
Superficial research by talking to the reps
Who of course
Are going to sell their product
And got online
And then all of a sudden
They were talking about
Like oh oh oh oh oh
Because it was originally a Rubicon
So when you put
A three and a half inch kit
On a Rubicon
It only gets
Two inches or two and a half inch
Right this whole like
Which we all know is actually
Unless you have the sport sport sport
Basic nose down in the ground
Jeep which I don't understand that spring
Right
There are some Jeeps that like
The nominal difference between the two
Is not standardized
This idea that the Rubicon
Is lifted over this other Jeep
It has everything to do with like
What spring that Jeep got coming down the line
Not so much exactly the model
There is no if this then that
Then this the perfect
Scenario
We've seen sport S's
That are basically kissing the ground
With stock springs
We've seen sport S's that
Are tolerable
You know maybe need a little bit of leveling
So anyways they
They had they bought a three and a half inch kit
But they had a Rubicon
So they were hoping for two point five inches
Of lift
But then they got five and then
All of a sudden their post got to the point where they had
Seven and they were like
What am I supposed to do with seven inch lift
Because I bought shocks for three to six
It was the most like
Let me speak to a manager type
Of tirade
And sent there showed their
Screenshot of how the angry
Email they sent over the week
How much lift over anything on the concept list
Had totes right
Totes so come
Back to buzz cut and they were like
Actually we don't know how to lift a two door
So let's just remove two inches out of the top
It's fair that's fair that's how
I feel happened there
Back to the XJ they put a two inch
Suspension lift quick
Disconnects which him wait wait real quick
It's probably like old man email and that
That two inch probably
You know
Custom carbon fender flares
With reshaped wheel openings
For maximum clearance so the only thing cool
On this is they took the time
To do a Scottism and I can
Appreciate this they took
All the time and and blew the entire
Budget on the fender flares and
Painted them so that nobody else
Knows they did anything
Ah
That is so true
The biggest investment in this
In this resto mod which is
Most people will never know
Most people will never ever know
They'll look at him like something's different
But I can't quite put my finger on it
And then they'll see the oil stains
From the two eight and they'll be like
Oh why am I looking at this
I guess I'm
So disappointed because how
Cool would it have been
To put a three six swap into that
I really am surprised
That they didn't
Here we go too
You got custom painted
Wheels with 33 inch BFG
All terrain tires and I'm going to
Jeep nerd out
For a second
Because Neil hasn't had the
Displeasure of looking at the interior
Of this XJ
This you know where the little change
Piece on the old school
Cherokees right behind the shifter
Absolutely
That is for a four wheel
Two wheel drive switch like an eagle had
That's what that has
So it is
Such the armpit of Jeep them
That still has that
Switch No it does not
And the shifter for the four wheel drive
Is just like four high
Neutral and low
So it's a two oh
Eight or something transfer case
Yes vacuum
Vacuum actuated
Why
They put an integrated
Structural rock rails on this
They cut out the rockers that didn't exist
And put in tubing
Like anybody else in their driveway did
Who has an XJ
But this is the part that Neil's going to like
There's a series of fun
Hidden and not so hidden details
That nod to the era of cassette tapes
Big hair and stone wash denim
Including a custom color
And era specific
Ergonomic seat enhancements
Ergonomic seat enhancements
It's got flat on the seats if I'm not mistaken
It has period accurate
Beaded seat covers
That's right
Cause those are
Rubik's Cube on the dash
Yeah
So Davey would want this one
He loves the Rubik's Cube
He took people that were born in 2000
And you're like
Let's do something retro
From 1984
Like they should have done
A touch tone phone on the dash
Or one of those old school
Like Motorola
Car phones
You know and again outside of the fact
That we don't actually get to know who the builders are
And the NDAs
I want to know what piece of junk
Who owns this piece of junk
Is
I think somebody in
In the higher management was like
I think it would be quaint to own this
Vintage vehicle
But I gotta have a cooler on it for my beers
So I'm going to have an excuse
We're gonna use it for the concepts
And now I'm just gonna own it and take it to car shows
The concept is built from a well preserved
1984 Cherokee
Focusing on functional air quotes
OEM plus
Build rather than heavy modifications
Then why do we have to put rockers
Because there weren't
Because they found this sitting in somebody's
Backyard in Toledo, Ohio
There were no rockers on it
And they cleaned it up
To make this thing
And I just
And Notch Customs
Terrible company, just anybody who was around
Back in the day
Notch had all the opportunity in the world
They flittered
Their finances
And business management away
Notch had the
Market on these fenders
And of course they weren't carbon fiber
At that time
Which why did they bother to make them carbon
Because they're painted
And it's got 33's on it
Because we know that
You need two inches and high clearance flares
Just to run
33's in a functional manner
On an XJ
And it's a two door so they could have
Cheated a little bit back there
You could have cheated it up
You could have had 35's on this thing
Had this real low slung
But then the 2.8 would have just been like
I give up
I'm surprised it hasn't yet
I want to know how many miles are on the garbage 2.8
That's in this thing as well
Bill said rust belt resurrection
That would have been cooler
That would have been cooler
I'd love vintage vehicles
I think it would be so cool
That they would have took a 3.6
And an 8 speed
And shown that it could work
You know what? This exact jeep
As it sits
The carbon fiber flares
The paint
I know how hard that was
I'm okay with it being a hidden detail
Those who are going to know
Cool that type of easter egg stuff
That sells
People like me excited
But you're absolutely right
Put the V6 in it
And give me that nod to
These old school
They could have made the badge
Literally someone with a 3D printer
Yes
Not just the Lannis
Could have 3D printed the badge
On the back that said 3.6
Instead they took paint
Like they got their textures brushed out
And they painted over the 4x4 and stuff
I mean
I did cooler crap
When I was in high school with my Cherokee
I'm
The X-Day Pioneer is widely considered
A nostalgic highlight
Of the 2026 lineup
Where's the highlight
So
Our last one in the lineup
And I'm actually excited to talk about this one
Because I hated the commander
When that came out
I actually saw this one come out a couple days ago
And I absolutely thought of you
In the process. I'm glad that you did land with it
So
This one is
The full size premium SUV
Diled up with a functional off-road enhancement
Incredible stealthy capability
The commander is reporting for duty
So this is
They took the Grand Wagoneer
And they souped it up and called it a commander
35 inch tires
On 20 inch wheels
When the Grand Wagoneer has bigger tires
On it than the vintage build
That's
I'm excited with the Baja Designs
S-Pod lighting for enhanced visibility
In low light and off-grid environments
Custom protective skid plates
And custom side graphics
That reinterpret
Classic wood grain
And serious off-road
Facing vibe
What? Where?
Reinterpret wood grain
This picture doesn't...
I think it's inside
It's not on the outside
I think the wood grain is on the inside
Only we didn't have to wonder
With the concept vehicle
I mean at least the Wagoneer
Has got room in it
The commander had no room in it
But again
All they did was re-badge it
And soup up a couple minor things
And put a lift and bigger tires on it
Yeah
A couple minor things
That's what I'm saying
I'm sorry, take...
Go from six jeeps to three
If you have $150,000 to buy a freaking Wagoneer
You could do this too
Correct
I understand budget cuts
I understand what the economy is
I would have rather had three awesome jeeps
Than the six we got
And...
Even if there was just one
That was an over the top fund build
Which they had done before
Even if it was just the one
That's cool
The one with the four steering
And the hemi front and back
That was the one flagship
Cool jeep and the rest were kind of meh
All of these are meh
And anybody could build these
In their backyard
Rock crawler did the suspension
On this particular jeep
On the Grand Wagoneer
Commander
So we do have notice of that
But otherwise
It really is
About the skids
And I'd really like to know
What custom skids are under there
And here's where we could use the carbon fiber
And being cool
Funny thing is
It's got the 35 inch
Nitto Recon
Which is literally what we just put on
Scott and Jenna Bennett's jeep
Which was on a national
It's a...
And it's on 20 inch wheels
Wrapped in 35 inch Nitto Recon
Which I love the tire
They're balancing great
So it's a good quality tire
So balances off road traction
With auto stability
So that's a funny
I think that's the only jeep
That we see
That is not on BFGs
Roughly speaking
I think the anvil is not on
I think the anvil must be on Falcons
Or something
I don't think the anvil is on the alt
The ATs that you're thinking it was
Let's see if I can find the
Honestly this article says
That everybody loves the XJ the most
Just so we're all on the same page
They haven't had the
Misfortune of having experience
I think the thing is the XJ looks
Really cool for an XJ
Do you know what I mean? Like I could get
Into
We were in danger when I saw the grille
Because it's the early grille
Right
And then I saw the interior with the switch
The anvil is on 37 inch
No I already did that
The anvil is on the BFKM3
As well yeah
Doesn't look like it but I'm with you
I agree that picture doesn't matter
This is the only one that's on Nittos
I think that the
Somebody different built that
That's exactly what it was
I think that they're nodding
To the fact that
Rockcrawler suspension
I think that Jeremy at Rockcrawler put this
Deep together. That's my guess
Their performance
Whatever is their full size truck line
I guarantee
That they just shipped this over to them
And that Jeep is why we couldn't find the
Fifth Tire for our boat
At first right they were on national
Backorder because the first run
Of them were picked up
I feel like five of them were built
Out of Detroit
To Toledo Ohio
And the sixth was in
Eastern New York
They just kind of track that way too
I of course love
Big full size heavy
Dumb vehicles off road
That's my own
Of course I say that and I love
Power to weight ratio low slung
What we've had in the past
Like an XJ would be
With like almost 300 horsepower
From a 3 6 V 6
Listen to you
They were so close and yet
They just didn't do that
The stands were loaded
They had a good
Good hitter on point
And they just
I love his sports analogies
Barely hit the ball
Everybody left wanting
Looking over the stands going
That's where the ball could have gone
So what do you guys think
As far as our listening audience
We'd love to hear from you
You can reach out to us
And let us know what your favorite
Concept is or isn't
You could disagree with us
And you think that maybe
That Red Rock Gladiator has something
That we missed and it's the coolest
Jeep you've ever seen in your whole entire life
Simply because it's red
I don't know
I've read more than the next person
In the comments
Or someone from YouTube saying
As a 90's kid I definitely dig the rewind
I think it's a great bass
Color and sticker package is cool
The seats and the little Easter eggs are neat
And he digs a 5.7 and lifted with some 30.7s
In a two door
That's not this year
That was last year
Which also last year
And I think that we see this in life
I think that last year
They did a ton of stuff
But we can't
You can't
Get milk from a dead cow
Jeep
Is in one of its worst places
It's been since the 80's
In a grand scheme
Concept
They don't have any budget
Is my guess
I don't know
They have all the insider information
On the harness
The computers
They literally produce the motors every day
I don't see that as a big reach for them
You just need somebody that
Custom make some motor mounts
Whoopies
In the XJ
He's really hung up on the XJ
I just don't get it
The funny thing for me
For Laredo
Weren't
What would you say
The engine power plant in the 80's
Laredo was
I think of
Or was I thinking of Renegade
Typically you had the V8 package
Laredos
No, Laredos weren't the V8s
Renegades were V8s
There we go
You were thinking the early 2000's
Grand Cherokee Laredo
You go all the way back
Laredo and the CJ line
Was the
Cushy leather wrap steering wheel
Leather wrap grab bar
Nicer seats
A little nicer carpet
And then they made it
Irrelevant when they did it at the
WJ
Middle of the road jeep was a Laredo
And now everybody
You lowered the stock price of Laredo
By doing that
Now Laredo is basically your entry level
Correct
They have alienated
That
The original Laredo
So the only
And here's where it is of value
The Laredo
Concept is a six speed
So they are trying to
Hark into the fact that they are
One of the few manufacturers who are still producing
A manual transmission
I mean give them a little bit of credit
Where credit might be due
It is the three six with the six speed
In the
In the
You know their Laredo
Concept vehicle
To be extreme
It doesn't chase
Overlanding trends or push radical design
Changes instead it seems to ask
Simpler question what if you took a modern
Wrangler and removed everything
That it doesn't need
To be there
Yeah
Subtle upgrades
While never losing the vehicle's core simplicity
I feel like it's really just kind of
A fluffed up idea
Like we really like I need you to buy
Into this so I'm just going to kind of spin
Doctor it to the best of my ability
I think they built what they could build
They had then marketing go sit down
Like come up what we can talk about
With this
I do like the retro style
Magged wheels
You know I don't know that I would ever
Put them on a personal vehicle of mine
I like the solid steel wheels better
Yeah
I do like when Jeep has done that in the past though
And they do a unique wheel
But don't you feel that Kelsey Hayes wheels
Are more appropriate on a renegade
Than Laredo
I do
Jeeps confused
And so I years ago I had this
This question I pull no punches
Great friend of mine
I want to reference him but I don't
Because I don't want to get him in trouble
He's in the industry he's on the inside
And I reached out to him one time
And I was like dude
Why is Jeep corporate
Doing X Y and Z
We did this in the 80's
And 90's
It failed miserably
I'm not saying we shouldn't dabble in it
But why are we
Seemingly confused
And without some direction
And his response was
Well
The engineers and the design team were actually
All born in the 2000's
So they weren't there when that
It's relatively apparent
And I think that this kind of
Speaks to this the fact that
This style
You know slotted wheel
They should have done a renegade package
Correct
And
And the Laredo should have had
Maybe a little something else going on
I'm not sure
Leaves you wanting a little bit this year
Definitely a little
Alright folks
I think
Unless there's any particular good
Conversations
In there
Just putting pinstripes on jeeps
Makes them look ugly her opinion of the concept jeeps
Really I love pinstripes
I was going to say I think the stripes are good
When used appropriately
I think I also like
Pinstriping as a design
Element
And an artistic
I was going to say if they're done with the artists doing
The actual brush on pinstripes
It's amazing
I like that old school pinstripe
But that's not what she's talking about per se
And Bill McWilliam said he's getting ready to paint
The Barbie jeep for Bantam
Concept custom players
Bill are you running
Are you doing the downhill race
We've been trying to get Davey to do it for years
At this point
Just doesn't seem to get behind it for us
He was almost behind it the one year
And then he flipped the jeep and got hurt
Out in the side
Such great coverage
I will forever
Live rent free in my brain
And I am so thankful
That not only is it documented
In video
But I was there to witness it firsthand
100%
As he crushed his family jewels
With the battery
From the Barbie jeep
Looks like a struggling turtle
On the back
If you don't know that one folks
You're going to want to go dig around in our YouTube videos
To find it, it's so good
So, so good
And Bill said he is going to run the race
I hope he's in a duck suit
Or an alligator suit
I don't know, something, some onesie
Maybe a pink bunny
He's got to be holding his beef sticks as he's riding down the hill
No, he has a bucket of ducks
And he's like using those a chuck at other
Contestants
Love it, alright folks
He said he needs a pit crew though
Uh oh
Might be interested
Davey's a pit crew
Folks, this has been a fun one
For us, hopefully you enjoyed it as well
We'd love to hear from you
Reach out to us at
Contact
At
Let us know what your take on
The
Concept vehicles are now and
Previously, and maybe what you think
You would have liked to have seen now or in the future
Additionally, you can text us
Text only number for 40855
2100
Don't call that number, it doesn't ring
It does whatever, but you can text it
Um
And if you're interested in knowing
What's happening in our personal lives
You know, feel free to hang out
Through the outro credits and we'll
Update you accordingly. Until then
We've got like, I don't know, 25 to
35 vehicles on or
Around property
We've got some cool vintage resto mods heading to
The dyno today
To dial in
The fuel injection
We've got a lot going on
And we'll look forward to the next time
Until then, Jeep on
So I think we should need to make him
Go last for the
100% I'll jump in
You typically go first, so mine was
Just racing around
In said Jeep all weekend
Playing a little catch up on life
Since I was out of town
It has been a couple weeks
And so
I will just
Ever so slightly elaborate on the fact
That I was recently
In Charleston, South Carolina
Had a
Spectacular
Spectacular time down there
Other than
FedEx touching me
In a really big way, so one of the last
Times that we were on the podcast
I was talking about T-Force trucking
And
Did FedEx deliver picnic tables
And set axles again?
No, they were supposed to be the Easter Bunny
And they lost their
They didn't understand the
They didn't understand the assignment
And they fumbled the ball
Fumbled in a big hard way
Now, I thought was really hysterical
Was that
The last time I was on air
I was maligning T-Force
Because they set us way behind schedule
With the lift
You know, we had four lifts on a pallet
Basically being delivered
Delivered?
Delivered
And that pallet got lost
In transit, and eventually the driver
Explains to me that basically hey
We used to have 13 guys who were on this route
Now we only have five, can't hire anybody
Bop, bop, bop, bop, it's the world of Lebanon
I've heard it all now
One of our good customers
Actually works for FedEx Freight
Corporate
Customer and friend
Jeeps on property, and he's a childhood friend of mine
And he hits me up on the side
After watching, you know, that last podcast
And he was like, it was around
Easter, and he was like, oh, you know
Hey, just got done getting the
Podcast update, thank god
It wasn't FedEx for once, you know what I mean?
And I was like, but wait
There's more
Here is how FedEx has touched me
Yes, so
It actually prolonged
Our stay in Charleston by
A day or two, because I had done all this
Logistics, and then
I did have uncomfortable talk with the kids
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, so
We ended up, the Easter Bunny
Had to write an IOU
Because the Easter Bunny was unable to
Carry said package
In an Easter basket, instead it needed
To come via FedEx
And next time the Easter Bunny will try to pick a better
Shipping
Shipping company in the process
How was Charleston? Did you end up going on any
Of the ghost tours? I did not
I went to book the ghost tours
Honestly, we went and watched the river dogs
Played baseball
For opening weekend, it was
Spectacular, it was their fireworks
Night
It felt electric
We had
Beautiful weather
We cruised in the vehicles, the windows
Down with the music blaring
We did yard work, we
Easter egg hunted in the middle of the city
You know, it was
It was great, and I did not want
To come home, but then eventually
You know, did. Now the challenge
Because of the nature
Of, you know, traveling with the dogs
And the kennel and bringing back stuff
I drove the international down
That was an adventure
I don't mind the drive, but we all know
How that's really not
I keep getting on this podcast
And talking about how it's really not
A road trip vehicle
Road trip vehicle, and yet
You keep driving it across the country
Over and over and over
Glutton for friggin punishment
If you just kind of like, you really kind of
Boil it down
But that all went really well
I was very fortunate because the fuel
Here was not that expensive
Like in the grand scheme of the fact
That crippling fuel prices
And of course
The international's diesel
And I was actually able to fill up here
Drove down there
Drove around for the week now
Granted, when we're there
We drive our friend's car
So that's way more efficient and whatnot
But literally didn't put fuel in the truck
Until I was, you know,
A quarter of the drive back north
So that was manageable
At least
But kind of a fun vehicular
Road trip experience
This weekend myself
Was all about assembling
Stuff and working on the homestead
And the house build
And as I continued
I shared previously how I
Actually really enjoy vinyl siding
At this point
This was my first time
I finally closed off the eaves
To the g-shed
Made 11,000 cuts and interlocked
The eaves
And put the fascia board
Cover on
And dressed up the front of the shed
And that was all brand new
When we built the house
We actually had the Amish do
The eaves and the roof
Because it's because of the nature
Of it being cathedral ceiling
And so on and so forth
But obviously Jeff and I
Did the shed
And so I kind of wanted that experience
Of what is it like
To
Enclose it appropriately
And that's what I did this weekend
So all is well
I had a great warm weather
Work on the property
Race around in the Jeep across the county
Experience
So overall
Vehically everything is very good
I'd like to work on some stuff here
But time
So for me
I worked on
Getting the
Back of the car
The Model T project
Kind of figured out
So I got the tailpan welded
To the quarter panel
Which required me to finish this
Like trim
Basically it's like a cast
Piece of steel or something
I don't actually understand how it was made back then
But it basically looks like a T
From a top profile
And it goes from the roof
All the way down to where the
Bumper would be
And because of how the car has
Experienced its last hundred years of life
It was in multiple pieces
So thankfully it welds well
And I was able to kind of
Take and cut up pieces
And put them in
The hardest part is when trying to
Show that after the fact
It doesn't quite show that
The next problem is
When I got over the pasture side
Had things kind of clamped together
I released it and it sprung
The tailpan up
Like three-quarters of an inch
And I thought I got it
Sucked down and
I had the improperly clamped things
With a long lever arm
And pushed down on it
And I thought I had everything good
Until I went to close the trunk lid
Which is still hot garbage
But it still showed me that
I was still high on the other side
And I had welded it all solid
Oh!
So out came the saw-saw
And I cut across the top above
The opening and down the side
And shifted the panel
Clamped it again and then had to fill
In all that
Again, it's hard to see on my
Social update
I did think you're
Becoming quite the gifted metal worker though
I mean I can see
What you're doing to a degree
I can't even appreciate that
You know what I mean
But I was looking at it and I was like
Man, that's some really cool stuff you're working through
Got that done
Now the deck lid fits
And then I started
Because I had notched the frame
And raised the rear part of the frame
To lower the car
I had previously done the floor
And stuff using some old parts
Well now I needed to cap in the edges
So that you're not getting
Road debris
Inside the trunk opening
So I got that kind of
Designed the driver's side
Welded in and then late
Yesterday I welded in the
Actual wheel well
That you'll see right behind the tire
And it is amazing
One of the coolest parts about this car
Is it was literally in pieces
When I got it and all hot garbage
And as I keep adding things
It gets structurally more sound
And it comes more
What you expect the car like
You know you first close the door
Early on the whole thing would like
Shake my shell and now you close the door
And it's just thunk
And that's kind of cool to see it
Come back literally from the brink
Yeah
So that is the part I'm most enjoying
Is just being able to step back
And see that big impactful difference
And
At the same time
You know early on in my
Autumn of career if I would have done
That three quarter of an inch thing
I would have been devastated when it took me
Like a month to recover from that
And this time I was just like
Gotta make it right
So we're just gonna cut it up and make it right
It is what it is
So overall pretty happy
I'm getting to
Basically what I'm trying to do
Is get everything wrapped up
I have two more patches to make on the driver's side
Then the car is going
To go out spin around
And come back in and I'm gonna rinse and repeat
All up the other side
Got the bottom of the quarter
Will well box in the raise
Portion of the trunk
And the back corner will all have to be
Done on that side
Then we'll have like a
Actual car
And then I can make a new deck lid from scratch
Probably because it is so bad
At that point
Oh my goodness is it bad
Excellent
And the last but not least
Jeffrey got rid of his Jeep
So he's no longer in the Jeep community
Jeep's still there
Jeep was overdue for an oil change
So I had to go buy a car
Makes sense
Yeah cause time
What's that? And of course folks
If you recently joined us
You'll know that Jeffrey has left
His full time
Occupation here at SFJ 4x4
To pursue being a owner
Operator, restaurateur
And bar aficionado
So then
That's out of the area from
His commute
So here brings us to the
Ribbing of the Jeep and so on and so forth
Absolutely it's a long drive
Going through the gas mileage that the gladiators
Getting on 37 so
Had to find an alternative to save a little bit of money
And when you factor in a car
Payment and the price of gas
I'm still saving money
Over what I was spending in the Jeep
That being said
You guys have to guess what kind of car
Would I have bought
Well I know what's dealership you went to
And I know that they have Subaru's
Volkswagen's and BMW's
Now there's a Honda dealership right next to it
That I was also at so
Right but you had said specifically what dealer you went to
So I was discounting the Honda dealership
And I have tried
To do business at the Honda
I told you I was going to go to
The dealership but I'm telling you I went to both
So that you know that
That's fair but I was picking on you earlier
With the architect
Saying that you probably got a beamer
Ooh
I did actually say
To Kristen I wouldn't mind a beamer
I could see you be
You would totally be a beamer
I absolutely said I wouldn't mind one
Depending on what we found
So
But no I did not get a beamer
I think you wouldn't of
Because you're too frugal for that
I don't even know
What Honda cars exist anymore
Like I can produce a Honda Civic
Is like the only car
From Honda
So what I can tell you is Scott is right
I did end up at New Motors
Because I went to Honda first
I had a Honda Accord
I've tried to buy there before and it's hard
I walked a lot
Twice
How many tumbleweeds went by you
Several
Not once did a Honda rep come out and even say a word to me
Exactly
I'm going to New Motors
And this is all an eerie PA for those
That don't know
They have like seven dealerships
Right in a row on a product
The dealership needs to stop putting up billboards
In Nashville County and actually get their
Sellers out in the lot
Yeah
So then I walk
Or we pull into New Motors
Before I got to the first vehicle
There was a rep there
First of all that's a little too quick
I haven't even looked at your lot yet
But here's what I'm looking for
And I was like
I want a car that is efficient on fuel
But has room that I can put a couple kegs
And if I have to run down to Meadville
And pick up some kegs from our brewery
And
Other than that
I kind of don't care
New or used
Well there you have to guess that as well
Used
Subaru Forester
My money is it was new
Because it's just
It's probably more money
Conscious to buy a new one now
Than to buy used
That's exactly right
I looked at used but
In my head I needed to have reliability
And a warranty
Because I just
I can't have a vehicle that I'm just going to be investing
More time in
Specifically for that dealership
I'll make something up
Like 10 to 15 new vehicles on the lot
They'll have 3 used ones
They sell fast
They actually have a ton of used
Vehicles on their lot
But we were literally
He's showing us a used one
That's got a dealer warranty
Still applied
Low mileage
But the thing looks like
I drove it through the woods
And I'm looking at it and I'm like
This is only a couple of years old
Why is it looks so bad
Well people don't know how to park
And they ding things up
You're asking a lot of money for that
And Kristen's like what about this one over here
And there's a vehicle
Literally diagonal
On the next row over
So we walk over
And I'm like what about this one
Why don't you get the keys for this one
He comes back with the keys I go drive it
And I was like wow this thing's actually got
A ton of room in it for small of a car as it is
So that's what we ended up buying
I got stranded at the dealership because
Which was what? What was it?
I'm not telling you yet
I got stranded at the dealership because
Their finance office was so backed up
They had one finance manager on vacation
They know how the story goes
So
They're like well you could come back tomorrow
To finish if you want I'm like
I don't have time tomorrow this is the day I set aside
To buy the vehicle I will wait
And he's like it's gonna be a while
I'm like it's fine so Kristen went back home
With the Jeep and I just sat at the dealership
For hours
But
It was funny because trying to make the deal
Before she left they're like
Hey we're having trouble getting you approved
I'm like I'm already approved
I already have the approval
On this vehicle because I ran it through
The
Finance that I usually use
I'm already approved at way better
Rate than what you told me you think you could get me
Approved for and they're like
Well we don't know how that's possible because we work
With them and they're denying it and I was like
Here's the reference number right here
Use the reference number and I have for you
And they went and used it and they're like
Oh yeah you got approved for a really good rate
Uh-huh
Turns out
Because they were trying to run it again
And I already had an approval
It was blocking it
So they basically people
Were trying to buy multiple vehicles in a day
Without actually having the ability to buy multiple vehicles
So they auto block
If you get an approval from one lender
At least for this dealership
The rest are auto blocked
That makes sense
I mean you wouldn't want to
While it's all happening at the same time
You wouldn't want them to be able to buy two or three vehicles
From two or three different dealerships
So I have some qualifying answers
Assuming it's a hatchback-esque vehicle
So that puts out the legacy
Which
I don't know who buys those anyway
So we're down to a forester
An outback
Or a cross track
Said small so I think the forester is out
Cross track is the smallest
But I feel like that's too
Too small
For him
Well isn't the forester the biggest?
No outbacks the biggest
Oh okay well then
I stay at forester
I hold my cards at forester
So we know it's new
We know it's hatchback
And it's none of the three you just said
Oh
Is it that different model they just came out with?
You bought a Mercedes
No
Now we know it's a Subaru
It is a Subaru
I'm impressed that you haven't got it yet
There's a model that's actually
Half replacing the Ascent
But I don't remember what it's called now
Cross track, Impreza, Ascent
Outback, Forester
BRZ, WRX
Of those which ones are smaller ones?
Impreza
I bought the Impreza
It's actually in the compact
Car class
Now what color?
Blue
That was hard
I should have started with what color
Before we even went to any vehicles
None of us were surprised
And again it's the
The only car we drove that day
It's the one Kristen picked out and
We were happy with it
They had a red one, a white one, and a blue one
And I'm like well I gotta go with the blue one
I don't want white and I don't like red vehicles
How's the compact 5 door hatchback
Known for standard symmetrical
All-wheel drive
How's the culture shock going from up here
In 37s in the lift kit to on the ground
My 37s are taller than the car
I know
You said in prezzos like that, it's so little
It is, but when you get inside
There is an unbelievable amount of room
I could not believe it
When I got in it I'm like that thing's so tiny
But it doesn't look bad, I'll check it out
I sat down and I'm like
Yeah it's cavernous
Why is there so much room in here
You could park that inside my wife's descent
Yeah
Do you know what engine you got?
The 2.0
The little guy
They're 2.5
It doesn't need more than the 2.0 with the turbo though
I mean that thing is so zippy as a little car
Yeah the 2.5 is 182 horsepower
With an 8 speed
Transmission
But otherwise it's CVT
So we know how that goes
So you're at 152 horsepower
On I don't know what
1800 pounds of car
You know what I mean
That's so cool
Well congratulations
And I did drive it here today
And I planned to drive the Jeep originally
But I was like you know what
I'm going to park, we're going to see if anybody notices
If not maybe I get away with it to the podcast
I've had this vehicle for 2 weeks now
I've waited to post anything about it
For this moment
For this moment
Man what a good day
Alright folks we'll do it again next week
We got a ton of Jeeps to get to
We've heard a lot of requests for
Continuing Tuesday updates
And Scott and I are trying to force those into existence
Yep
Because obviously Jeffery's not any help with that
We'll head
We got Jeeps to do today
So here we're off
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