Jack Stilts' Build - 2002 ABT (Armored Baby Transport)

Jack Stilts

Jack Stilts

Skid Plates
Location
Michigan
What's up, XN!

Dang, it has been a loooooooooong time :)

Sorry to have some of you worried, but it's also nice to know that you're all looking out for one another, and for my well-being. I thank you for that, sincerely.

Now, onto the fun stuff!

Just kidding, the Terradactyl's been hibernating all winter. It's been brutal.

Only updates I have:

- Total Chaos steering kit is (finally) getting installed
- Ordered a block heater because this sh!t is crazy
- Started a new secret project
- Hitting up James from RLC soon for some underbody skids

Events from this winter:

- RLC bumper: 1, guard rail: 0
- Recovered my buddy's Honda from a snow drift and replaced the alternator at -20F, which was...challenging
- Rescued a snow-drifted Escape

2014 is going to be a big year for the Terradactyl, and for me. Already have a few adventures planned, and more are in the works.

I've missed you guys! I honestly don't think I've been on since nXm, and that's a hell of a lot of posts to read...so I'll just say that I hope everyone's been good and just know that the Terradactyl and I are doing very well :)
 
caseycamby

caseycamby

Suspension Lift
Location
Marion, NC
Good to have you back, man!! You need to be sponsored by RLC haha ;)

Also, everybody with these secret mods!!! I don't like surprises! :tears2: haha
 
Prime

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
Yay! You are actually alive! Sounds like you've got a lot going on.

The one thing that I have to ask is, what happened to the guard rail?
 
Jack Stilts

Jack Stilts

Skid Plates
Location
Michigan
Ahh, good to be back.

Ramiro - thanks for checking in. Got a different number than the one you were probably texting in vain!

Jay - Tony just emailed me recently about getting that extension done. I should probably go through your thread to see if anything happened with yours, eh? Also, I'll get those measurements you need for the front. As long as you buy two winches ;)

Blakey Poo - GET ME UP TO SPEED BRO.



Oh, and that guard rail? Well. That "polar vortex" deal...dropped a foot of snow on us and I was driving in it aaaaaaaaaaand turned onto a curved entrance ramp to the freeway. Wheels were curved to the right, Xterra decided to keep going straight. Boop. Bounced right off the guard rail. Bumper took all the impact, didn't slow me down an inch, and it knocked me back into my desired path and I kept rollin'. When I stopped, I was worried that the fender / bumper / wheel were going to be totally messed up, but the bumper had some scuffs and nothing more. NOT A SCRATCH, I TELL YA. So, RLC - 1. Guard rail - 0.
 
Rammer'sX

Rammer'sX

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Sylvan Lake, MI
Ah, well that is a good reason not to receive calls/messages. :)

If you need any help installing stuff, let me know.


Ramiro Munoz

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Prime

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
Jack Stilts said:
Jay - Tony just emailed me recently about getting that extension done. I should probably go through your thread to see if anything happened with yours, eh? Also, I'll get those measurements you need for the front. As long as you buy two winches ;)
Click to expand...

I dropped the ball on that also. Never did get around to measuring things.

Jack Stilts said:
Blakey Poo - GET ME UP TO SPEED BRO.
Click to expand...

You don't want much, do you?

Truck updates, yeah. Of course there's those. Take time, read some build threads. Get caught up.

Life updates?
Blakey Poo is a happy camper (job, girl, 33s).

MacLand deleted TGPWS3.... ACCIDENTALLY! Lots of people were pissed about that.

Frontier Nation is online.

DRB bought a G35 for a DD,

This new guy showed up and tried WAY to hard to talk to people, and it was creepy.

A few of us discovered a new medium to whore around in. (PM me on that if you're interested)

I went down to Florida in January and met up w/ Blakey Poo, Tim, and a few others for some dinner and beers.

vygame4e.jpg


Last, but not least, I found out about a month ago that Imma be a dad! So that's pretty awesome.

That's all that comes to mind at the moment.
 
Jack Stilts

Jack Stilts

Skid Plates
Location
Michigan
caseycamby said:
Also, everybody with these secret mods!!! I don't like surprises!
Click to expand...

Oh, so I probably shouldn't tell you that it's not just one mod...it's MANY. Just one project ;)


bigjim247365 said:
Glad youre back Jack!

now.... can you make Spring run again this year???????????????
Click to expand...

Thank you sir! And yes, I'm 90% sure I'll make it. Then again, I was 100% sure I'd make the fall run...whoops.

Prime said:
I dropped the ball on that also. Never did get around to measuring things.

MacLand deleted TGPWS3.... ACCIDENTALLY! Lots of people were pissed about that.

Frontier Nation is online.

DRB bought a G35 for a DD,

This new guy showed up and tried WAY to hard to talk to people, and it was creepy.

A few of us discovered a new medium to whore around in. (PM me on that if you're interested)

I went down to Florida in January and met up w/ Blakey Poo, Tim, and a few others for some dinner and beers.

Last, but not least, I found out about a month ago that Imma be a dad! So that's pretty awesome.

That's all that comes to mind at the moment.
Click to expand...

Hahahahahaha, this is all collectively awesome.

I'm bummed you didn't get the extension! You were going to be the standard and I was going to be the weird one. Come on. Let's re-ignite that flame.

Frontier Nation!! That's such great news. And I see you've really taken to the official trademarked XterraPerformance picture pose...that's really come a long way.

A DAD? CONGRATULATIONS! Picturing a little Jay with a little Xterra is awesome.

Dear mods,

Sorry to threadjack my own thread. I realize none of this is related to my build. To appease the mod gobbles, I will post a picture of the Terradactyl in all her segregated glory:


Untitled_zps6748e759.jpg


That's where she spends her time when she's not in the garage, hibernating...waiting...
 
Macland

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
SW OK & formerly Eastern NM
Lol! I find it funny my accidental deleting of tgpws is an event! Oh, and don't feel bad about catching up with people in your build, it's yours so you can catch up as much as you want. It's nice to see you back.
 
Jack Stilts

Jack Stilts

Skid Plates
Location
Michigan
When I initially started coming up with ideas for the Xterra, and finally researching different methods / items / gear / products, I knew it was going to become a trail runner. I wanted to build an unstoppable machine. The first year I had her was spent learning. The second year (last year) was spent building.

This year, my ideas have changed.

My wanderlust has become absolutely insatiable. I feel infinitely restless; I've planned two trips this year alone, and that's not including two trips that were already planned for this year. I'm currently planning a massive & epic journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Overlanding has really become my passion after last year's trip to Michigan's upper peninsula. I want to see everything and do everything, and my goals for the Terradactyl had to change - slightly. I knew she was never going to be a rock crawler, and I was never interested in 35s or an SAS. In order for me to continue with this passion of mine, this year's goals will be focused on creature comforts - upgraded stereo, seats, interior revamp. Things that have never really mattered to me in the past, as it was just going to be short trips on the trails. If we're going to be spending more and more time together on the road, I'm going to need to be comfortable.

Starting this spring (hopefully soon), the following projects will be initiated:

1. Before anything else, the Total Chaos steering kit will finally be installed. It's only been hanging out in my garage since...June...?

2. Stereo upgrade.
-Blew a tweeter speaker yesterday, so this just bumped up to the top of my priority list. Head unit, amp, sub, speakers will all be installed.

3. Interior refresher.
-Headliner replacement, installation of the SE rearview mirror (compass & temperature); possible new CB and GPS, both with hidden power cords / wires, because cables are the bane of humanity. Also repainting all interior trim.

4. Window regulators, because they're all terribly slow. Also the driver door sags (Jay - remember when I thought my slider got smacked upwards at nXm? Nope - door sags), so that needs to be fixed.

5. Secret mod #1 - roof.

6. Secret mod #2 - tire carrier.

7. Roof rack refresher.
-Rails need to be taken off and repainted, along with the boots and the DepHep rack.

8. New starter, power steering pump, gear box, power steering lines, and shaft.

9. Seat research.
-Looking at options between Corbeau and Recaro. I've spent a lot of time in Recaro seats, and they're incredibly comfortable. Only problem is that I can't go and do a butt test; everything is a special order around here. If I pick some out and they're not comfortable, I'll be effed.

10. All-weather floor mats and heater block.
-This winter has been brutal, and eye-opening.

11. Underbody refresher.
-Research different ways to mount an on-board air tank, along with a new exhaust system and headers.

12. Winch shopping!

13. Head down to Louisville for some RLC underbody skid plates.

14. Full suspension lift / Desert Runners / undecided 32s.

15. Trailer build.


Stay tuned ;)


DSCN6642_zpsdc9eae97.jpg
 
Last edited:
gamecock257

gamecock257

Skid Plates
Location
Clinton, SC
Sounds like a good plan to me. I much prefer camping and scenic trail rides to hardcore obstacle based stuff. Wish there was more to do in the way of overlanding around here...
 
Muadeeb

Muadeeb

Nissan al Gaib
Admin
Location
Dallas
Opened the door, another car caught it and pulled it to more open than it should. It was misaligned from then on, and took about 3 years to finally fully break. It would actually droop when it slid off the latch. It took a full door replacement, since the metal around the mounting bolts had sheared off.

Sent via wild ferrets on crack
 
Muadeeb

Muadeeb

Nissan al Gaib
Admin
Location
Dallas
It did suck; took a good day to remove, swap over my electric parts an reinstall. This was a little over a year ago now.

Sent via wild ferrets on crack
 
Jack Stilts

Jack Stilts

Skid Plates
Location
Michigan
After much consideration, I decided that my shovel & axe would not stay on the outside of my vehicle. I've had a hard time figuring out the right way to secure them, but voila!

IMG_20140324_163816_zps0c066cc5.jpg


Lower panel under the rear seat.

There's not really a "how-to" on this, but I suppose I can share how I did it.

Step 1 - Remove dog hair.
IMG_20140323_151315_zps0e67a31b.jpg


Step 2 - Mock up locations for usable axe & shovel access. Use a utility knife to cut the carpet out, exposing the bare metal for a more secure mount. There is no picture for this. Terribly sorry.

Step 3 - Mount! I used 1.5" self-drilling hex screws and washers.
IMG_20140324_163853_zps4a3613e9.jpg


Step 4 - Enjoy.

I also made sure I could still fold the seats flat (which is their common position, without cushions), while also not getting in the way of leg room for the off chance that there are passengers in my back seat. Also, that axe is facing down, and also has a sheath / blade cover. ULTIMATE SAFETY.

Mission: accomplished.
 
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