1997 Jeep TJ Brute Paint - Project Teal-J II Brute

10. We hauled the bed across town to Pick-Em Up Truck Store of Ukiah to have an application of Rhino Lining installed. We chose Rhino Linings because, besides being known worldwide as a leader in sprayed-on bedliners, they offer three different product applications, each designed to handle a different task. The TuffGrip product we picked offers excellent nonslip grip that's designed to outlast the vehicle. It likes to be sprayed on thick, has a somewhat softer texture than other products on the market, and it also aids cushion impacts to the steel below. It only took Pick-Em Up one afternoon to finish Teal's new bed, and the sweetest part was, it never even had to be removed from the utility trailer that we used to haul it.

11. With the bed painted and lined, it was finally ready to be installed in its new home. We didn't get a chance to weigh it prior to installation, but AEV told us they come in at right around 250 pounds. From our view behind the camera, it seemed a little heavier than that as the guys from DC Customs manhandled it into its new resting place.

12. With the new bed mounted, the project really started to take shape. Seeing the cab and bed together for the first time provided the crew with a whole new sense of accomplishment. We all looked forward to seeing the new hardtop put in place.

13. While Dustin worked on painting the new hardtop, the rest of the guys spent their time bolting in parts like the new T-Max winch.

14. A longer front driveshaft was necessary because of the stretched wheelbase. The stout unit you see here was supplied by David Rodrigue Drive Line in Ukiah. It features 1350 Spicer U-joints and a CV-joint at the transfer-case end to help eliminate vibrations. The front driveshaft did not require any modifications.

15. The items you see here are part of the natural leak vacuum detection (NLVD) system that was required as part of our 5.7L Hemi engine's emissions-control system. At first, we were worried that they would have to be modified and relocated farther from the gas tank, but as it turned out, a perfect spot presented itself just to the right of the rear winch mount. We didn't even have to change any hoses or wires for the system to work. A couple of holes and two 3/8-inch bolts were all we needed to solve this problem.

16. AEV tells customers to reuse the stock rollcage minus the rear downbars for the Brute conversion. While this offers suitable safety for the average wheeler, it wasn't exactly what we had in mind for Teal. So DC Customs' fab guru Danny Howe went to work building a custom one-off cage to complement the Brute's interior. Howe spent hours getting every bend perfect so that the cage would hug the inside of the new hardtop, thus allowing greater interior space and comfort.

17. We insisted Danny include a V-set of downbars to the front of Teal's cage. We like this arrangement because it adds significant strength to the front of the cage while also giving the cage a trophy-truck-like appearance. The placement of these bars-tubing diameter as well as V-angle-were all factors Danny considered prior to installation. In the end, these two simple tubes really set the cage apart from what we typically see on the trail.

18. Here you can see Dustin working on the frame tie-ins for the front hoop of the cage. M.O.R.E. supplied us with brackets that made this installation a snap.

19. Once the cage was completed, we turned our attention to the exhaust system. Much of our old exhaust system was cobbled together during last-minute wrenching sessions prior to trail rides. The results did not sound or look anything close to what we wanted to see near the new undercarriage. So we called our friends at Magnaflow to get a new muffler, high-flowing catalytic converter, and Y-pipe. The universal high-flowing spun cat you see here is perfect for such applications where you need better performance in tight confines.

20. Dustin introduced us to his local exhaust guy Bob Beeler. Beeler's shop is right around the corner from Dustin's so we simply pushed the rig over and unboxed our new Magnaflow parts. Beeler is one of those guys who really takes pride in the quality of his work. His shop was super clean and organized thoroughly. Once he started working on Teal, we knew we had the right guy on the job. Beeler spent four hours under the rig bending, cutting, and fabricating a 2 1/2-inch exhaust system that we can honestly say looks like a work of art. Every inch of space was used to tuck items like the crossover tube and Y-pipe up out of harm's way.

21. Beeler even made us a custom turndown tailpipe with a three-bolt flange close by. This would enable us to replace the tail section of the system easily if needed. Notice the special attention Beeler took with Teal's new paint. This is the type of service we look for in shops. In the end, Beeler's exhaust system sounded awesome and was completely absent of booger welds and all those pesky little clearance issues we had before.