My 1965 Jeep Gladiator project has been a labor of love, and has really improved my skillset. From its humble beginnings to its current state, this off-road beast now boasts a Ford 460, a corporate 14-bolt rear axle with custom CNC plasma-cut shackle mounts, a hooped front end, and a high-pinion Dana 44 that I built. Along the way, I learned to set up differentials, gained important knowledge of 4WD suspension geometry, and upgraded the truck with 4-wheel disc brakes and a twin-stick transfer case. As I embark on phase 2, my sights are set on fabricating a triangulated 4-link setup with coilovers to further elevate the project's performance.

 The centerpiece of this truck is undoubtedly the Ford 460 big block engine, a powerhouse that breathes new life into this classic. The added muscle not only enhances the truck's overall performance but also reflects my commitment to utilizing non traditional engines in my builds.The Motor is seamlessly integrated, truly fits the vehicle in this case. I believed an LS or Hemi, which would usually be the go to swaps on this chassis, would not truly give the driving experience that a carberuated big block would. There's something about driving an old truck that you just want to hold onto. Maybe it's the smell, the torque, or the sound... but in any case this truck has it all while being reliable, being able to cruise at 80mph, and having parts readily available all of which the original inline 6 was incapable of.

Over the month of January this year I embarked on making patch panels for the left hand bedside, lower quarter, and bed floor. The process was much more difficult than I had expected because the upper bedside along with a whole lot of mud and moisture had been trapped between the floor and lower quarter as the three were spot welded together. I shaped and tig welded in all thee along with the end cap, and ended up with a factory finish. I even got to learn how to make dies for a pullmax machine during this process so I could maintain the soft highlight line in the bed floor flange.