WTF-J

Our subdivision has a covenant that prohibits parking unregistered cars in driveways.  No license plate means the WTF-J is persona non grata and must seek sanctuary in the garage.  

The first attempt to title the WTF-J happened last year, but the Ohio BMV needed to physically inspect it.  They offered to sell me a 30-Day Temporary tag to drive it to the BMV office, but I passed, as it wasn’t much more than a rolling chassis.    The good news is that having purchased the core parts from an ’85 CJ-8 Scrambler, the WTF-J could be licensed and titled as an ’85.  The model year designation has significant implications vis-à-vis emissions and safety regulations, so this is a good thing, even better, in a couple of years, the WTF-J will be eligible for historical vehicle plates in Ohio, significantly reducing the annual registration effort. 

Last year was a virtual drought, so almost any day would have worked for the outing.  This year has been a different story, with sunny days few and far between. 

In the last installment of the WTF-J Chronicles, you may recall the problems with the transfer case shifting.  That problem was solved and the WTF-J was back in action.  (Note: In the cloud = silver lining category, the adjusted TC linkage forced a change in the heating outlets.  They had been hung under the dash on fabbed aluminum brackets, but the new throw on the TC levers would have required much longer brackets that would have exerted too much leverage on the dashboard.  The solution was to mount the vents on the firewall.  Aside from being a real pain to install, once there, it forces you to wonder why that wasn’t the first choice. 

So the time came to bundle the WTF-J off for its first inspection.  Picking up the trailer at the storage yard uncovered a defect in the trailer build.  When it was shiny and new, there was enough of an electrical ground in the trailer ball coupler to trick me into believing that it would not be necessary wire a dedicated ground.  Fast forward to today and the trip started off with no trailer lights and worse, no trailer brakes.  As none of the trailer electrical functions were working, the diagnosis of a bad ground was easy.  A test light shoved into the truck side of the connection, proved that there were no blown fuses/relays on that side, and a quick jumper between the truck chassis and the trailer frame confirmed the diagnosis.  Fifteen minutes and a couple of connections later, it was lights, (brakes too!) camera, action!

Having the TC shifters operational meant that walking the WTF-J onto the trailer was child’s play.  Between the power of the 6.0L and the jack-stands under the rear of the trailer during the loading process there was no drama and the 18′ length provides enough room to jockey the WTF-J into the center. 

The trip to the BMV would also be the first time towing any substantial weight on the trailer since it was first built.  Happy to say that it worked perfectly.  The torsion axles and the bulldog coupler combine for a real quiet and stable ride.  

The only disappointment with the trailer came from the recessed tie-down rings that were installed into the deck.  Their location rendered them essentially useless for securing the WTF-J.   (If you look closely at the picture, you’ll see the yellow patches virtually under the tires.)  The trailer has a 1/4" * 3" band that essentially provides unlimited tie-down point around the sides and back of the trailer, but the tie-down straps have oversized hooks that virtually require D-Rings.   After returning from the BMV, a quick trip to Tractor Supply and a quick session with the MIG and there are now weld on D-Rings in the four corners.

Made it to the BMV and the line was long, (Surprised?) but moved along quickly.  When it was my turn, the guy filled out a surprising number of forms (I only had to sign three of them!) and then it came time for the inspection.   Well, it turns out that the inspection is only a verification that the serial number plates match the (out of state) title.  (WTF-J’s core came out of Connecticut.)  WTF-J passed!  It probably didn’t hurt that the BMV rep was also a gear head, so we bonded on horsepower and torque discussions.  (I fired it up on the trailer so he could hear it.  It is reassuring to hear a public servant utter the word: "Sweet!")

The protocol in Ohio is that it takes up to 30-Days to get a Title, and you cannot complete the registration process without a Title, so once again, the offer of a temporary tag.  Since WTF-J doesn’t yet have seat belts of any kind and still needs a bunch of nit stuff to get roadworthy, it still doesn’t make sense.   (OK, so some people think that a muffler is more than a nit, but it really does sound "sweet" running open header according to the Official Representative of the Ohio BMV! )  Title application receipt in hand, it was time to head back to the house and put WTF-J back in the barn.

Enough excitement for one day!

More to come…