JP Jeep (Tribute) vehicle - WIP
Posted: April 14th, 2020, 3:31 am
Hello dear forum fellows,
Buckle up and get ready for another typically long post by yours truly!
After so long searching for a viable host car for my explorer build and still sourcing parts that I come across with the help of a wonderful fellow forum member (you know who you are), I've come to the conclusion that it will be next to impossible to find a good base model first-gen explorer in or around my area, especially right now. For various reasons, mainly work, I am unable to make longs trips outside of DFW to look at possible cars, so I will continue the search as I have been, but only hoping I can find something close by.
However, I still want to drive something JP related until I can splurge and build my explorer.
I never gave it any thought, but I've had a jeep under my nose the entire time. It's been in our family since it was born in 2008, meticulously taken care of, and I actually just bought it off my father about 8 months ago. I don't know why I didn't think of making it a tribute vehicle any sooner. Granted, it's not a wrangler, but I figure it's as good a vehicle as any to make into a tribute, if JP had continued success into the late 2000's.
It is a 2008 Grand Cherokee Laredo.
I know there's not much to "build" for this car since it is obviously not one used in-film, but I would still like to keep as close to the original jeep designs as possible without breaking the bank.
I spent all day scouring the internet for (I don't know what to call them) blueprints(?) of 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokees and kept getting sent to this one website that had exactly what I was looking for, but behind a pay-wall. I kept looking around but couldn't find anything large enough or at a high enough resolution to use in a decent manner, so I settled for using the low quality, low resolution schematic(?) I found instead.
After a few hours making very rough design attempts in GIMP, I got this for a first draft. Please note there are definitely some inconsistencies in the designs because I've never done anything like this before, so please hold criticism unless it's constructive! Not trying to upset anyone here, it's just not going to be perfect on the first try or for a tribute vehicle!
Also, please don't mind the hideous watermarks and artifacting, I couldn't find a better version of the blueprints This is mainly for reference as a quick idea unless I decide to shell out money for the blueprints, which I might just do....
Inherently because of the lack of large surface area on the side panels mainly due to the middle trim piece compared to it's wrangler counterpart, some adjustments such as striping location and logo positioning had to be made. Judging from the designs of the original jeeps too, it seems that the stripes would have extended across the roof (if it had been there), so I took creative liberty to wrap around the top and complete the look. I personally kind of like it. I also wanted to get the windshield frame that same red wrap like the original jeeps, but doing so meant the stripe of course had to be pulled further back, and it just didn't make the logo look good being so close to the stripe and off-center from the rear stripe, so I had to push the front stripe forward. I didn't want to put the logo on the rear door either because I fear it may not look as aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, I am definitely keeping the original look of the painted side mirrors, no questions asked. lol
I most certainly am not spending hundreds of dollars on roof lights for this build either, unless I can find them cheap somewhere, but it is definitely a functional piece I would like to add as a throwback and to give it a bit more of an aggressive look. I currently have some cheap lights in my closet somewhere that I got off amazon years ago but never used, though they just don't fit the style. I'll have to do a little more research into this area to find something suitable. At worst, I'll probably just use those lights.
The back also looks kind of bland and I would really want it to stand out, but I'll have to think about what I can do to give it a JP look from back there (or maybe take ideas from someone here). Ideally, I would want people to be able to recognize it as a JP inspired vehicle from all angles. I'm thinking of maybe some "corporate" stickers, maybe an InGen logo, etc., but I still have to see what would look good and ultimately, what would fit.
For reference, here is my vehicle. (I spy a mirror-tag!)
That picture is about a month and a half old, and I've since added roof rails to use for a roof rack system. Isn't she just purty?
Something to note; I wanted to go completely accurate on the paint colors but when I called apparently the only place in the DFW metroplex that does PPG automotive paint, they said that they don't have the sand beige PPG code in supply. Something about it being a water based versus urethane based and because of that, they can't even produce it so a few hours of several upon several phone calls later, I have all but given up on the base coat of accurate sand beige. For that reason, and it will likely be way too expensive and detract from my explorer build fund. However, I still want to do an accurate red color. So in essence, this build will be, unfortunately, on a white base, appearing more to be some sort of scientific research vehicle than that of a field transport vehicle.
This leads to me now consulting the veterans and fellow in-progress builders here - aside from knowing that it will simply be a tribute vehicle and has therefore no stringent guidelines to follow in order to be "screen accurate", what more can I do to really sell it on the whole look? I would like to be as accurate as possible, even though that's kind of impossible.... if that makes sense.
If anyone has any advice or suggestions or ideas, I really wouldn't mind hearing it. The worst that might happen is it doesn't happen. lol
It will be a good little while anyway before I actually paint it so there is time for plenty of planning, unless I get antsy and want to get this done ASAP which might also happen too
Look forward to hearing from ya'll!
Buckle up and get ready for another typically long post by yours truly!
After so long searching for a viable host car for my explorer build and still sourcing parts that I come across with the help of a wonderful fellow forum member (you know who you are), I've come to the conclusion that it will be next to impossible to find a good base model first-gen explorer in or around my area, especially right now. For various reasons, mainly work, I am unable to make longs trips outside of DFW to look at possible cars, so I will continue the search as I have been, but only hoping I can find something close by.
However, I still want to drive something JP related until I can splurge and build my explorer.
I never gave it any thought, but I've had a jeep under my nose the entire time. It's been in our family since it was born in 2008, meticulously taken care of, and I actually just bought it off my father about 8 months ago. I don't know why I didn't think of making it a tribute vehicle any sooner. Granted, it's not a wrangler, but I figure it's as good a vehicle as any to make into a tribute, if JP had continued success into the late 2000's.
It is a 2008 Grand Cherokee Laredo.
I know there's not much to "build" for this car since it is obviously not one used in-film, but I would still like to keep as close to the original jeep designs as possible without breaking the bank.
I spent all day scouring the internet for (I don't know what to call them) blueprints(?) of 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokees and kept getting sent to this one website that had exactly what I was looking for, but behind a pay-wall. I kept looking around but couldn't find anything large enough or at a high enough resolution to use in a decent manner, so I settled for using the low quality, low resolution schematic(?) I found instead.
After a few hours making very rough design attempts in GIMP, I got this for a first draft. Please note there are definitely some inconsistencies in the designs because I've never done anything like this before, so please hold criticism unless it's constructive! Not trying to upset anyone here, it's just not going to be perfect on the first try or for a tribute vehicle!
Also, please don't mind the hideous watermarks and artifacting, I couldn't find a better version of the blueprints This is mainly for reference as a quick idea unless I decide to shell out money for the blueprints, which I might just do....
Inherently because of the lack of large surface area on the side panels mainly due to the middle trim piece compared to it's wrangler counterpart, some adjustments such as striping location and logo positioning had to be made. Judging from the designs of the original jeeps too, it seems that the stripes would have extended across the roof (if it had been there), so I took creative liberty to wrap around the top and complete the look. I personally kind of like it. I also wanted to get the windshield frame that same red wrap like the original jeeps, but doing so meant the stripe of course had to be pulled further back, and it just didn't make the logo look good being so close to the stripe and off-center from the rear stripe, so I had to push the front stripe forward. I didn't want to put the logo on the rear door either because I fear it may not look as aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, I am definitely keeping the original look of the painted side mirrors, no questions asked. lol
I most certainly am not spending hundreds of dollars on roof lights for this build either, unless I can find them cheap somewhere, but it is definitely a functional piece I would like to add as a throwback and to give it a bit more of an aggressive look. I currently have some cheap lights in my closet somewhere that I got off amazon years ago but never used, though they just don't fit the style. I'll have to do a little more research into this area to find something suitable. At worst, I'll probably just use those lights.
The back also looks kind of bland and I would really want it to stand out, but I'll have to think about what I can do to give it a JP look from back there (or maybe take ideas from someone here). Ideally, I would want people to be able to recognize it as a JP inspired vehicle from all angles. I'm thinking of maybe some "corporate" stickers, maybe an InGen logo, etc., but I still have to see what would look good and ultimately, what would fit.
For reference, here is my vehicle. (I spy a mirror-tag!)
That picture is about a month and a half old, and I've since added roof rails to use for a roof rack system. Isn't she just purty?
Something to note; I wanted to go completely accurate on the paint colors but when I called apparently the only place in the DFW metroplex that does PPG automotive paint, they said that they don't have the sand beige PPG code in supply. Something about it being a water based versus urethane based and because of that, they can't even produce it so a few hours of several upon several phone calls later, I have all but given up on the base coat of accurate sand beige. For that reason, and it will likely be way too expensive and detract from my explorer build fund. However, I still want to do an accurate red color. So in essence, this build will be, unfortunately, on a white base, appearing more to be some sort of scientific research vehicle than that of a field transport vehicle.
This leads to me now consulting the veterans and fellow in-progress builders here - aside from knowing that it will simply be a tribute vehicle and has therefore no stringent guidelines to follow in order to be "screen accurate", what more can I do to really sell it on the whole look? I would like to be as accurate as possible, even though that's kind of impossible.... if that makes sense.
If anyone has any advice or suggestions or ideas, I really wouldn't mind hearing it. The worst that might happen is it doesn't happen. lol
It will be a good little while anyway before I actually paint it so there is time for plenty of planning, unless I get antsy and want to get this done ASAP which might also happen too
Look forward to hearing from ya'll!