Last weekend I trailered Colonel Mustard to the Tierra Del Sol event in Ocotillo Wells to shake it down and make sure all of the recent mods played well together.

My wife Heather and I headed out to TDS for a half day of Flattie testing and had a blast. As soon as we  got to TDS, we immediately unloaded the Colonel off the trailer and headed out to the Gas Domes inside the State park. We put about 25-miles on the Jeep in 80 degree weather over sand, whoops, rocks and hard pack trails.

With the Saturn Overdrive from Advance Adapters recently installed, I found that 4-LOW, overdrive was the best gear setting for all terrains. It allowed me to leave the Willys in low range, but still have 6-gears: traditional low for crawling and overdrive low for speeds up to about 25mph, giving the old Colonel a little better gearing advantage than high range where 1st is too short and 2nd is too tall for mixed terrain in 4WD. Plus OD Low makes much better use of the 60hp in sandy conditions

Another concern of mine was sufficient cooling with the massive Warn winch on the front, but we found that in warmer weather, the engine did seem to run about 10 degrees warmer, but did not overheat. We’ll keep our eye on the gauge until we are comfortable that there is enough airflow, but it looks like we are in good shape.

I also was anxious to test out the suspension with the wheels and tires. One thing I was sure of was that there would be no rubbing – confirmed on Off Road Evolution’s 30-degree RTI ramp. However, I was unsure of the suspension performance with 4 rear CJ-5 shocks. While the length was perfect (I only had to extend the rear bumpstop an inch), we had no idea if the valving would work right. After opening it up (if you can call 25mph opening it up) on a mile-long section of harsh whoops, I was surprised at how well the Colonel soaked it up. This has got to be the best riding old leaf sprung Jeep (don’t worry, it is still isn’t a Caddy) I have ever been in. Not once did the Jeep crash on its the bump stops and the monotube shocks were fade free after miles of whoops. To say I am pleasantly surprised at the performance of the Deavers and Bilsteins is and understatement. The Jeep as a whole worked remarkable, even with the heavy winch on the front bumper and the spare hanging off the tailgate.

The shakedown run was a success and gave me a chance to test out the Colonel before Moab, although a few minor things did come up. A plug for my right rear turnsignal was resting on the tail pipe and partially melted, also I found some new loosness in the steering that will have to be fixed, and lastly the 9-inch brakes just aren’t enough. So I am going to order 11-inch brakes and hope to get them this week to install before Moab (hey Mel, you reading this, how about Wed? :0) ). I’ll keep my fingers crossed that we can get this done in time.

So this week will be fast-paced. Not only do I need to pick up our recently repaired trailer and attend a Tread Lightly and BFG dinner, I also have to wrap up some stories and finish prepping the Willys for Moab. With parts set to arrive Tuesday and Wednesday, there are quite a few things left on the list: Mount fire extinguisher, oil change, lube chassis, adjust driveline brake, mount rear license plate on spare, replace fuel pumps, aim light, etc, etc.

Wish me luck, as the Colonel needs to be on the trailer Friday night, as I am departing Orange County at 5am Saturday in order to pick up Brubaker at the airport on my way through Vegas.

--Sean P. Holman
Tech Editor – Four Wheeler Magazine