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We need a project!

Eagle

Lifetime NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
Location
Terra Firma
I just saw on the national modified tech forum that our outgoing president, "Goatman" Gautier, has more or less completed yet another Cheromanche. For those who don't know what that is, it's a Cherokee with the back part of the roof bobbed to create an open mini-pickup sort of cargo area. The first one I knew of was the Dillinger, but since Deano did his there must be half a dozen or more of them just among people who frequent the NAXJA forums.

How boring :)

It's time to pursue something more original -- like maybe making a longbed Comanche into a shortbed with crew cab, or stretching a Cherokee to make a usable rear seat, or ...

Who has ideas and interest? This kind of thing is always worth some lively discussion and brainstorming. I'm sure we have the skills to do whatever we can imagine -- heck, when I was active in the Hudson Essex Terraplane club there was a '52 Hudson "double ender" that came to most of the shows. Seems a bunch of volunteer firemen wanted to try out their new welding equipment, so they cut two 4-door Hudson sedans in half and welded the front halves together. Took the engine out of one compartment and made it into a trunk, converted the parking lights to brake lights, and got it registered.

If they can do it ... we can do it. I think something like this might be a way to encourage chapter members to get together during non-wheeling season and just hang out -- you know, almost like we belong to a club, or something :)
 
i dont know if it can be done but.... what would be really cool and a one off i would assume would be a stretched wheelbase cherokee ( 4dr ) with the back chopped off like the cheromanches, but with a longer bed and a removable roof ( kind of like a 4door scrambler ) maybe even chop it lengthwise and widen it... i'll bet the farm you wouldnt see one like it for some time....there's my brainstorm for the year....
 
4 Wheel steering XJ maybe ??

Do not know what would be involved but just an idea. Maybe learn a bit about diffs in the bargain too...

RichP
 
I'd love a full XJ convertible. We can reinforce the "frame" and cut the top off neatly. Then it can be either a hard top convertible(bolt on/off), or a soft top(I'm an early bronco fan)....need moolah for the custom soft top though. We can then try out my new tubing bender and welder for a safety roll cage cage. :lol: We can stretch it...shorten it, but keep the wheel base...Just my ideas. I don't think it would cost much except if there were to be a soft top made. _nicko_
 
Eagle, are you going to be around on the 19th? I have some Jeep parts to deliver to your area and figured I would stop in... we could discuss this project.
 
What I'd really love to have is basically a 2-door XJ with an MJ shortbed. Just an MJ with a little extra room, bucket seats, center console and an E-brake handle, rather than the pedal.
 
[quote:0025677b59="gearwhine"]I'd love a full XJ convertible. We can reinforce the "frame" and cut the top off neatly.[/quote:0025677b59]

You mean kinda like this Jeep Concept made back in 1990 called the Freedom?

[img:0025677b59]http://www.tkigd.com/data/freedom-concept.jpg[/img:0025677b59]

Kinda wussy looking, but I'm sure with 6" and 33's it'd be sweet
 
How 'bout a cherokee with a fully hydraulic suspension able to be raised and lowered pending on "road" conditions, kinda like the concept jeepster.

This sounds like a Monster Garage episode.....

and who's vehicle would this be, somebody's donated or personal vehicle, NAC's, who would have ownership after its completion. just a couple of thoughts.

STROKER
 
project?

I think the first project should be to stop eagle from posting all those stupid replies My god does he ever shut up. This is a guy who has something to say and comment about everything and if he doesn't like it than he practically beats you up with long winded replies that never make any sense except to himself.

I think you should take this as a hint EAGLE and [b:43d0aa836e]disable your internet connection[/b:43d0aa836e]
 
No one here has a problem with Eagle. His comments are always welcome, if they don't make sense to you, try getting an education.

Grow up or go back to JU.
 
WOW - Fellow Jeeper dosent' seem to be much of one! Just keep in mind, opinions are like a-holes - Everybody has one, some just smell worse than others!

If you don't like Eagles posts just ignore them. Although I don't always agree with Eagle, I always value his opinion and poit of view, that's what makes America such a great Country!!
 
Yeah I've seen the freedom before, but they removed the whole rear hatch area, and made it like a car trunk. I think it can look nice if it is made to look more like a truck than a car. Lift it, maybe keep the door frames, and put a pick-up hatch on it.

I'm kinda liking the shortbed idea from 1337. Seems kinda close to what everyone else is doing. The cheromanche is nice, but starting to get old. They all look the same. Maybe we can make use an MJ truck bed and extend the wheelbase, then make the roof removable!!!! Lots of work. Then we can have convertible and truck bed in one XJ. Just my ideas. _nicko_
 
How about a 4-Door XJ with the rear cargo roof removed but make the rear doors open suicide style and make all door removable. That way on the trail you would have no doors for better visability and an almost completely open cabin area.
 
Ideas!

I've given this much thought, and decided that Joe might be onto something... If we start with a MJ swb as a chassis and then remove the roof, doors and cab wall, we could then splice in the doors from a 2-door XJ, the back doors from a 4-door XJ or ZJ, and the rear quarter from a 2-door XJ with the appropriate pillars and flooring between. We would need 2 XJ roofs to splice together to cover the entire rig, making something approximately the length of a Tahoe. If we leave the trunk area open (a-la Sport-trac) then we could probably get away with one roof; we could use a MJ cab wall to create the bulkhead.

Suspension could consist of a front 5-inch lift and rear spring-over conversion to fit 32's. For ride quality, we should definitely use a long-arm front suspension system with progressive-rate coils and adjustable shocks. Track width is debatable... we could definitely benefit from the stability of full-width axles, perhaps a Ford D44 front and 9-inch rear. Or consider the possibility of rear-steer like the new GM trucks for added maneuverability.

Drivetrain should be a series hybrid electric system using a small turbo-diesel (VW 1.9 TDI?) to generate power which is then sent by wire to a DC traction motor at each axle. This eliminates all the losses in power, space and payload associated with a transmission, T-case and drive-shafts. It also allows for regenerative braking and either 2wd or smart 4wd that changes from full-time to part-time on demand since there are no mechanical differentials to control in the T-case. As an added benefit, we could potentially lower the floor in the vehicle to create more interior room and a 3rd row seat.
 
[quote:47bc3d8bf6]
I think you should take this as a hint EAGLE and [b:47bc3d8bf6]disable your internet connection[/b:47bc3d8bf6][/quote:47bc3d8bf6]

What are you spewing out your mouth.
Bring to the table half of what Eagle has, then talk.
:roll:

As for the subject, I would like to see all the body panels ripped off a cherokee, replaced only to be more compact and tighter to the body. The back hatch moved to the front of the rear cargo space, and right in back of the back seat. For a functional back hatch (Joe., a buddy of mine from close to me up 81 from Scranton is doing this.) . Leave a little rear cargo area out side, enough to mount a tire.
Lengthen the wheel base with the drive train. Especcially in the rear.

Dana 60's f/r, with all the trimmings.
Atlas
Complete performance mods on a stock 4.0L(you know what Im talkin about)

Complete welded and bolted on reinforced under carriage aligned with the floor.

Int/Exterior Roll cage(Like Beezil) that comes up through the roof and rear.
Cage connected to the complete custom reinforced bumpers and dettachable at key areas.

Air bag suspension that is controlled in cab. for a complete but adjustable lift of 10 inches.
Hydro steering

and to top it all off a full set of lights, and 38" tires or maybe 40"ers, yeah
bling bling ding a ling
 
John sounds good to me but I dont like the rear hatch in the cargo area cause every time you need to open it up ypu have move the stuff to swing the door up. but if you used a grand cherokee hatch where the glass opens that would be key.
 
yep I must agree the ZJ type hatch would be sweet,
but image, swinging the tire carrier from a quick disco, popping the hatch and unloading people and or cargo with ease.

Joe, Rock Krawler distributor yeh? Get me some good discounts on a cross member for long arms?
I wanna build the arms, but if I can get an excellent deal on a cross member I would bypass building one of my own.
 
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