I started the day with my first 1.5” pieces of the build, the rear cross on the “C” pillar. After using 2” for so long the 1.5” seemed a little on the puny side, but I’m sure it will be strong enough since these pieces aren’t going to be taking any hits themselves, they just need to help distribute the load in the event of a hit on the 2”.
The next small project was to finish the horizontal support that braces the lower windshield. This was two easy 10 degree copes that I was able to nock out fairly quickly, the biggest problem was getting it in there, but luckily we where able to spread the upper supports just enough to slip it in.
And from the other side, I’m really happy with how well it fit in, doesn’t obstruct the view forward much at all, and we should be able to make the glove box functional again with a little trimming of the door.
Next up was a part I have wanted to make for a few weeks now, but didn’t want to do until the roof was finished, the “B” pillars. These are angled back 12 degrees to make entry and exit of the front and rear seats easier though that will make mounting rear doors a little trickier but well cross that bridge when we get there. But hey, it’s starting to look like an automobile again!
With that done, and since the coper was already set to 12 degrees I decided to finish the lower sides. A wheeler in the area got a ticker a while back for not having a 6” high lip around his tub to stop objects from falling out when he was running door-less. So to keep the local authority figures happy I’m using the inner body panel and some 1.5” tube to make a sill that stands a little over 6” high.
While I was busy getting all this important work done Tom was playing around with the front bumper design. Apparently there is a really good reason no one runs an 8274 on an XJ, it’s a pain! Add to that the desire to strengthen and protect as well as keeping the approach angles as good as possible and you end up with one funky bumper design, but hey, funky is a fairly apt description on the entire vehicle. Since copeing the lower tube body tube to make way for the upper bumper tube wasn’t really an option at this point Tom had to do the cope the old fashioned way, by hand with a grinder. Note the fine quality of the grinder in question, tom wore out the motor in his grinder and had to borrow mine, but hey, it’s a craftsman “professional” series, so I’m sure it will hold up just fine.
Quick plug for Tom, notice all those axles, engines, and assorted other “fine examples of automotive crap” in the background? Toms taking most of it to the swap meet this upcoming weekend so if you want any of it I think most of it’s going to be for sale there. He’s got 2 tables reserved and will be there all weekend. Now if only I could get him to part with that HEMI (old one, not the new one) he’s got stashed away to go into his own personal rig.
Here is the bumper as it sits right now, we had to stop work on it for now since we need the 8274 for mock up before we go any further. Luckily for me my wife ordered one this morning as a present for me, so that should be here soon. Got to love a woman who gives you a $1,000+ winch as a presents! There is just enough room between the front cross member and the lower tube to mount the 8274, which will come up to a height equal to the upper tube, the transmission cooler will be moved over to the side and the A/C coming out to help make room for it. The bumper will of course be tied in to the uni-frame, as well as have a lower piece to protect and tie into the front cross member, but that will come later.
The final two pieces for this weekend where the rear seat supports, and the start of the rear hatch. The only remaining pieces of side body sheet metal are where the rear seats mount. We added a small hoop to the “C” pillar for it to be welded to so that the seat can be mounted securely. This means that the seat is mounted to its stock locations allowing us to retain the ability for it to be easily folded down, or removed as the situation warrants.
Finally after a few minutes talking about how funky the front end was going to look we started on the rear. Probably due to the fact that we had funky on the brain we came up with this design for the rear. Since the 1.5” bends are tighter then the 2” bends and we didn’t want it to stick out any the 1.5” is not coming strait back, its angled 15 degrees inward, and then bent 75 degrees to match up with the rear bumper. This is the first, and hopefully only complicated cope since the upper one is coming off at an angle from an already angled piece of tube, meaning that the two copes are not even remotely on the same plan, or even 90 from the same plan. Anyways a vertical piece will be placed in the corner, and lights mounted in the rear opening. The MJ tailgate I got a month ago will fill the center section so that the “J E E P” logo is prominently displayed.