Chopping the back?

[TB-XJ]

How hard is this to do is it just a matter of sheet metal and fiberglass? What are you guys using for your window frames are you using the hatch glass? I definitely want to do this are there any articles about required tools and the amount of time it takes to do it? This is what I am talking about, making the ass end like a truck bed, this mod looks awesome:

I would like to have someone in the Missouri area who has done this before do mine, I'd be willing to bring my vehicle to you and pay you for your time, could it be done in a weekend?

Thanks.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

you really need to do a search, there is so much information already out there on this it would be hard to recap it all.

it's not a weekend job and to pay someone labor to do this would be crazy.

 

[TB-XJ]

...

I've never seen any inside shots after this was done, are you still able to use your rear seat? i noticed on my 4 door if you take the side glasses completely out it goes in further than where the back seat leans back.

I'd try and attempt it myself but I have a tendency to screw things up. I probably have access to all the tools i would need though, but I have never worked with fiberglass before.

 

[Rev Den]

Do a search for the following terms.

Borton
Chop
Beezil

You will find the answers to you questions.

BTW the rig above is Bortons.


Rev

 

[XJJPR]

That is NOT a weekend job!

Maybe a month of weekends.

PaulS did one with the back open.
Beezil has lots of pictures on forums showing his junk off all the time, search his name you'll find a hole lot on it I'm sure.

mark

 

[Beezil]

do a search for goatman or ashman....

lotsa different chops out there.

its definitly not a weekend job, a well-designed rollcage should be considered "madatory" (IMHO) depending how much ya cut....

I cut away almost all the important pinch seams when i did mine, whch necessitated additional reinforcement.....

 

[Rev Den]

a well-designed rollcage should be considered "madatory" ....

Restating this because it is that important!


Rev

 

[ashmanjeepxj]

I cut away almost all the important pinch seams when i did mine, whch necessitated additional reinforcement.....

Those are the thingies that fall off when your cutting and burn through when your welding?

The body is not safe with no top and no additional supports. I drove mine like that for afew months, not daily, but around...

im linking pics today so your lucky...

I did wheel it twice, after the full sub frame but before the cage, I kinda like the simple lines of the body back then but it was not practical for what I want to drive..
Pre buggified:

Buggified:

 

[Stick]

Whose white Jeep is that? Can we see a side pic....IT ROCKS !! :rattle:

 

[OlyWaXJ]

I have been working on mine for a looooongtime.Doing this is alot of work.Be sure you know what your getting into before you start.Think of it as doing a "choptop" on a rod..it's close to the same amount of work.
OlyWa

 

[hjeepxj]

Whose white Jeep is that? Can we see a side pic....IT ROCKS !! :rattle:

Again, search for "borton"

 

[OJTV8XJ]

Been working on mine for a while too. I originally saw Borton's and thought it was cool. Then I saw the AEV one and thought that is cool too. Had a couple of buddies over one night, had a few liquid refreshments and next thing I know I have to weld stuff back together. I got the whole "We'll help you finish it" comments and thought what the heck. Set aside allot of time and figure out what you want before you start.

 

[Goatman]

Borton and I used the back of a Comanche cab to close it in, Beezil made his own bulkhead. I made mine to keep the back seat, Beezil didn't, and Borton I don't know. Paul Sinclair kept the back of his open, except for a canvas divider with a window. ALL of us did a substantial amount of reinforcing and cage building to add rigidity back into the structure after all that sheetmetal was removed.

It is NOT a small job. It requires a clear idea of what the goals and purpose of the modification are. I spent a month (after and before work) just working on the cage and rear bumper. The old quarter panels below the windows need a considerable amount of support to become the sides of a bed. Mine are completely framed internally with square tubing.

Here's a link to my makeover pics

 

[Israel]

I'm sure it depends on how much reinforcing you do, but any comments on how something like this would effect weight? More, less, about the same? (I searched first with no luck)

 

[Rev Den]

I'm sure it depends on how much reinforcing you do, but any comments on how something like this would effect weight? More, less, about the same? (I searched first with no luck)

Yup, it does......

it will weigh more....or less.....or about the same.



HTH

Rev

 

[Root Moose]

Here's a link to my makeover pics

I took a look at your images - nice work!

I was wondering how the front hoop of your interior cage attaches to the dash/a-pillar. It is not clear in the images. Did you cut the dash to make it work? Is there a bar in the dash connecting left to right with legs that run to the floor in the foot well? Just curious.

I often fanatasize about building a crew cab Comanche with a 6' bed to use for family cmaping with a slide in camper. These "chop" threads interest me from that perspective. I have a 2 door C1500 with a brand new re-man 305 rusting away that would be agreat engine/tranny combo in front of a NV242...Corp 14 rear, high pinion D44 front...bunch of cosmetic stuff. Nice RV...

 

[Beezil]

Isreal....

you wouldn't believe how much things add up! The hatch ALONE probably weighs about the same as the metal you would put back, not including the cage portions, and you are loosing a fair amount of metal (depends) and the side glass.....

I was kinda thinking my rig weighed a little less after the chop job, maybe that was hopeful thinking.....

It was when I continued to chop off the ENTIRE back half, I realized how much weight there is back there, and my reinforcements that I added pc. by pc. amounted to a CONSIDERABLE weight.....

 

[Goatman]

I took a look at your images - nice work!

I was wondering how the front hoop of your interior cage attaches to the dash/a-pillar. It is not clear in the images. Did you cut the dash to make it work? Is there a bar in the dash connecting left to right with legs that run to the floor in the foot well? Just curious.

The interior A pillar bars end at the dash, and are welded to a full length plate that is welded to the inside of the A pillar. Nothing goes through the dash or to the floor. I figured I could get away with this because of the exterior A pillar bars, which go all the way down and are also attached to the side of the cowl.

 

[Matt]

I did mine in the open style - I would highly recommend you look at your sheetmetal skills and practice welding thin material before making the first cut - I would never do any fiberglass work as it would not last 30 seconds on my rig

Once you start cutting there is really not much left and you will have to stiffen up the skins if you want to keep it looking like a pickup bed...

As for weight loss; that was the main motivator and I was dissapointed to see I had only dropped 400lbs - however I did drastically improve the distribution - previously it was 40lbs heavier on the front tires than the rear - now the fronts are 900lbs heavier than the rears... It climbs like a dream. I have been able to do some steep rock faces in the rain with dirty tires that I couldn't previously do even with clean tires and a nice dry summer day...

Matt

Before:

After:

Back in action...

 

[hjeepxj]

Oh man Matt, I REALLY dig your rig! Great job on the chop!