Cutting the top of my XJ

[Sig Ep Mock]

Cage is out....decided to put the b-pillar hoop back in to hold everything in place...damn these things are flimsy

Time to cut the top off

Added some temp posts to hold the windshield in place...and you can see the b-pillar portion of the old cage back in....

Top...was lighter than 1/3 of the cage

 

[Sig Ep Mock]

That's it for now. We basically got the old cage out and top off. made some cardboard templates for some plate to fab up this week. Going to add some 2x4 tube to the rear bumper area to fill it in and give us something to land the rear hoop on. Also got the lower front portion of the cage cleaned up and back in (dash bar down). Out of town next weekend so we'll be back at it in two weeks. Hopefully the plates will be done and we can get the main hoops in.

Till then,

Chris

 

[Sig Ep Mock]

Very Carefully!!

Glad to see your chopping her up Chris!

Thanks Tony it was actually fun. Now lots of little detail work to get done before the new cage goes back in. Hopefully it won't take too long.

Chris

 

[Sig Ep Mock]

Couple of update shots. Snuck in a few hours on the Jeep yesterday morning.

Floor repair is complete. Welding the floor was tougher than I expected...very thin. It doesn't look that great but the Rhino lining should hide most of it.

Got the rear tube steel frame brace mocked up. This will support the rear of the cage and rear bumper and tie it all into the rails.

Made some cover plates for where the taillights used to go and some plates to close the gap between them and the rear brace member.

That's it for nopw. Next weeked we'll hopefully start bending up some tube

Chris

 

[silverslk]

Looks like fun!!! Keep us posted on the progress.

 

[mikedashg]

I still can't believe this. Couldn't leave well enough alone? I know, it's your Jeep, and it's what you want and all. But it's just hard to watch someone destroy something nice. I remember when it went up for sale and couldn't beleive that either. I figured someone would really enjoy it and take care of it. I wished that could have been me. Never thought someone would put it under the knife like this. I can't wait to see it all better again though. From the looks of it, it'll probably be just as cool

 

[GrimmJeeper]

the cleanest XJ i ever saw now looks like ricks XJ/buggy while it still had some sheetmetal on it.

stranger things have happened i guess but i cant think of one right now.

 

[Wildman89]

Nice Chris. Keep up the hard work.

 

[codyyy]

Why did you take the cage out? I guess to make a new cage with more headroom? I'd like to see how this pans out, I didn't read the first part much but I'd probably make some half doors to go with this as well, maybe a soft top too later on.
If I ever had a 2 door I was actually thinking of making a sort of pickup truck out of it with a removable top. You could probably do that with a 4 door, just weld half doors for the rear.

 

[tcm glx]

Chris,
I for one think it is great you are taking this to the next level.

For some of you guys that do not understand..... the ragtop definintely added cool factor to the rig, but you did pick up a serious tan if you were out for more than two or three hours...... so I can understand why a bikini top would work out better for an open air Jeep. The vage i had was designed to be within the jeep, going with a bikini top would allow for a much more open cage, with more room inside.

Keep us all posted on the build!!

 

[tcm glx]

the cleanest XJ i ever saw

Your gonna make me cry!!

 

[GrimmJeeper]

Your gonna make me cry!!

im already crying for ya bro :bawl:

 

[scottmcneal]

This is going to be BIGGER and BETTER..When he is done, it will be his own..

 

[Paul Airhart]

Looks like a fun project, lots of fabrication.

why a bikini top would work out better for an open air Jeep

Did you mean Bimini top? Of course a big bikini top would give more headroom above the seats.

 

[Jump This]

Looks like a fun project, lots of fabrication.



Did you mean Bimini top? Of course a big bikini top would give more headroom above the seats.

I was going to say the same thing.
Looking forward to your completed project.
I LOVE custom rigs!!!

 

[Sig Ep Mock]

Thanks guys....If it wasn't for my two little girls I probably could have lived with it the way it was and used sun screen But I really wanted the open Jeep feel with the room and capability of the XJ. Hopefully when I am done it will look like it was supposed to be that way. I'm 6'-2", the Wife is 5'-10" and the kids are growing fast so the added head room should also really help to. THe cage in there was a little low, to clear the rag top I believe, so it was a little tight for us.

For the roof I got a 1/4" sheet of HDPE (the whitish plastic they make cutting boards out of) that I'll cut to the shap of the new cage. I figured I'd give it a try. It's light weight, won't rattle, and it's actually a little translucent so hopefully it will let a little light through. Is was also cheep so if it doesn't last I'll make a sheet metal top or maybe just do a Bimini style top.

Thanks for following along and the comments are appreciated, both good and bad

Chris

 

[YosemiteJeeper]

Damn!! I want to do this to mine sooo bad. My buddy wants to do the conversion on his too. I know I want a soft-top, and I've already thought of how I want the cage to go in...anyway, is there any advice you could pass along to us highschool newbies? lol thanks bro.. Awesome rig! Nice work!

 

[souske]

. But it's just hard to watch someone destroy something nice. I remember when it went up for sale and couldn't beleive that either. I figured someone would really enjoy it and take care of it. I wished that could have been me.

umm ive seen your jeep mike......:gag:

 

[Sig Ep Mock]

Damn!! I want to do this to mine sooo bad. My buddy wants to do the conversion on his too. I know I want a soft-top, and I've already thought of how I want the cage to go in...anyway, is there any advice you could pass along to us highschool newbies? lol thanks bro.. Awesome rig! Nice work!

Make sure you have all the right tools(or freinds with the tools) and a lot of help. I thought we had everything and I've already had to send two seperate peices out to fabbed up by someone else. Cutting the top off was easy...it's filling all the holes back in that takes a lot of fab work. Also don't forget about the stuff like wiring, tail lights, seatbelts, etc.....it all adds up. It's been a lot of fun so far but I still have a long way to go. Lots of little things to do to make it right.

I've done alot of projects before(lifts, four links, etc.) but this one is by far the most involved. Maybe start with something smaller and work you're way up. If you are dead set on doing this make a budget then double it...:soapbox:

OK enough from me Good luck.

Chris

 

[tcm glx]

Post updates Chris!