The official Xota build thread

[87xjco]

One more glaze coat on the rt. fender and it will be ready for primer

 

[jfox21]

god i cant wait to see thta thing on a trail!! it looks amazing. keep up the awesome work.

 

[87xjco]

Thanks again everyone for your support! I've been surprised to have almost all positive feedback on this weird project of mine. It really helps me stay motivated.

Fenders and hood have been primed and then the fender edges and the hood underside and the Lt. door edges have been painted.

I'm going to be test driving it so I have the lamps wired and mounted on a temporary bracket.

 

[IslanderXJ]

That is Sweeeeet!!!! I dont think I've ever seen anything much cooler than that, good job keep up the fantastic work!!
Jackson

 

[87xjco]

Update:

I drove it around quite a bit yesterday (25 miles)and it drove real good. Seems to be lighter than the XJ was as I have more power now with 35's, than I did with 33's on the XJ. I still have a lot of details to finish and the rest of the exo-cage that will add weight but......

All and all I'm real happy, it was a little scary to start driving on the road after such an extensive build. Before I drove it I put it up on the hoist and checked every bolt and hose and wire from end to end (and I found a few loose ones).

All the things that were going thru my head like, are the welds strong enough, did I have the rear diff. lined up square, did I mess up the front suspension geometry and am I gonna suddenly have uncontrollable death wobble, etc...

But basically it drove just like it used to as an XJ, it just got a lot more people staring at it with confused looks on their faces.

So.... soon I'll do an easy trail run and see what happens. Wish me luck!

 

[ExNews4XJ]

I have been watching the build for quite some time and feel your pain on the roll. When my Quad was about two weeks old I Barrel rolled it down the widow maker at Carnage, (Of course I just got a new wheel and handle bars and kept riding), but your new rig is awsome. When you take it on its first trail ride lets us Colorado guys know so we can come along and drool.

 

[NCCherokee]

Thanks again everyone for your support! I've been surprised to have almost all positive feedback on this weird project of mine. It really helps me stay motivated.

Fenders and hood have been primed and then the fender edges and the hood underside and the Lt. door edges have been painted.

QUOTE]

i've been watching this build for a while, and i love it. cant wait to see it finished. my question is, is the bottom of the fenders supposed to be flared out like that, or were they like that when you put them on? Also, are you gonna but an exo around the front end, maybe attaching to your front bumper? lastly, are you gonna add more attachment points from the flatbed down to the frame? How's the interior looking? keep up the awesome work!

 

[87xjco]

i've been watching this build for a while, and i love it. cant wait to see it finished. my question is, is the bottom of the fenders supposed to be flared out like that, or were they like that when you put them on? Also, are you gonna but an exo around the front end, maybe attaching to your front bumper? lastly, are you gonna add more attachment points from the flatbed down to the frame? How's the interior looking? keep up the awesome work!

Thanks!

On the Toyota fenders, they do flare out down on the bottom and flow into a big flare that goes all around the wheel opening. So it looks a little different splicing into the XJ fender that does not have a wheel opening flare built in.

It will get a full exo after paint is done.

There will be more attaching points and supports for the flatbed.

Interior has not progressed much, XJ dash is just temporarily in place and no carpet yet. That will get some work soon and I'll post photo's.

 

[IslanderXJ]

this might be a stupid question. But her it goes....
How do ou get insurance to drive that thing around? I would think if you got in an accident with insurance on an XJ they would be a little confuzed at the inspection afterwords...

 

[87xjco]

Hey it's just a slightly modified Cherokee................officer.

Just kidding, I don't have the guts to try and get away with that.

Right now I'm using a depot plate and the company's insured for any vehicle with that plate on it. But I will need to go thru the "homemade vehicle" title process soon.

 

[JLane99XJ]

its Looking good, just read about your "test-drive" -Nice..

Think you'll probably pull a leaf out of those rear rear packs to soften them up a bit and to balance the rear suspension to the front??

 

[87xjco]

Those rear springs are a set of re-arced from Denver Spring and then I added one leaf from the old springs. Did that about a year ago to get the XJ setting where I wanted it.

I wouldn't mind a little softer ride in the rear, but I think the height is pretty good front to rear now.

So I'm not sure what I will do. Think I'll wait until the cage, bed w/storage compartment and tools are all in place and re-evaluate then.

 

[87xjco]

Body work on the left rocker is happening

Ready for bondo

First coat is fiberglass filler that I'm just starting to shape

 

[tealcherokee]

why not just cut the rockers out and put some rect tubing in there, make them ROCKers

 

[87xjco]

Awhile ago I posted the 1st photo and said that I would be moving the UCA's and I would post pictures. Here they are as promised.

What do you guys think of the position.

 

[87xjco]

why not just cut the rockers out and put some rect tubing in there, make them ROCKers

I thought about that. But with a full exo-cage, I will have a rocker tube from pillar to pillar and it will protect that area. So having rock rails too would be overkill, and alot more work.

 

[feerocknok]

Change that exhaust!!!!!!!!!! Those bends must be KILLING you!

This is absolutely beautiful. I almost want to cry.
It looked good before, but once you got that hood on, it all came together.

It's gorgeous.

 

[XJ_Vikings]

im stating the obvious, but amazing work

 

[87xjco]

Rocker is primed
3/13/06

Rt. cab corner is repaired and primed and also welded the holes where the Toyota nameplates were mounted

 

[87manche]

I think I may cry when that thing takes body damage.