XJ Rock Buggy?

J

JCSXJ

NAXJA Forum User

Location

PHOENIX

• Oct 21, 2003

• #1

I have been thinking about making a rock buggy for awhile now and I decided to make one out of a 2-dr XJ. What I plan on doing is narrowing it to make it a single seater, maybe add a little wheel base, chop the top and make a full cage, chop the front clip off and make a tube one that will tie into the cage at several points and run coil overs. My question is , has anybody ever seen or heard of anything like this? I want to use the XJ because I have never seen one done before and I would like to wheel something unique. Flame away...I need all the feed back I can get.
Thanks

 

BrettM

NAXJA Forum User

Location

michifornia

• Oct 21, 2003

• #2

build a tube buggy then throw on a narrowed XJ grill, hood, winshield, etc.

I think you would have great difficulty doing what you described. what engine would you run, the engine compartment would be tiny? The tranny tunnel would totally disappear in converting it to a 1 seater? Let's not even get started on the topic of uni-body strength...

 

J

JCSXJ

NAXJA Forum User

Location

PHOENIX

• Oct 21, 2003

• #3

I have not decided on the motor yet, but the tranny tunnle would be cut down to the smallest size I could get it and then I would put the seat right over it. The gas pedal on the right side, brake pedal on the left. And with the amount of tube work I don't think I'll have a problem with the unibody strenght.

 

4

4ward

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Dayton, OH

• Oct 21, 2003

• #4

There's too much sheetmetal weight to make an xj into a real buggy, especially if you want to go single seat. I'd do like max suggested and build a tube creation and hang some xj sheetmetal (actually I'd use fibreglass or aluminum).

Not to toot my own horn, but I believe this is about as close as you can come to an xj buggy.

 

D

DARKFLY

NAXJA Forum User

Location

utah

• Oct 21, 2003

• #5

just tube it its easier and you'll have less problems with custom mounts.

 

J

JCSXJ

NAXJA Forum User

Location

PHOENIX

• Oct 21, 2003

• #6

OneTonXJ
That thing looks cool! So thats a XJ chopped up with lots of tube right? I even thought about making it just wide enough for two seats and then narrowing the front and rear. Any more pics ?
Thanks

 

M

mbryson

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Woods Cross, UT

• Oct 21, 2003

• #7

JCSXJ said:

OneTonXJ
That thing looks cool! So thats a XJ chopped up with lots of tube right? I even thought about making it just wide enough for two seats and then narrowing the front and rear. Any more pics ?
Thanks

Click to expand...

Pics and stuff available at uroc.com

There's at LEAST three or four Xj based vehicles running UROC last season. Some are way whacked and make OneTOn's rig look like a stocker and one other is full bodied. The conclusion is that the unibody will NOT hold up to competition over the long term. The Icelanders have a green rig, the wheelchair guy that competes (mostly stainless diamond plate) and the scallopped yellow tube contraption come immediately to mind.

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2003

4

4ward

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Dayton, OH

• Oct 21, 2003

• #8

MB, can you pull some of these pics down. I can't find any. Never have liked the way uroc has their site setup anyhow.

Sean

 

M

mbryson

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Woods Cross, UT

• Oct 21, 2003

• #9

OneTonXJ said:

MB, can you pull some of these pics down. I can't find any. Never have liked the way uroc has their site setup anyhow.

Sean

Click to expand...

UROC's pics leave a little to be desired {IMHO}.......I'll see what I can come across and post to this thread.

 

M

mbryson

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Woods Cross, UT

• Oct 21, 2003

• #10

Here's one from at least a year ago........I think it's bright green and more severly cut on the rear now (kind of like yours OneTon)

Louis Pin{something or other}

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2003

4

4ward

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Dayton, OH

• Oct 22, 2003

• #11

I need to make a fold down/ removable windshield and I've got it made.

Here's one from the build stages.

 

4

4ward

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Dayton, OH

• Oct 22, 2003

• #12

Another.

 

4

4ward

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Dayton, OH

• Oct 22, 2003

• #13

Don't ever let some bald headed freak drive your junk, he may outwheel you in your own rig.

 

4

4ward

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Dayton, OH

• Oct 22, 2003

• #14

 

D

Dazz

NAXJA Forum User

Location

DFW, Texas

• Oct 22, 2003

• #15

1Ton, got any close-up pics of the front and rear undercarriage?

 

M

mbryson

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Woods Cross, UT

• Oct 22, 2003

• #16

OneTonXJ said:

Don't ever let some bald headed freak drive your junk, he may outwheel you in your own rig.

Click to expand...

HEY.........nothing wrong with chrome on top

 

J

JCSXJ

NAXJA Forum User

Location

PHOENIX

• Oct 22, 2003

• #17

Looks good oneton, do you have any pictures where you reinforced the unibody when you cut it.

 

Vug

NAXJA Forum User

Location

West Michigan

• Oct 22, 2003

• #18

OneTonXJ said:

Not to toot my own horn, but I believe this is about as close as you can come to an xj buggy.

Click to expand...

Toot away OneTon, you deserve it.
Nice rig.

 

4

4ward

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Dayton, OH

• Oct 22, 2003

• #19

That's the best shot of my underpinnings that I've seen. Thanks to Jes on that one.

No pics of the "frame" wrap, but I wrapped it with 3/16" tube with the top cut off a looooooooooong time ago. I just worked from there to get where I'm at today. You can see how I tied the rockers into the framerail with some tube. Then the cage is tied to the rockers.

Sean

edit: I just flagellated for ya Vug.

 

Vug

NAXJA Forum User

Location

West Michigan

• Oct 22, 2003

• #20

OneTonXJ said:

edit: I just flagellated for ya Vug.

Click to expand...

Dang it, ya made me go to the dictionary.

I should have my '93 sitting on 36's by late spring. Mabye I'll see ya at the Badlands this summer. I would love to check that out first hand.