• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

topless xj

scottsxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
richmond va
alright so my friend is buying an xj pretty soon and he wants to cut the back of right behind the driver door. What do yall think of that. HIs mechanic said it would not affect support bu ti think it would so could yall give some advice. I think he needs a roll bar. Any responce would be appreciated thanks
scott
 
He'll get major DW without one of Beezil's Air Dam Eliminator kits.

j/k

He'll need a good cage or at least sleeve the frame rails. It may do okay for awhile without one, but it'll eventually start folding in.
 
Did you search, by any chance? This has been done several times. I assume that he has a 2 door. He is definatly going to need a cage. The XJ is a unibody and the roof provides a lot of strenth to the body. Imagine a box with no ends. It folds easy, right? now add ends. Harder to fold. Here is a good build up on how ashman did it. If you do it right it will look cool and be good on the trail to. :yap: To post pics you need to have them hosted. There are several free ones, such as webshots.com and imagestation.com Hope this helped.
 
scottsxj said:
alright so my friend is buying an xj pretty soon and he wants to cut the back of right behind the driver door. What do yall think of that.

Sounds familler.

scottsxj said:
HIs mechanic said it would not affect support

WRONG!!!!!

scottsxj said:
bu ti think it would so could yall give some advice. I think he needs a roll bar. Any responce would be appreciated thanks
scott

Advice? Yea....make sure you and he COMPLETLY understand what you are doing BEFORE you do anything. As others have said, and will say, you NEED a cage. Not only for protection but to replace the structure that you are removing. Some questions for you...

Can you, or a GOOD friend weld? Bend tube (NOT pipe)? Are you wanting to drive it in the rain? Snow? Wind? Cold? Gonna need a top ($$)


I thought about mine for over a year...and still ran into issues. Look at the pics, see how others have handled the structure, think about stresses (Not only the Jeep but you, your buddy, your wifes, girlfriends, etc.)


Rev
 
Hey Rev... If possible, could I get the name/number to the guys that did your top? Been thinkin 'bout for a while now.... My AC doesn't work anyway. Dug's offered to help me if and when I chop it and to fab a roll cage. Trying to ballpark everything I need first.

thanks
 
Gil BullyKatz said:
Hey Rev... If possible, could I get the name/number to the guys that did your top? Been thinkin 'bout for a while now.... My AC doesn't work anyway. Dug's offered to help me if and when I chop it and to fab a roll cage. Trying to ballpark everything I need first.

thanks

Tell them you spoke with me, ask for Jim - the owner.

Riggs Brothers
630-852-1717

Gil...mine was (are you sitting down?) $800. I think it was worth every penny, no leaks and wind tight.


Rev
 
Well yours does look professionally done, so yes, I think it's worth it. Will I be able to hide $800 from the wife? We'll see.

I don't remember...Does yours have a see-thru panel (soft plexi? vinyl?) straight back? Most of the pics of yours don't show it from behind.

Even toying with the idea of grafting half a TJ tub out back if i could make the soft top work...

Thanks...Now back to basement to work on stroker...arrrggg

Too many projects in head.....

tylenol....
 
Rev Den said:
T
Gil...mine was (are you sitting down?) $800. I think it was worth every penny, no leaks and wind tight.

FWIW, I think you got a hell of a deal for that.

Has anyone priced new STC soft tops for a CJ8? Similar coin and that isn't custom.

I think we pull so much stuff from parts vehicles and junk yards that we forget how much retail stuff costs sometimes. LOL

r@m
 
Gil.
Yup, the window is in the back, thats a big part of the cost.

Moose.
I am not complaining, I think I got a heck of a deal, the top is ALL custom and has a warrenty.


DG
 
Back
Top