My custom corners [Archive] - NAXJA Forums -::- North American XJ Association

Jes

May 4th, 2003, 12:24

I had gotten a little blemish at the shopping mall so I decided to cover it up with some steel panels.
http://home.earthlink.net/~jdrios/P4120102.JPG
I had actually planned on making some of these over a year ago but some other project always came up. I started by cutting some steel to shape...
http://www.fototime.com/{C5088063-97DF-4A76-9A2C-A2C585648BC7}/picture.JPG
...then had a local sheet metal shop bend them up to my specs...
http://www.fototime.com/{27A26114-A0BE-43FD-AC45-BCDD75C6A700}/picture.JPG
I then test fit them and and made some tops and mounting brackets...
http://www.fototime.com/{9E008279-8DAB-418D-B4F6-DA2469FD5467}/picture.JPG

ChuckD

May 4th, 2003, 12:28

What's the side view look like?

I'm impressed, are you trying to look like your favorite FARMER?

Jes

May 4th, 2003, 12:31

More...

I then had my metal bitch tack weld everything in place...
http://home.earthlink.net/~jdrios/welding.jpg
Then I removed them for the finnish welding, grinding, smoothing, and painting.
http://www.fototime.com/{7B3C0BB7-873B-4AA1-A1FB-F24BB405B61B}/picture.JPG
The finnished product came out very nice IMO...
http://www.fototime.com/{DDA7533D-5D29-4F03-AF2D-F7CCA01CAA2E}/picture.JPG
http://www.fototime.com/{2A3FE63E-5E1F-4932-B16F-0B98CF95E74F}/picture.JPG
I used 12ga for the panels and 1/8" for the tops and mounting brackets. Total cost was under $300 but these were very time consuming to make, I probably have 15 hours in them. Next will be a custom wrap around bumper to cover up the crushed lower panels.
Big thanks goes to CRASH for the welding and to FarmerMatt who gave me some tips on how to wire the LED lights.

Jes

cbremer

May 4th, 2003, 13:17

excellent! now that you have the pattern and procedure down... when does production start? :D

looks great.

Ralph

May 4th, 2003, 13:21

Those look sharp. Very nice work.

RR3

Pat

May 4th, 2003, 14:46

Yeah, i'm jealous, i really need to make some of those. What made them so expensive, if you dont mind me asking?

Thanks

Pat
NAXJA member

xxxj-va

May 4th, 2003, 14:51

Man that looks GREAT...how did you communicate your "specs" to the shop? Did you just guestimate how much the bends would effect the fit when you measured and cut your flat piece of steel?

P

Jes

May 4th, 2003, 15:28

Basically I went down to the sheet metal place and talked to the person who was going to do the work. I told him what I wanted and asked what the best way to do it would be. I then did the cutouts and had him bend them up. 12ga steel is about 3/32" thick so the bends did not effect overall length that much.
What made them so expensive is I live in an expensive place. The bending alone was $90. Yes I could have gotten it done cheaper out of the city but it would have cost me gas money instead. The lights and the wireing were the bulk of the expense.
Body shops wanted $400+ to fix the dent minus paint( :eek: ) and I might have ended up denting it again and breaking another tail light. I fixed it permanently for cheaper so I'm happy. :D

Jes

ZPD

May 4th, 2003, 16:17

That looks pretty dang cool. Nice work!

imma honky

May 4th, 2003, 20:18

That is sweet! Do you still know/have the measurements for cutting the steel? That looks really good and I think I may want to have it done to mine too. I also want my front fenders done that way.....some backed into mine....big ole dent.

XJZ

May 4th, 2003, 20:57

Jes, very cool :cool:

You'll have to fab some extra sets!!

rockwerks

May 4th, 2003, 21:35

had gotten a little blemish at the shopping mall so I decided to cover it up with some steel panels.

That looks like the JV Sledgehammer stripe a few of us got last april!

4ward

May 5th, 2003, 04:57

I wanna hang out at your shoppin' mall, rollin' on my dubs :D

Sean

May 5th, 2003, 07:49

Nice....very, very nice. Looks like you two were busy last weekend.

FarmerMatt

May 5th, 2003, 08:39

Nice job Jes. Now you're pimping with the big boys. :) Did the wiring turn out OK? Do your turn signals still work right?

Matt

giranger

May 5th, 2003, 09:47

Got any good side pics. Just got my next mod. Thanks Jeff

XJZ

May 5th, 2003, 11:20

By the way.....your welding bitch has a great ass!!

Gary E

May 5th, 2003, 11:50

looks great Jes, what did you use to cut out the shapes in the metal?

pair8hd

May 5th, 2003, 12:31

Looks cool. The fad is catching on FarmerMatt ;)

I wished I would have went higher up on the rear quarters.

http://www.fototime.com/8A1F6502319C775/standard.jpg

4ward

May 5th, 2003, 12:46

Pair, I see the rocker protection fad hasn't caught on in yer' neck 'o the woods:rolleyes:

Sean

CRASH

May 5th, 2003, 12:51

By the way.....your welding bitch has a great ass!!

Boy, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that.......

CRASH

Safari Ary

May 5th, 2003, 13:19

Originally posted by OneTonXJ
Pair, I see the rocker protection fad hasn't caught on in yer' neck 'o the woods:rolleyes:

Sean

They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery......Andy, are you flattered yet?? :D

Jes

May 5th, 2003, 14:46

Originally posted by FarmerMatt
Did the wiring turn out OK? Do your turn signals still work right?

Matt

Dude, I would have been lost had I not talked to you about it. I wired them up properly and everything worked except the turn signals. So I swapped the flashers and they work perfectly.
Thanks again.

Gary, I used my Bosch jigsaw(and a steady hand ;) ) with fine metal cutting blades to do the cutouts.

Jes

FarmerMatt

May 5th, 2003, 14:51

One of these days I'm going to do the research & find out what the difference is in the 2 flasher motors that one would work the LED's & the other doesn't.

Matt

Jes

May 5th, 2003, 14:52

Originally posted by OneTonXJ
I wanna hang out at your shoppin' mall, rollin' on my dubs :D

Sean

Think, spinner beadlocks. ;)

Jes

CRASH

May 5th, 2003, 15:12

Spinnerz rule.

CRASH

Eagle

May 5th, 2003, 19:10

Originally posted by FarmerMatt
One of these days I'm going to do the research & find out what the difference is in the 2 flasher motors that one would work the LED's & the other doesn't.

Matt

Don't know what you lads did, but did you by any chance swap out an OEM fixed-load flasher with either a variable load or electronic flasher unit? The LED lights use a lot less current than the stock signals, so they make the OEM flasher act like it would if you had a burned out signal bulb. The heavy duty and electronic flashers act the same regardless of how much load goes through the circuit.

Jes

May 5th, 2003, 19:14

We simply swapped the hazard flasher with the turn signal flasher. One is blue, one is silver(on my '93 at least) but I don't know which one's which.

Jes

Beezil

May 5th, 2003, 19:55

90 bucks for bending?

damn, if you came to chicago for the weekend, I don't think I would have tried to fawk you nearly as bad.

nice job my man, nice job!

FarmerMatt

May 5th, 2003, 20:49

Beezil & Jes??? Man that's an ugly picture. Hey Beezil, I've got to ask... What's with the flag?

Matt

Beezil

May 5th, 2003, 21:00

By the way.....your welding bitch has a great ass!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boy, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that.......

Crash, that one was way too easy, and I can't believe your loser chapter-mates let that go......I had at least a dozen smokin responces come to mind......none of which would have lasted past the forum fixer coming across this thread.....

farmerflap, that's the city of chicago flag, just trying to express some civic pride....

GSequoia

May 5th, 2003, 21:01

I gotta say...go to a town known for Mafia in order not to get shafted on pricing! Irony!

pair8hd

May 5th, 2003, 23:23

Originally posted by OneTonXJ
Pair, I see the rocker protection fad hasn't caught on in yer' neck 'o the woods:rolleyes:

Sean

:rolleyes:

I really don't hit my rockers anymore, all the beauty dents came from when I was a little lower to the ground. I plan on cutting them out and welding in 2x5 tubing that will act as "sub-frame" connectors to stiffen the unibody and make a good mounting points for a cage.

JnJ

May 6th, 2003, 05:52

Very nice. Wish I had Jeep time to spend on cool stuff rather then just getting the POS back together....

Ralph

May 6th, 2003, 08:01

that's the city of chicago flag

Are those four splotches in the middle of the flag bullet holes? Does that signify the mafia influence in your city, or has someone been taking pot shots at your flag? Down here in Texas, we just shoot at street signs. :D

RR3

Jes

April 27th, 2007, 20:37

Next will be a custom wrap around bumper to cover up the crushed lower panels.

Well, four years later I finally got around to doing it. :D

After ditching my hatch I wanted to shorten up the ass end a little bit so I started by removing the old, dented corner panels...
http://www.fototime.com/9B2C32A92214188/standard.jpg
...amazingly there was no rust under the panels. Realize, this thing had been parked outside since I installed them.
Both sides were smashed in pretty good and the corners were concave instead of the normal convex XJ body line. I used a BFH to smash out the dented sheet metal and reshape the corner panels.
After cutting off the light boxes, removing the rear bumper, cutting off some mangled sheet metal, and tacking on some new lower corner caps I reattached them to the straightened flanks...
...Oh, I also bent up a new rear bumper with mad clearance...
http://www.fototime.com/212885CFB850F35/standard.jpg
I then made a template out of an old beer box and made some new 12GA panels. The bend was made by scoring the back side with a cutoff wheel and banging it to the proper angle with a BFH. This is what it looked like after I welded it and ground it smooth...
http://www.fototime.com/76D9E724CACBE0C/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/2C8036EEFD6286E/standard.jpg
Here's after I painted it and used a ton of bondo on the lower body line...
http://www.fototime.com/497A62B3C619F01/standard.jpg
...and with the new bumper painted and installed...
http://www.fototime.com/3EBE7B92333B9AE/standard.jpg

ZachMan

April 27th, 2007, 20:48

Ohh so pretty, bet you'll never take it offroad now, haha :D

PornstaR

April 27th, 2007, 21:16

Sweet................... hows it look with the hatch on???

Jes

April 27th, 2007, 21:24

Ohh so pretty, bet you'll never take it offroad now, haha :D

Never...
http://www.urfracing.com/images/snakebait/SB_0026.jpg
(photo by Letterman)
The hatch is in the scrap pile and will never be reinstalled.

Jeep9717

April 27th, 2007, 21:47

Nice, but where's the Corona like in the old pics?? Didnt grow out of it did ya?

2001XJ

April 28th, 2007, 04:13

Nice, but where's the Corona like in the old pics?? Didnt grow out of it did ya?

Yeah, I saw it sitting there in one of the first pics.....classic....working on the XJ, drinking beer.

uncc civilengineer

April 28th, 2007, 08:33

Jes,

How does it ride (on road) w/ the shackles relocated like that? Also, did it provide any lift in the process? I've been considering doing this but I still drive the XJ quite a bit...

Chris

hjeepxj

April 28th, 2007, 09:32

Looking good Jes! Your Jeep is still my dream Jeep! :D

87manche

April 28th, 2007, 09:46

I heard somewhere that it would fold like a taco if you wheeled without a htach.

PornstaR

April 28th, 2007, 10:34

I heard somewhere that it would fold like a taco if you wheeled without a htach.

http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/images/smilies/suicide1.gif

JeepFreak21

April 28th, 2007, 11:22

Hey Jes,

Did you have to cut the rear bulkhead to get the bumper that close? Is it a b!tch to get to the hitch pin?

Billy

Jes

April 28th, 2007, 12:44

Jes,

How does it ride (on road) w/ the shackles relocated like that? Also, did it provide any lift in the process? I've been considering doing this but I still drive the XJ quite a bit...

Chris

The ride is very plush since you can run a leaf pack with less arc and you can position the mount for a good shackle angle. Yes it provides lift.
The only drawback is I drag the leafs over rocks all the time.

Billy, there is no hitch, just a shackle tab welded to the bumper...
http://www.fototime.com/75B6A67594F67F8/standard.jpg
I did trim the ends of the rear cross member for aesthetics though...
http://www.fototime.com/ED7E11022E6BAFF/standard.jpg

Oh, and for the beer comments. I'm drinking a Corona right now. :D

dizzymac

April 28th, 2007, 14:01

Good job on the panels....now for the negative......I noticed an open beer on the bumper, I also noticed a power tool in the vinicity of said open beer. It obvious that you were consuming that beer while operating the tool.
Being as I am the head of the PTP (Power Tool Police) I must inform you that I will have to impound your XJ, so please deliver it to :
My House
Campton NH. 03223

LOL......great work, and I was impresssed with your "cancer free" rear floor pan.

90Blue_XJ

April 28th, 2007, 18:49

Very nice job. Wish it was as simple to do as you make it seem .

Jes

April 28th, 2007, 19:02

Very nice job. Wish it was as simple to do as you make it seem .

Thanks and ya, I know.
To tell you the truth though, before this project I had never welded on the XJ body before and I had never welded tube before.
I did the "tack tack" method on the body and the welds on the bumper came out, well... crappy but I don't really care. The only way you can learn is by doing it. ;)

Jes

December 19th, 2007, 18:52

Boredom and a Sawzall are a bad mix. Throw in a beer or two and yet more stuff gets cut off...
http://www.fototime.com/6A7EF7ECB514EE1/standard.jpg
:lickout:

Captain Ron

December 19th, 2007, 20:12

That cut is about four feet too high.

:D

--ron

53guy

December 19th, 2007, 20:41

Jes, did you cut the ovals out or did someone do it for you? If you did it, how'd you do it?

karstic

December 19th, 2007, 20:45

Ruh roh Shaggy.

JeepFreak21

December 19th, 2007, 22:07

Boredom and a Sawzall are a bad mix. Throw in a beer or two and yet more stuff gets cut off...
http://www.fototime.com/6A7EF7ECB514EE1/standard.jpg
:lickout:

TEASE!
Billy

Jes

December 19th, 2007, 23:23

That cut is about four feet too high.

:D

--ron

I'll cut the rest of in a couple more years. ;)

I started by slicing the window pinch seam between every spot weld and folded it over...
http://www.fototime.com/39E35EF3B3FE44F/standard.jpg
I'm using 3X.125" stock for the top and inside to build the rails. I really wanted diamond plate for the top rail but couldn't find any in a four foot length...
http://www.fototime.com/43480A98E8795F5/standard.jpg
Added some upper outside pieces...
http://www.fototime.com/210E125112E024D/standard.jpg
...I ripped off the idea for it from Porch Puppy.
Time to bow down to Bondo...
http://www.fototime.com/BEB6F31470670FE/standard.jpg

...

Jes

December 19th, 2007, 23:24

Jes, did you cut the ovals out or did someone do it for you? If you did it, how'd you do it?

Holesaw and Jigsaw.

Jes

December 19th, 2007, 23:28

Used some 1X1 angle for the roof tie-in...
http://www.fototime.com/28BF700F9540412/standard.jpg
1X1 tube for the B pillar and some panels scavenged from what was cut off the roof...
http://www.fototime.com/452316A793B001C/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/4387AE78CA031FE/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/C6F979E7AE64C6E/standard.jpg
At least this won't be a problem anymore...
http://www.fototime.com/D520BC9E8A728C9/standard.jpg
Down to the last coat of Bondo and some finnish painting.

Jes

December 19th, 2007, 23:40

More...
http://www.fototime.com/883B0541903F8B9/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/4ED92A5097CD189/standard.jpg

Gojeep

December 19th, 2007, 23:54

It is coming up well so far.
What are you going to do for a rear wall?

XJ_ranger

December 20th, 2007, 00:25

hows the motor swap comin?

Jes

December 20th, 2007, 17:07

It is coming up well so far.
What are you going to do for a rear wall?

Wall?

hows the motor swap comin?

I'll start in on it in January, hopefully.

karstic

December 21st, 2007, 00:16

Wall?

I think he might be asking if you're going to enclose the cab?

Jes

December 21st, 2007, 16:01

Encolse the cab, why would I want to do that?! :D

Shot some color on this afternoon and started putting everything back together. Just a spray bomb job but the rest of the rig looks like crap anyway so it'll do the job...
http://www.fototime.com/C74B0B7B6BB4ECD/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/018C8E5029F5B17/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/0E4F9DB63E84610/standard.jpg

FarmerMatt

December 21st, 2007, 17:32

Back in Black Babby! Very nice.

Jes

December 23rd, 2007, 15:59

Got a bunch more done. Rerouted the wireing for the tail lights, re glued up the headliner, added some bars to strengthen the bed sides, and made some inner panels.
For the bed side bars I first added some base plates...
http://www.fototime.com/0D64308286609C2/standard.jpg
I used some 1"X.095" HREW...
http://www.fototime.com/AE3530974390E03/standard.jpg
...I wanted .120 wall but couldn't find any locally.
B pillar panels riveted on...
http://www.fototime.com/14D2F3917B1CF50/standard.jpg
Inner panel...
http://www.fototime.com/D96E147B3C95E2E/standard.jpg
Headiner reglued...
http://www.fototime.com/E6D598538BB79E6/standard.jpg
Getting close to being done...
http://www.fototime.com/67652E4CAB43619/standard.jpg

ZacSquatch

December 23rd, 2007, 16:16

Got any pics on how you did you shackle set up? Just welded a plate with tabs to the bottum of the spring hanger box? Or is there something more to it.

Jes

December 23rd, 2007, 16:34

Got any pics on how you did you shackle set up? Just welded a plate with tabs to the bottum of the spring hanger box? Or is there something more to it.

Just a plate welded on and some angle stock welded on as tabs. CRASH actually made them and ran them for years, I cut them off his old chassis and then welded them on mine.
http://www.fototime.com/1E2831FBEC47216/standard.jpg

WVUwheeler

December 23rd, 2007, 16:57

Looking really good.

Jes

December 26th, 2007, 16:41

Got my junk pretty much finnished yesterday.
http://www.fototime.com/2D9432B20D6B38C/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/5A932268BD724DA/standard.jpg
The rearward inner panels are 22GA and the front ones are MDF. I'll mount some 6.5" speakers in the MDF and will get a 6" or 8" Bazooka sub to mount either under the sub-floor in the back(if it will fit, no pun intended) or behind the driver's seat. I'll either mount the old JL stealthbox in my daily driver or sell it.
http://www.fototime.com/BE64E26D5227226/standard.jpg
Ready for the engine swap now. :cheers:

JeepFreak21

January 5th, 2008, 14:29

I'll either mount the old JL stealthbox in my daily driver or sell it.

Dibs! http://www.slicky.net/smilies/fingersx.gif
Billy

Mosephus

January 5th, 2008, 16:50

Any action pictures yet?

aiinny

January 18th, 2008, 16:17

Liked the half gone Corona in the picture. Is it recomemded?

aiinny

January 18th, 2008, 16:23

I liked the half gone Corona in the picture. :wave: It is recomemded it take it.

90XJLtd

January 19th, 2008, 13:18

Nice job. I'm feeling the itch to chop mine up. Mines a 4dr so I guess it would look more like Porchpuppys. I saw his a while back @China Lake and wanted to go home and start cutting. I think I'll just wait until I bust out one of my back windows. Anyhow, Looks awesome!

Jes

May 7th, 2008, 06:16

Any action pictures yet?

Some in this thread...

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=951812

Nice job. I'm feeling the itch to chop mine up. Mines a 4dr so I guess it would look more like Porchpuppys. I saw his a while back @China Lake and wanted to go home and start cutting. I think I'll just wait until I bust out one of my back windows. Anyhow, Looks awesome!

Ya, his is probably the nicest one out there. He helped me a bunch on how to go about "fixing" my junk after I cut the top off. :D

xjcoupe

May 12th, 2008, 05:57

i can see my heep looking like this very soon, im allmost there now, but still need lockers and a cage. very nice build for a 2 door cheers 2 ya corona
sawsall and beer thats how i did it or was it beer then sawsall
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3016241
http://www.rocky-road.com/xjtrailblazer.html

mcraindog

May 12th, 2008, 07:52

what did you do your headliner out of?

Jes

May 12th, 2008, 13:46

what did you do your headliner out of?

Indoor/outdoor carpet from Home Depot.

mcraindog

May 12th, 2008, 22:03

any more pictures? mines needs re-doing and i like options...was it hard or expensive?

Jes

May 13th, 2008, 20:17

Hard? No. Expensive? I dunno, maybe $10 for the carpet and $5 for a tub of glue?
I ditched the stock headliner back when I did the cage since it is so tight against the roof. The carpet is just glued directly to the roof...
http://www.fototime.com/5DC4D640526B019/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/BEF1EDD540DA300/standard.jpg