We need a project!

[Eagle]

I just saw on the national modified tech forum that our outgoing president, "Goatman" Gautier, has more or less completed yet another Cheromanche. For those who don't know what that is, it's a Cherokee with the back part of the roof bobbed to create an open mini-pickup sort of cargo area. The first one I knew of was the XXXXXXXXX, but since Deano did his there must be half a dozen or more of them just among people who frequent the NAXJA forums.

How boring :)

It's time to pursue something more original -- like maybe making a longbed Comanche into a shortbed with crew cab, or stretching a Cherokee to make a usable rear seat, or ...

Who has ideas and interest? This kind of thing is always worth some lively discussion and brainstorming. I'm sure we have the skills to do whatever we can imagine -- heck, when I was active in the Hudson Essex Terraplane club there was a '52 Hudson "double ender" that came to most of the shows. Seems a bunch of volunteer firemen wanted to try out their new welding equipment, so they cut two 4-door Hudson sedans in half and welded the front halves together. Took the engine out of one compartment and made it into a trunk, converted the parking lights to brake lights, and got it registered.

If they can do it ... we can do it. I think something like this might be a way to encourage chapter members to get together during non-wheeling season and just hang out -- you know, almost like we belong to a club, or something :)

[dave]

i dont know if it can be done but.... what would be really cool and a one off i would assume would be a stretched wheelbase cherokee ( 4dr ) with the back chopped off like the cheromanches, but with a longer bed and a removable roof ( kind of like a 4door scrambler ) maybe even chop it lengthwise and widen it... i'll bet the farm you wouldnt see one like it for some time....there's my brainstorm for the year....

[RichP]

Do not know what would be involved but just an idea. Maybe learn a bit about diffs in the bargain too...

RichP

[gearwhine]

I'd love a full XJ convertible. We can reinforce the "frame" and cut the top off neatly. Then it can be either a hard top convertible(bolt on/off), or a soft top(I'm an early bronco fan)....need moolah for the custom soft top though. We can then try out my new tubing bender and welder for a safety roll cage cage. :lol: We can stretch it...shorten it, but keep the wheel base...Just my ideas. I don't think it would cost much except if there were to be a soft top made. _nicko_

[Lawn Cher']

Eagle, are you going to be around on the 19th? I have some Jeep parts to deliver to your area and figured I would stop in... we could discuss this project.

[CheapXJ]

What I'd really love to have is basically a 2-door XJ with an MJ shortbed. Just an MJ with a little extra room, bucket seats, center console and an E-brake handle, rather than the pedal.

[Skorpyo]

[quote:0025677b59="gearwhine"]I'd love a full XJ convertible. We can reinforce the "frame" and cut the top off neatly.[/quote:0025677b59]

You mean kinda like this Jeep Concept made back in 1990 called the Freedom?

[img:0025677b59]http://www.tkigd.com/data/freedom-concept.jpg[/img:0025677b59]

Kinda wussy looking, but I'm sure with 6" and 33's it'd be sweet

[STROKER]

How 'bout a cherokee with a fully hydraulic suspension able to be raised and lowered pending on "road" conditions, kinda like the concept jeepster.

This sounds like a Monster Garage episode.....

and who's vehicle would this be, somebody's donated or personal vehicle, NAC's, who would have ownership after its completion. just a couple of thoughts.

STROKER

I think the first project should be to stop eagle from posting all those stupid replies My god does he ever shut up. This is a guy who has something to say and comment about everything and if he doesn't like it than he practically beats you up with long winded replies that never make any sense except to himself.

I think you should take this as a hint EAGLE and [b:43d0aa836e]disable your internet connection[/b:43d0aa836e]

[CHW]

No one here has a problem with Eagle. His comments are always welcome, if they don't make sense to you, try getting an education.

Grow up or go back to JU.

[JHKolb]

WOW - Fellow Jeeper dosent' seem to be much of one! Just keep in mind, opinions are like a-holes - Everybody has one, some just smell worse than others!

If you don't like Eagles posts just ignore them. Although I don't always agree with Eagle, I always value his opinion and poit of view, that's what makes America such a great Country!!

[gearwhine]

Yeah I've seen the freedom before, but they removed the whole rear hatch area, and made it like a car trunk. I think it can look nice if it is made to look more like a truck than a car. Lift it, maybe keep the door frames, and put a pick-up hatch on it.

I'm kinda liking the shortbed idea from 1337. Seems kinda close to what everyone else is doing. The cheromanche is nice, but starting to get old. They all look the same. Maybe we can make use an MJ truck bed and extend the wheelbase, then make the roof removable!!!! Lots of work. Then we can have convertible and truck bed in one XJ. Just my ideas. _nicko_

[JHKolb]

How about a 4-Door XJ with the rear cargo roof removed but make the rear doors open suicide style and make all door removable. That way on the trail you would have no doors for better visability and an almost completely open cabin area.

[ROCKREADYXJ]

How about a long wheel base xj. But we take a four door and then chop off the back and add the back from a 2 door to make it like a Suburban.

[Lawn Cher']

I've given this much thought, and decided that Joe might be onto something... If we start with a MJ swb as a chassis and then remove the roof, doors and cab wall, we could then splice in the doors from a 2-door XJ, the back doors from a 4-door XJ or ZJ, and the rear quarter from a 2-door XJ with the appropriate pillars and flooring between. We would need 2 XJ roofs to splice together to cover the entire rig, making something approximately the length of a Tahoe. If we leave the trunk area open (a-la Sport-trac) then we could probably get away with one roof; we could use a MJ cab wall to create the bulkhead.

Suspension could consist of a front 5-inch lift and rear spring-over conversion to fit 32's. For ride quality, we should definitely use a long-arm front suspension system with progressive-rate coils and adjustable shocks. Track width is debatable... we could definitely benefit from the stability of full-width axles, perhaps a Ford D44 front and 9-inch rear. Or consider the possibility of rear-steer like the new GM trucks for added maneuverability.

Drivetrain should be a series hybrid electric system using a small turbo-diesel (VW 1.9 TDI?) to generate power which is then sent by wire to a DC traction motor at each axle. This eliminates all the losses in power, space and payload associated with a transmission, T-case and drive-shafts. It also allows for regenerative braking and either 2wd or smart 4wd that changes from full-time to part-time on demand since there are no mechanical differentials to control in the T-case. As an added benefit, we could potentially lower the floor in the vehicle to create more interior room and a 3rd row seat.

[ROCKREADYXJ]

Mark,

Sounds like your into it I'll keep my eyes open for a spare jeep to cut apart and well get started. Looks like a job for the plasma cutter.

[John - JeepsWorld.com]

[quote:47bc3d8bf6]
I think you should take this as a hint EAGLE and [b:47bc3d8bf6]disable your internet connection[/b:47bc3d8bf6][/quote:47bc3d8bf6]

What are you spewing out your mouth.
Bring to the table half of what Eagle has, then talk.
:roll:

As for the subject, I would like to see all the body panels ripped off a cherokee, replaced only to be more compact and tighter to the body. The back hatch moved to the front of the rear cargo space, and right in back of the back seat. For a functional back hatch (Joe., a buddy of mine from close to me up 81 from Scranton is doing this.) . Leave a little rear cargo area out side, enough to mount a tire.
Lengthen the wheel base with the drive train. Especcially in the rear.

Dana 60's f/r, with all the trimmings.
Atlas
Complete performance mods on a stock 4.0L(you know what Im talkin about)

Complete welded and bolted on reinforced under carriage aligned with the floor.

Int/Exterior Roll cage(Like Beezil) that comes up through the roof and rear.
Cage connected to the complete custom reinforced bumpers and dettachable at key areas.

Air bag suspension that is controlled in cab. for a complete but adjustable lift of 10 inches.
Hydro steering

and to top it all off a full set of lights, and 38" tires or maybe 40"ers, yeah
bling bling ding a ling

[ROCKREADYXJ]

John sounds good to me but I dont like the rear hatch in the cargo area cause every time you need to open it up ypu have move the stuff to swing the door up. but if you used a grand cherokee hatch where the glass opens that would be key.

[John - JeepsWorld.com]

yep I must agree the ZJ type hatch would be sweet,
but image, swinging the tire carrier from a quick disco, popping the hatch and unloading people and or cargo with ease.

Joe, Rock Krawler distributor yeh? Get me some good discounts on a cross member for long arms?
I wanna build the arms, but if I can get an excellent deal on a cross member I would bypass building one of my own.

[CheapXJ]

mmmm... me likey..

[img:f13c1a79c4]http://home.ptd.net/~naumiler/concept.jpg[/img:f13c1a79c4]

[Eagle]

Dang! That stretch job looks pretty neat. I like it.

[CheapXJ]

I think, though. If it was sitting on an MJ chassis, the rear wheel would have to move up a little further.

wouldn't take long at all to turn that drawing into a cut+fold 3d paper representation.

I'll hafta add that to my fleet of "paper Jeeps" :lol:

I just noticed that I forgot to make the plastic trim behind the rear window... Back to the drawing board.

[Lawn Cher']

That's pretty much what I had in mind... but with a taller ride height and wider stance than stock.

[gearwhine]

That's like a freaking limo. I thought he was saying to start out with a 4 door body. Cut at the front doors to fit in some 2 dr doors. longer, but not too long. Keeping the the same rear doors and back stock, but 2dr doors fronts. That would be so sweet in my opinion.

I don't see how you can use the read doors from a 4dr, but the rear quarters from a 2door without a lot of modification to at least the door.

And with the pic that you drew up....the rear doors are....I don't know...not stock....they look like a 2 dr door with the bottom left being almost a right angle...but a 4dr rear door, with the almost perpendicular front body line of the door....So that rear door in the pic is a cross between the two from what I see. Know what I'm trying to say?

If you dont' mind try switching to a 4 door rear, from rear doors back.....keeping the front 2 door doors....I'd lieke to see what it looks like. Thanks _nicko_

[CheapXJ]

i'll play with it a little more and see what I can come up with...

I'm thinkin' about a raised roof with windows (like an LR discovery) that would be really badass.

It is a little long... you're right, I think the rear doors are a little too long, and they're definitely NOT stock size..

guess I'll fire up photoshop :mrgreen:

[CheapXJ]

ok... so when we gonna make this?

[img:be5279e998]http://home.ptd.net/~naumiler/concept2.jpg[/img:be5279e998]

I [u:be5279e998]really[/u:be5279e998] like this one!

[ROCKREADYXJ]

thats it the 2door front doors with the 4door rear doors and then re attach the 2 door back that is perfect. I will start gathering the parts.

Nice work who did the pic?

[ROCKREADYXJ]

How about I take a stock XJ and coil over threar and move both axles as far foward and as far back as possible to have a 90 degree aproach angle?

That I know I can do.

[Lawn Cher']

IMHO, the rear doors are still an issue... as drawn, they are custom since they don't have the corner cut-out for clearing the front of the rear wheel arch. It might be easier to take front 4-door doors and re-work the forward upper corner (the A-pillar angle) to be vertical than to try and form a filler piece for the wheel arch cut-out on the rear doors.

[CheapXJ]

front of 4-door back door+back of 2-door front door = door you see above.

I've got no measurements to go by... my poor XJ is far away from me :cry:

plus... We're splicing together 3 vehicles and you're worried about having to fabricate a door?

i could draw it up with the 4-door doors in the rear, but If you want to use the 2-door rear 1/4's it's gonna look really funny, and you'd have to splice in an extra piece of the 4-door chassis.

[gearwhine]

Well..........we could always just make the rear side window of a 4-door have a vent window.....shouldn't be too hard...just cut a piece of glass from a 2-dr down to size. It'll have the appearance of the 2-door window, but 4 door size.....how much longer are front 2-dr doors compared to the 4-doors anyway. Would it be a significant wheelbase extension by just changing the front doors?

I can tell it'll definitely look a lot longer. People that don't know any better think that 2-doors are longer than 4-doors (but aren't of course). This will probabaly have the same effect...look alot longer than it really is.

If we extend out to a 90* approach angle, we'll have to hack the fenders and make it look like a buggy. I think that would be awesome, but I think keeping it to look like a stock production is what most of us are after. We can do that as a side project if you have an extra cherokee :) I'd be glad to help. _nicko_

[CaptTrev]

I've been following this post since it started...and would have to say im getting enthused!
if and when it comes down to sawz-allin, plasma-cutting, and any sort of wrenchin...count me in!

CaptTrev