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I got bored today...

ren

ren

NAXJA Forum User
Location
frenchburg, ky
I have been thinking of chopping the roof for awhile, soooo... (and NO recip. saw used, just a Dremel and about 6 cut-off wheels.)
Decsion time:

decisiontime.jpg


toolatenow.jpg

Too late to turn back now...

stupidwires.jpg

NOTE TO SELF: remember to check for things behind work area!

backedge.jpg

Maybe I can get the hatch to work still?

almostthere.jpg

Almost there. Now, where did I leave the welder last time?

Anyways, I will post some more pix tomorow, maybe even get the hatch/lower wall mostly done and pix.
 
Mainly because I don't have a recip saw, and a grinder motor with grinding wheels is just way to butch/rough on the thin sheetmetal. As for time, I so far have about 3 hours in this, including ripping out the windows, pulling the hatch, headliner, rear carpet, and then cutting this off.
 
Yep, seen that one. Done really nicely, but I still haul my young kids in mine, and I have three (3) MJ's that I can hack to my hearts contentment.
I am going to be making up some tube doors for the front next, and then (hopefully) will be getting some 31" tires. Oh, and this coming week is going to be used fabbing a much stouter X-member for the tranny/ X-case, complete with better skids.
 
You got a cage planned out for that now? Now that all that metals gone, that thing is gonna flex like no ther and could ruin the body without some major supports.
 
i like that look of the hatch... kinda looks like a avalanche rear window... maybe put a piece of lexan there? cage that sucker before you wheel or really drive it... if you drive it drive light and if you dont already front and rear bumpers - aftermarket- help hold the structure of the unibody- cool i am about to cage and cut probally as well- keep us updated
 
Well, the cage will be later this week, as tommorrow, is "get the hell away from pavemant day" around here ( prolly around 60 miles of 'nothin' but dirt ). As for the finishing of the hatch area, I got my paws on the hatch from an Exploder to graft into this mess. I will have dark tint on the window, rear wiper and washer, defroster AND the coolest part of using the Exploder hatch is that the rear window opens up like on some Grand Cherokees. SWEET. Oh, and I will be adding a serios duty rear bumper prolly monday to the XJ to help tie the tail end together, along with recessing the taillights to prevent trail bashing.
 
I was going to suggest a 97+ tailgate, steel and would blend with the roof but the exlplorer sounds interesting if it fits.
 
notmuchleft.jpg

not much left of it, is there?
testfit1.jpg

rear view
testfit.jpg

and from the side
The duct tape is just to hold it in place until I get some tack welds on it.
More pix to come, probably tommorrow, if it doesn't rain all day, of the hatch fully welded in. And yes, the window release still works, as do the wiper and de-fogger.
 
Lookin good man keep us posted on the progress...
 
Thanks, glad to hear that this "lab rat" stuff is watched.
 
Why does the bottom of the tailgate look all tilted up on one side along the bottom?
 
It was still in the
"trim to fit" phase.
 
Well, no new pix, but I can tell you that the hatch, and the rear window, have survived a rather brutal, but fun, year of wheeling. The window struts are strong enough to support the window, but, so far, when a tree or other object has wacked the glass, the window has simply eased down, and then "walked" back up after the pressure was removed. This has been really nice this summer, as hot as it's been, on the rides, as we can get some good airflow going even when sitting still. The biggest trouble that I have had ( you "knew" there was some, right?) has been a seriuos decrease in cargo space, since the hatch can't open anymore. Other than that, I am VERY happy with this mod. Oh, and you can get some really good views of the "next person in line" behind you on the trail.
 
Hey i wanna see an update new pics please!!!!
 
Okay, some new(er) pix...
These are pix. of the filler plates that I made to close off the space that is behind the plastic pieces.
003-1.jpg


004-1.jpg


This what the rear now looks like...
002-1.jpg


001-1.jpg


Oh, and the new tow hook bracket, while we are on the "I got bored today" theme... This thing is made from 1/4 plate, as are the other bracket pieces. I would include pix of the new front bumper/brushguard, but my cheap digital camera crapped a few days ago.
007.jpg
 
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