Teacher? I suppose I should be - I've probably got more hours instructing than most. Catch is, I couldn't handle teaching primary school unless I got to use the "Board of Education" every now and again - gotta keep the kids in line. I'd have to teach college - most kids are there because they WANT to be and WANT to learn - which makes a difference (but, at 33, I'm still the "old man" in most of my classes...)
As far as your question goes, it depends. There is some inherent stiffness from the "box" shape of the frame members, and that would be augmented slightly by the remaining floor panel, but you'd lose the stiffness you'd previously gained from the roof and the D pillars, plus any other losses from the "shear panels" between the C and D pillar (to include the windows. They fill those holes for a reason, you know.)
You'd get a really swimmy rear end, and I'd think this would get worse under vibration, on anything rougher than a fresh-paved road, or when turning sharply (like evasive action.) Even a "short" frame that would be tied into the C pillars would help (which would then loop around the "cutoff line" to tie into the lower D pillars as well,) but you'd be best with a semi- or full cage that would not only have posts in place of the C and D pillars, but a "cross" in the halo bar, the halo bar tied to the roof or roof rails, and at least one triangulation bar longwise down the side voids. Probably a cross in the rearward void as well, since the liftgate acts as a shear panel when closed. (Overkill, I'd admit - but I'd sooner have things not fail than things that fail.)
On terrain? I'm sure you'll bend one or both of your rear frame rails. Even a ladder frame gains some benefit from that big floorpan bolted to it - just not as much.
I've done a lot of silly things, but I'd not want to try something like that without replacing the stiffness members/shear panels you'd be cutting out. Of course, with a little design work, you could come up with an effective removable "half-roof" that would tie down to the cage. You'd be stiff with the roof on or off, and it would be easier to tie the roof to the cage than to the sheetmetal...
5-90
Jackhill442 said:
interesting, sounds like you are a teacher, and a good one at that! True about the Bronco and Blazer. Out of curiosity, what do you think would happen if the top was chopped on an XJ and no reinforcements were added? Could it even drive down the road without getting twisted?