ok . . . someone tell me this is a stupid idea, before I haul off and try to do it.

i'm thinking about creating some fiberglass doors for the rangie, with zip up vinyl windows, and mount points between the a/b posts for some kind of a clip-in / bolt-in crash tube for driver protection.

for a frame of reference, try to recall something along the lines of the low sides / cutout doors you see commonly on built toyotas.

this would free up a fair amount of weight, remove about 40% of the side body area from panel damage, and be low enough to let the driver hang out the side to look at the front wheels while climbing up obstacles.

post-trail run, unbolt the cross-bars and put the doors back on for cratin' the kid to the hiking trails :flipoff2:

anyone done this to a 4dr rangie before? thoughts??

edit: something a lot like this:

http://66.12.181.251/pics/7168.jpg


cheers,

isaac

I say go for it! Maybe if it turns out OK I can put a set on my truck.

I don't have much experiance with fiberglass offroad, so I don't know how well it will hold up. What about modifying a stock door? On later trucks (89 and later) it would be easy to swap to back and forth.

-Jeff

Originally posted by JSBriggs
I don't have much experiance with fiberglass offroad, so I don't know how well it will hold up. What about modifying a stock door? On later trucks (89 and later) it would be easy to swap to back and forth.

-Jeff

what did you smoke today? My 89 has heated electric mirrors, heated door locks, and power windows. That's alot to fawk with.

j

what did you smoke today? My 89 has heated electric mirrors, heated door locks, and power windows. That's alot to fawk with.


heated door locks? BLING BLING!!! you must have the coveted County model, John :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

inside the door i think most everything has a nice plugged coupling at the harness (it's been awhile since mine were apart). who needs that stuff anyway? electric windows?

have you ever seen somone at the fill pumps dissasemble their entire center console in less than two minutes to deactivate a failed "one-push" window actuater? it don't like Dr. Pepper, i can tell you that much . . .

hadn't thought about the mirrors - some of those 4" round "Help!" replacement units down at schucks should do the trick.

OOOOOhhHH! i feel another chromed out "quick disconnect" accessory coming awn!! LOL

Originally posted by SeaRover


heated door locks? BLING BLING!!! you must have the coveted County model, John :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

inside the door i think most everything has a nice plugged coupling at the harness (it's been awhile since mine were apart). who needs that stuff anyway? electric windows?

have you ever seen somone at the fill pumps dissasemble their entire center console in less than two minutes to deactivate a failed "one-push" window actuater? it don't like Dr. Pepper, i can tell you that much . . .

hadn't thought about the mirrors - some of those 4" round "Help!" replacement units down at schucks should do the trick.

OOOOOhhHH! i feel another chromed out "quick disconnect" accessory coming awn!! LOL

Lets not forget the speakers and cross overs too!

Bling Fawking Bling

j

Originally posted by redrangie


what did you smoke today? My 89 has heated electric mirrors, heated door locks, and power windows. That's alot to fawk with.

j


You obviously havent taken your door off before! If I remember, it is two wiring connectors to unplug (Pull then through the hole in the door by the rubber boot) and a couple of E clips on the hinges. It really isn't hard. Exposed hinge models arn't nearly as easy. Nothing to plug in on the half door, just align the latch!

-Jeff

My harness isn't like that. I have a fawking speghetti nest.

j

John,
Sounds like someone else has been in there before. Have you tried to pull the wires out of the door? There is about 2-3" of extra wire in the door befor you ge to the plug. Also check in the door post. The plug may have been pull through already and not put back in the door.


All that being said, if you don't have a plug, you could install one in an afternoon.

-Jeff

jeff- that sounds more like what mine looks like.

john did your rig have a car alarm installed in it before your ownership? some of those damn things can really screw up and complicate the electrics if they have very many sensors.

maybe there's some unneeded wiring livin' in there . . .

door pillars:

how strong would you guys surmise that the rangie door pillars are? If i had some kind of exo'ish bar that was exposed through the new door skin, and then mounted to the pillars - would they survive a flop? or would you need some pipe running back down to the frame running parallel to the pillar to mount on?

I wouldn't think they are "that" strong. I just had to reseal my windshield due to chassis flex.

Remember, the b pillar is only as strong as the roof anchors, and those are what,#12 screws?

j

does anyone have some beat up -slash- demolished doors that they'd want to part with only the latches and hinges fer cheep?

remember . . . i use fish-stringers to tie up junk on my truck :D