Before anyone ask, yes I am crazy.

I've been toying with the idea of chopping the top on my ZJ since I first started doing stuff to it. Why you ask? Well it looks cool for one and it will help me shead some weight off the thing.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/G2Rac/choptop010.jpg
I'm thinking about it even more now since friends are asking when I'm gonna do it and even the gf wants to know when I'm gonna take a saw-z-all to my top (yea, I thought wtf too when she said it).

My problem is I need to stiffen the unibody some how. So I want some opinions on what I can do to add the rigidity to the body after chopping the top (this haggard arse truck is my DD). Most people that do this have cages but some people have done unibody stiffen set ups like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/G2Rac/usdv2004-1.jpg

I'm commited to doing this before the end of the season (so I can get a few weeks of topless driving in). Give me some opinions on what I can do?

It sounds like you already know what you need to do. Reinforce the unibody rails and put in a full cage.

I used 3x4 angle to do mine on my XJ. I rosette welded 10 spots per side, stiched the top every 6", and ran 4 bolts through (that should hold it). Then I put in an 8 pt cage but I still have the top on mine. Someday after I put it on its lid I'll cut in off and make a buggy out of it but for now I take the doors off in the summer and I like the hard top and heater for the snow runs here in Tahoe.

It's your DD? What plans do you have for the open top when it starts to get cold and snowy up there?

It doesn't snow in Canada :laughing:

I'm gonna make a button on top out of vynil with a clear window. I'm not scared to admit I can sew.

The way you cut the xj looks great. Makes me almost want to buy one. I will be watching this thread to see how your turns out.

Here's where I got the idea for the soft top.
http://www.mudrunner.ca/softtop.html