I put my ZJ on it's lid last week and the insurance just officially totalled it. I"m just waiting to hear how much salvage is.

I'm leaning towards buying back for either a chop top or to drop the 318 and/or tranny into an old YJ.



However, I would like to chop it if possible and add in a cage. I realize that the unibody w/o doors and a roof would tweek all over the place. What would have to be done to the frame etc. to keep it rigid enough?

My thoughts are to an 8 pnt cage, w/ steel either cut into the rails in place of the tin-shit they use, or box in the frame rails w/ steel. Then use a few lateral bars to reinfoce also. I may also cut out the rockers and weld in solid stock of some sort to keep them more rigid.

Anyways, I'm all theory and no practice so I need some advice. Is it even worth trying? If so, how would you go about strengthening everything and mounting the cage etc?

Thanks for the help

BTW here is the only pic I have right now--I"ll get some better shots up in a day or so.

http://www.fototime.com/69AD6588E501813/standard.jpg

Cody

Wrong cherokee but maybe it'll get your wheels turning...

doors you don't need no stinking doors, roofs are for wusses, but i did finally put a windsheild on mine after a year, it was just to damn cold some times,but it is removable. i have a frame so i didn't have to brace the cage as much as you but it is a great trail rig. i say go for it and make sure you leave the a/c working. its great in moab in the summer. i love the room i have in my hacked up wagon. i can carry three kids, the wife and more beer than i should, plus a bunch of my buddies gear that run zooks. mike
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-690881-Dscn1913.jpg

If your willing to try it I say go for it. Thats what I wanted to do to my zj when I rolled it.:D But I never rolled it and am selling it now.
I like the idea of a full cage, which ties into some sort of tube subframe. Have the suspension tie to the subframe and the subframe connect to the unibody with rubber body mounts.
I'd recommend strong crossmembers too.

Just curious, what did you tell the insurance company?

I would tube the crap out of it. It would be sweet! :D

I don't know what the "frame" on a ZJ looks like, but on my XJ I took 3x5 3/16" and hacked the top off it. Then I slid it over my "frame" and welded it to the body. This is where I'll tie in most of the cage.

Easy

Like I said, hack the top, put in a cage, reinforce the unibody, and wheel it! :D

Now that's a truck that's got some serious potential. Obviously you can't keep the widnshield, doors, or roof so just go with the convertible. Tie in an 8pt cage like you said and tie it into some sort of subframe. I hope you're good at welding/fabrication to be able to bring it all together. Or just sell it on Ebay... :smokin:

I know that some don't like the look of it but wht I plan on doing eventually to a 2 dr XJ is to weld channel along the length of the unibody (provides a great mount for a longarm kit also) and from there throw on a full exo that ties in. that will make the entire vehicle structurally sound, look bad ass, and eliminate the need for addl crossmembers underneath. This is what I would recomend. doing this you could also easily swap to leafs if you want.

so let me get this straight...you rolled it off-road and your insurance company is totalling it? That's a damn good insurance company. What did you tell them?

-Steve

I remember 1 time when i was back in Cedar City, I buddy rolled his zj on one of the hardest sections out there, anyway we up righted it and told the insurance the a deer jump infront of him and he swerved and rolled.:D

or at least that's the story I heard:D :D :D

(i think he rolled it turning into a parking lot too quic, if its the same guy)... this is your chance to get good at welding and fabricating....


Hunter

Originally posted by offroadr35
so let me get this straight...you rolled it off-road and your insurance company is totalling it? That's a damn good insurance company. What did you tell them?

-Steve

Bahahahahaha...He was going grocery shopping and rolled it turning in the parking lot:flipoff2: really he did:D

Originally posted by Big Rich
I remember 1 time when i was back in Cedar City, I buddy rolled his zj on one of the hardest sections out there, anyway we up righted it and told the insurance the a deer jump infront of him and he swerved and rolled.:D

or at least that's the story I heard:D :D :D

Buzz? Was that what happened to the white one?

Hey, I never said how I rolled it, I just said I rolled it ;). I officially laid the thing over twice, once on a trail---and once, uhh, otherwise. It didn't quite survive the 'otherwise'.

Cody

here is the deal ....

I bet you could get a softtop custom made for 1500 or less..
so its just the matter of how to get a front windwheild/frame back on it...

and then you could run 90% of the time with the top down and still be able to have a top if weather turned shitty...
with that rig you got new motor tranny t case...and lots of tech and lots of storage......

then all thats left is suspension..

long arm front a leaf spring rear and your wheeling sweet IMO

Originally posted by EasyXJ
I don't know what the "frame" on a ZJ looks like, but on my XJ I took 3x5 3/16" and hacked the top off it. Then I slid it over my "frame" and welded it to the body. This is where I'll tie in most of the cage.

Easy

Frame plating...

Damn, you got the wheels turn'n in my head again... I think I just might end up doing that also.

Nice work.

When I rolled my XJ, I used a strap, a come-along and a tree to pull the windshield back out, so I could put in a new windshield. If you've got a friend with a winch, you could rig something up to pull the roof back out, or at least the windshield frame. That way, you could put a stock windshield back into it. Then hack the rest of the top off. ;) :D

man you will have a sweet trail rig.
Plate the frame
long arm suspension
remove top and windsheild
fab a fold down windsheild
Half doors. if you don't like doorless flex
full cage.
canback softop

Get it!

Ok, salvage is 1200. Should I jump on it?

I'm kinda of leaning towards it--if the chop top ZJ doens't work then I'll still have a 318 and tranny to drop into a YJ or something and then some suspension and axles to sell of to people.

Buy or no buy?

Cody

Hmmm....$1200 for an already built (I assume it's at least mildly built) trail rig? ;) I'd say get it.

well, it was mildly built. I took it down to stock before the insurance came and got it.

Cody

buy it, chop it, wheel it....show everyone your not one fo the normal fag magnetic body armor grand owners.

Hunter

I'd still go for it, put the stuff back in it and do as the previous posts say....chop top, roll cage, plate frame, and go.


just my $.02,
Justin

hey...let us know if you won't go for it...I will!

you buy it, sell it to me for what you paid.....let me know...I have cash right now for it!

BTT I am extremely interested and willing to buy it NOW!!!!!!

I"m still working out the details. I really want to do this project, but as of right now the insurance is messing with me.

MK--I PM'd ya.