Since Wranglers are insanely expensive and pretty small inside, has anyone done research on cutting the top off of the XJ Cherokee? How much structural reinforcement would the XJ need?
I'm picturing leaving the roof over the driver/passenger, a simple roll cage over the back 2/3, remove all carpet and truck bed liner inside and out. Should be pretty easy to find a cheap running XJ, seems like it could be a fun beater.
What you have pictured IS a 2 door XJ with the roof cut off. I have seen a 4 door with the roof off, and it looks kind of dumb.
Remeber, these have top hinged liftgates, so you'd need to fab a tailgate. It would be pretty flimsy I'd imagine. With what you spent on reinforcing an XJ, you probably could have bought a Wrangler. YJ's are cheaper than TJ's.
Don't forget about other topless wonders: 1st gen 4-Runners, Samurai's, Scouts (all rusted to death or extremely expensive), fullsize Blazers & Broncos, Izusu Amigos.
Don't forget about other topless wonders: 1st gen 4-Runners, Samurai's, Scouts (all rusted to death or extremely expensive), fullsize Blazers & Broncos, Izusu Amigos.
You can also unbolt the roof from first gen Range Rovers using hand tools. They also have this little novelty called a frame so they don't flex like wet noodles.
It's weird because I have been thinking about doing this to a Jeep for a while now. We have a guy in town who did it to a four door and it's okay but kind of hacked. If you have the right tools it shouldn't be a huge project.Just have to make sure that you add enough material to avoid flex -
They don't lose value because they're similar to motorcycles. An old example is still pretty cool and can do almost everything a new example can do, so there's a big demand for used ones
That and JK Wranglers are horrible piles of **** as far as the offroader community is involved so prices for older examples went up, I got lucky on the Rubicon price wise.
There isn't much to it. Once you remove the headliner you can see small bolts around the perimeter of the top panel. Remove those and the roof panel comes off. The window frames are built onto the doors so they still work. The entire Range Rover body unbolts from around the floor pans.
Jeep pick ups are pretty uncommon in my neck of the woods and the ones that I have found have all be 2wd
Where as I can throw a rock and find a Cherokee sport in decent shape for 2k
Roof just unbolts, then I cut the back quarter out. I'm having a friend weld up a cage and getting a snap on top made for it.
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