Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: wazza on January 02, 2009, 09:38:36 PM

Title: what do i do with my cage???
Post by: wazza on January 02, 2009, 09:38:36 PM
im still planning what to do with the monster befor i get it back in the garage,

an my main thought is wanting to put it on a diet!!!

im going to be fully caging it, an was thinking of going with a full exo but also running some of it inside for strengh (keeping it a full bodied xj)
(also the heavy fat option)

but ive now had a thought of compleatly chopping the roof off an having basically a full internal cage.
which would then support a soft top :-D

any thoughts?

also think ive seen some pics of Ponyracers xj, that looks asif its got a softop covering the rear.
can any of you shed any light on what it was???

option 1      full body sortof like this but alot more cage
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/902_cage_1_1.jpg)

option 2      Chop it to something very similar (if i can)
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/902_cage_2_1.jpg)
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/902_cage_3_1.jpg)
Title:
Post by: Nosebolt on January 02, 2009, 10:04:50 PM
is yours a 2 or 4 door?
how much body work you wana do?

always thought th xj would make a nice open top pickup, like the old Bronco

(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/1234_IMG_1893_1.jpg)
Title:
Post by: isle of man on January 02, 2009, 10:09:31 PM
Option 1 it looks ace....
Title:
Post by: wazza on January 02, 2009, 10:15:56 PM
mine's a 5 door.

my main reason for thinking bout chopping the top of is its very tall an adding a cage is gonna make it more top heavy.

but i love both ideas.

ive seen quite a few bronco pics with full cages an softtops recently, which is where the thought came from!
Title:
Post by: dxmedia on January 02, 2009, 10:18:41 PM
I'd personally go for option 1 - just becuase there isn't many sunny days oop north ;)
Title:
Post by: wazza on January 02, 2009, 10:21:10 PM
you'r not wrong :lol:
Title:
Post by: Bubba on January 02, 2009, 11:32:22 PM
like the bronco mmmm


be ruthless go roofles
Title:
Post by: Asylum on January 02, 2009, 11:38:31 PM
Heres some pics of Ponys truck. I will see if I have any more showing more of the cage.
 8-)

(http://http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l115/Asylum76/IMG_7660.jpg)
(http://http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l115/Asylum76/IMG_7672.jpg)
(http://http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l115/Asylum76/IMG_7673.jpg)
(http://http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l115/Asylum76/IMG_7674.jpg)
Title:
Post by: Bubba on January 02, 2009, 11:41:31 PM
yup ponys was rather good nice chap two
Title:
Post by: wazza on January 03, 2009, 11:50:29 AM
nice, i wondered what he'd done with the back end cos ive only ever seen a front corner pic an i could only just make out the rearend

with the full body xj in the first pic, his rear arches are exactly what im going to do with mine!
the front arces im not sure about, but the bushwackers are too low, so ill be removing them.

luckilly ive got a scrap xj sat on the drive i can experiment with.
 :lol:
Title:
Post by: JamesH on January 03, 2009, 12:03:03 PM
I like the PonyRacer style chop - sort of creates a pick-up.

It was done by chopping the back windows and rooof out and then welding the tailgate into the gap created behind the rear seats. This way the inside is still fully sealed.

I'd still go for a setup like the first picture - why the need for more tube? That looks plenty to me unless you're planning to race it.

Drop the lift down an inch or two if you want a lower centre of gravity - just go wider and / or trim the bodywork a bit more for uptravel on the suspension.
Title:
Post by: gazjeep on January 03, 2009, 12:03:06 PM
1st one looks good  8-)
Title:
Post by: Panic mechanic! on January 03, 2009, 01:07:52 PM
I don't know i keep looking at the roofless one and looking at my cherry outside then looking at the angle grinder.......
Title:
Post by: wazza on January 03, 2009, 02:31:55 PM
more tube because, altho it looks good, it also doesn't look vary supportive if anything would happen.

ill be running 2 crosses through the cab, 1 behind the front seats an one behind the rear seats.

unfortunatly i can't drop the lift at all because ill then have no up travel as the diff is near on central, an ive got enough troubly with it trying to stop it hitting.

its currently 7 foot wide an 6 foot 10inchs tall,(just been out an measured it)
the next set of wheel rims will make it wider by about 5 inches but its still alot of weight high up.
Title:
Post by: JamesH on January 03, 2009, 04:37:18 PM
Loking back at picture 1 there doesn't seem to be any internal support at all??

This cage is the style I'd like to have on my XJ - internal support behind both rows of seats and external where it is useful for tree protection. I'd porobably do mine slightly differently but the general principle seems good. There is a huge thread on NAXJA detailing the entire build and includes loads of other comments on cage design: http://http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=932774

(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/105_nwhbc_cage_1_1.jpg)
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/105_nwhbc_cage_2_1.jpg)

You could chop the rear windows out a la Pony Racer if you wanted to shft some weight. From what you've said though, width vs height and with heavy axles, wheels and tyres low down I'm sure the weight distribution isn't all that bad.

P.S. If anyone wants to build me a similar cage  :wink:
Title:
Post by: Dave69 on January 03, 2009, 04:55:35 PM
ive looked at the naxja site about chopped xj's but daily practicality has stopped me.

personally i like the chopped roof as it looks so different. but with the cage remember that it needs to be welded to the chassis to boost the strength if you go along this route.

the open boot is always a good option and if done right looks fantastic.

do a mix of both
Title:
Post by: wazza on January 04, 2009, 07:07:13 PM
just found this an i really like!!!

(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/902_cage4_2.jpg)
Title:
Post by: Nosebolt on January 04, 2009, 07:16:44 PM
wazza, that one gets my vote too
Title:
Post by: Bubba on January 04, 2009, 07:31:23 PM
me three
Title:
Post by: isle of man on January 04, 2009, 07:48:24 PM
Nice Full Floater back axle...
Title:
Post by: Bubba on January 04, 2009, 08:21:26 PM
cant beat a floater
Title:
Post by: greggmo on January 04, 2009, 09:29:42 PM
Quote from: "wazza"
just found this an i really like!!!

(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/902_cage4_2.jpg)




yup :supz:
Title:
Post by: Tragic on January 04, 2009, 09:35:14 PM
Coolest XJ on the planet :twisted:


(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/72_DSC02560_2.jpg)
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/72_DSC02564_2.jpg)
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/72_t_an_ash24_small_519_2.jpg)

Comlete build up thread (http://http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139642&highlight=Project) is worth reading.
Title:
Post by: wazza on January 04, 2009, 09:48:14 PM
ive read that build up many a time!!! :-D

14bolt by the looks of it, very nice indeed!!!
Title:
Post by: wazza on January 04, 2009, 09:58:48 PM
anyone know where i can get a mj comanche tailgate???

also is a mk2 xj boot door steel or fibreglass like the mk1's???
Title:
Post by: JamesH on January 05, 2009, 09:53:40 AM
Facelift XJ boot door is steel, hence PonyRacer being able to just shift it forward, trim and weld in.

I like the blue one above, built by Vetteboy on NAXJA, Pirate etc. It has a tucked belly, custom longarms front and rear plus the obvious massive axles, tyres etc. This cage is a nice one and the chopped rear is pretty good too:
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/105_goat1_1.jpg)
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/105_goat2_1.jpg)
(http://http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/userpix/105_goat3_1.jpg)