XJ cherokee into a softtop?

[Big Dave]

Originally Posted by Antiferret

Yes can do......

Heaps of VW beetles driving around QLD with soft top conversions!

my father in law was a specialist VW mechanic (old school ones, not the new ones).

had a look how its done, seems there is a welded L or C channel frame bolted through the underfloor that is tied again with bolts to major parts of the subframe. NO WELDING ON TO VEHICLE. all these vehicles had the mod plate allowing it.

GO AHEAD, DO IT!!!

The beetle is a totally different set up. The floorpan is a separate structural element that doesn't rely on the roof for all of its strength where the XJ is integral & does. It can be done though, there is a thread on here somewhere about making an XJ ute. Just lots of reinforcing of the chassis rails & probably a cage required as well.

[Siggers]

Exactly, there is a chassis, technically, just a uni body, so chassis and body combined, stiffening and bracing the current setup will help it out significantly, basically how the make uni bodies is to make the main shape strong, taking away from the shape reduces its strength, stiffening and supporting all the key areas, easy done, just time more then anything... Steel is cheap...

[Wooders]

Chassis stiffners, bigger crossmember, rollcage - all could be done and would help faciliate conversion.
Doable - but paying a professional do to it - Don't think that's going to qualify as cheap/budget.

[Forest Gump]

Thanks so much guys, responce was much better and quicker than i anticipated

Ill try to remember to keep u guys posted on what im dooing to it
and ill probably be asking more questions in the future if thats alright.

Ps. I really like the grey one, luv to make it look like that.

[Big Dave]

You could do something like this much easier but doubt it would be 'budget'
http://www.slidingragtops.com/

[Siggers]

What sorta budget your looking at. It really doesn't cost as much as people think. Having worked along side building hotrods and drag cars you'd be surprised how little fabrication can cost... But cost is dependant on each person differently...

[Forest Gump]

hey guys.
Ive decided its way to hard to keep it regesterable. and two expensive to get a pro to do the job.
So I'm getting the job done with my grandfather and have started working on it.

So far the major thing that has been done is the roof has been removed from the door pillar b hind the front door all the way back, and the side of the jeep from the the windows up has been removed so it looks like a pickup truck, except u can jump from the front seats out to the back of the vehicle.

next job is dooing a nice fiberglass finnish on the open cut parts of the jeep.

Then installing a full rollcage,

My main question now is where is the most structuarly appropriate places to bolt the rollcage into the floor, (which sections of the chassis) im thinking the rollcage needs to be bolted down in atleast 3 places on the floor and in the door pillar that wasent removed.

Any suggestions are appreciated.