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poorly thought out chop top

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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 07:42 PM
  #1  
MATT 87 CHEROKEE's Avatar
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From: Elkhart I.N.
Year: 1987
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Engine: 4.7L
Default poorly thought out chop top

I did somthing bad.... I have always loved the looks of chopped 4 door xjs I have wanted to do it to mine for a while... I did sub frame reinforcments a while back so I could, last weekend I got to drinking, and to cutting... I did a good job chopping it belive it or not, this is what is bad first I live in indiana it snows and rains all the time, the bad doesn't stop at having a xj with half the roof gone outside all the time (can't fit the xj and the 2010 patriot in the garage at the same time.... 2 car garage my ***) I have rolled the xj on its side twice and I didn't think about roof strength until it was 2 late I need tips for a cage and tips for a soft top
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 07:51 PM
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MATT 87 CHEROKEE's Avatar
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From: Elkhart I.N.
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It wouldn't let me post pics
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 07:52 PM
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LoL, Piktars are a must.

Get a cage building program. It will help design your cage.
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 07:58 PM
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MATT 87 CHEROKEE's Avatar
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From: Elkhart I.N.
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Lol I would rather die in a roll over.... I have a thing about computers.. we don't get along this forum is about as advanced as I can handle..
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:00 PM
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Well, draw it up on a piece of paper. Or take a look at some other pictures. Read up on the proper way to make a cage. And just have at it.
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:09 PM
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From: Elkhart I.N.
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Ok links would be great, what about the soft top?
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:12 PM
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Check out my profile picks. I did a 4-door chop and exo on my blk 95. Sold it a few months back got sick of the look. Would have went better with a bender. But might give you some ideas. To enclose it I used a MJ rear window worked well. If I were to re do it would have just used part of a rear cab of an 95+ S10. Using that don't think you would have a problem with the structure.
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:17 PM
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From: Elkhart I.N.
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Hopefully that pic worked I do have a pipe Bender I don't wanna do a exo and I don't wanna enclose it I loveit open I just wanna do a removable soft top
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:21 PM
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:29 PM
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Then I would do a slant back top. With a similar cage that I had but on the inside. The problem I see with almost all inside cage set ups is they don't mount to much. Just the floor and that's not that sound. That's why I did an exo. Then I could mount to the so called frame that I beefed up. But one thing to cositer is weight. On Pirate 4x4 there are some sweet cage set ups but they look real heavy. With the min exo that I did it got way to top heavy.
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:30 PM
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I WANT THAT STICKER... would be better if it said "I drive over honduh's"
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by 99WhiteLightning
I WANT THAT STICKER... would be better if it said "I drive over honduh's"
I drove over a geo... at 55mph.
600$ in parts later, and Im driving it around. Bet the people in the geo cant say that.
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:35 PM
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prolly had to burry the family in the car... i wonder how that funeral and burial went? lol
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:38 PM
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From: Elkhart I.N.
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Lol ya its great ill post a couple more you may like
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Old Mar 8, 2011 | 08:38 PM
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Find someone with a tube bender and start building yourself a cage that will go all the way from the A pillars to the D pillars. You want to weld it straight into the subframe.

As far as a soft top goes, you could take the same approach as a soft tenneau cover. Measure out how much fabric you'll need to get the job done, then go to the fabric store and get yourself either some marine grade vinyl or some waterproof canvas (more expensive but worth it). Then if you want windows, cut the fabric and sew in some thick plastic sheeting just like a soft top on a wrangler.

Then to support the soft top, you can take the same concept as a wrangler top and buy some thin aluminum tubing from the hardware store (doesn't rust and it's easier to form). Bend it to whatever shape you need then sew the supports into the top. When you're done with that, attach the supports to somewhere on the jeep.


To keep the top on the Jeep, get some "snap buttons" (like what is used on soft tenneau covers) and attach them to both your soft top, and your Jeep.

With this all done, you'll be able to attach and detach your soft top just by snapping the buttons! There you go good luck man
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