full box underneath. modified stock straps over the top. and a box to cover it all. it will be awhile but youll see where im going with it. im not done cutting yet

 

Did I read that you are doing this for better clearance, and are going to be chopping the rear off a bit?

 

this is just to fit bigger tires and to lift the gas tank. This one will stay a full bodied (for the most part) xj. until rolled or some other unforeseen mishap.

 

did some playing today.

flares are all one piece bends. no bending angles and welding back together. kinda tricky but i think will be stronger in the long run

1. outer tube
2. outer tube in location
3. both matching sides
4. laid on a full 33in tire (same as 34) to show how much more room (~7in front to back total)
5. outer and inner tube outside of vechile

im am going to tac onto body. put cross bars in (make solid). then pull off and skin (with 18ga) before i finish weld to body. should be pretty solid

 

Good job on those bends.... It takes some thought and a little extra time but worth it in the end. Looks nice, how much time did you spend on them?

 

about 3-4 hours today. i wont get the rest of my metal till tuesday. and i need to make some form of tubing notcher tomorrow

 

There are a few ways to make a notcher, just depends on the tooling that you have at your disposal. what do you have in mind?

 

for tomorrow probably go buy a drill press which i need anyway and put a tubing vise of sorts on it. saw a homemade one on pirate that a guy made from a roller fairlead and a trailer jack. havent decided what ill do for a long term one yet though. might put harbor frieght one and but better bearings in it also

 

I have a HF one, took it apart and made it better, now it hold true and on center. I think it works as good or even better than my friends JD(low end one) now.

Post some pic's when you have it made, would like to see it.

 

went back down and played for a bit. got everything tacked into place. its actually pretty level for me holding everything by myself to get it tacked. give ya an idea of what it will look like when its done

 

Looks like its going to work out well. What gauge sheet are you going to use for the new fender well? 16-18ga.

 

18ga to skin with 10ga for gas tank sump and quarter armor

 

whoa, 28 pages.....just read thru all of it....started out of curiosity & the desire to absorb different ideas.....but then i couldnt stop.....it was like a story of making bad-***** beefy bolt ons/upgrades, with next to nothing but jeeps, metal, some tools, relentless drive, & pure skill

you're inspiring man....you went thru some *****, but you pull thru & xj just gets sicker & sicker....this time last year, you're workin with a 4" grinder, a welder, & what seemed like endless supply of scrap metal & donor xj's.....CONGRATS on the plasma, tube bender, & 8.8!!

its funny how a lot of different ideas you had/did/want, ive shared....that new bumper is EXACTLY what i'd want (+ the stinger tube you had on the first one you didnt like....& NOW YOU HAVE THE BENDER TO DO IT!!)....the shape/geometry of it is perfect......the new tube fenders are also, EXACTLY X2, what i've been wanting mine to look like, when i can make them

so what happened to those black headlight housings?....never put HIDs in em?....i found them online a while back & want to order these when other issues are resolved

u should really start to fab parts, now with your new equipment (especially a set of tube fenders welded to quarter panel protection, front & rear....i'd love a set from you).....do what you love man, you've got the skill & there's a community out here that digs what you

 

Nice man I can't wait to see more.

 

thanks for the kind words. they make me want to build more.

black housings are crappy. maybe with hids they'd be ok. i got them for like 5$ or something and thought they looked cool but cant justify spend $80 on some hids just yet. maybe someday

i was actually guna start pumping out a few of the new bumper but they cost of metal shut that down. (made 3 so far) ive can make 3 out of one 4x8 sheet of 3/16, and it take me 10-12 hrs each. but a sheet of 3/16 was 97$ my cost and in 2 months it jumped real close to $200 a sheet. so maybe when metal goes back down i will crank out a few more. Im guna make a 10ga version for my new dd here soon. it will have a singer. to tow point will be real but the bumper will be mainly for show

as far as anything else goes i have a habit of makeing templates and noteing every angle and measurement for everything i build so if anyone likes it, i can reproduce easily.

And almost everyone of my ideas has been done before on this forum or others. i copy and try to improve original ideas that others have had. but looking through builds is definatley a good way to learn and decide what you want. and on that note id like to say ive been looking on pirate alot lately and hopefully can get up the that level with my POS here in the near future