Everything under the bondo is welded together or bolted in some way. The bondos just there to seal up the gaps and even it all out

 

Thought you were going to make the rear hatch open? And I always use bondo-glass for something like that. Its harder to sand but stronger under stress.

 

that was the plan... But it didn't quite pan out... I'll just pull the back glass if I want it open. Mine comes out pretty easy and goes back in in 5 mins

 

You planning adding a cage in the rear?

 

Not just the rear, but more of a hybrid cage that comes out of the hatch as a roll bar in the bed, but a roll cage on the inside

 

O OK. Can't wait to see the progress

 

Who said ya can't haul nothing in a chopped xj??? Anyways made it home with the tailgate!! Should be going on today

 

Just gotta sand it all down and she's ready for some paint!!!

 

Are you going to put in some type of reinforcement to help strengthen the body? Taking out all of that meat is gonna leave it a little weak back there.

 

Okay...I've watched this thread now for a bit. I would like to give you some constructive criticism. I DO appreciate your enthusiasm. Not bashing you at all, but you are young, and I'm seeing some things being done that just isn't safe. EVERYTHING that follows is not only for your safety, but the safety of others on the road around you. Do what you want, but I can't let it go without warning, not only for you, but for anyone who may read this in the future.

This may take several posts. Bear with me.

First of all, you are running no bumpers to speak of, whatsoever. And you've blacked out your lenses. You need to focus on recovery points, especially considering where you live. And, if it's driven on the street at all, don't black out your safety markers. It's just not cricket.






Then you post these, and blame "people" who have messed with your lugnuts. You have had tires off and on several times, based on your pics. You screwed up. Own it. This is VERY dangerous not only to you, but others on the road...




Then you post this, saying it was so people could see you...



maybe if your lenses were not blacked out, they COULD see you. Not that it isn't a wise addition, just kinda makes the previous pics pointless...

 

Okay, continuing...

Let's talk about your chop. Cool mod. But you need to do it right. You have not. Our uniframe bodies rely on all of it to be safe. Start cutting, and you compromise this. It may not show up immediately, but trust me, flex that thing enough, and it WILL break...somewhere. And, it may not be evident. Once you cut, you should re-inforce IMMEDIATELY to keep issues from arising down the road...
You posted these, and I painted them to try to help you see what I'm talking about...






In bodywork, less bondo is more...the more metal you have the better. Bondo is meant to be used to fix slight imperfections in the bodywork, not major differences.

 

Okay. So, you say you flexed it:




Well, a one-time baby flex isn't enough to make a judgement on. Metal fatigue happens over time, ever taken a piece of copper wire, and bent it back and forth until it broke? Same principal. You won't see an immediate result. But, over time, you DEFINITELY will. This is also unsafe...imagine driving down the road, hearing a big BANG!!!, losing control, rolling and taking out a small family in the process...yes it can, and has, happened. And it could have been prevented.

Everything I posted here wasn't to degrade you. It's to try to keep you, and others around you, safe. When you mod your vehicle, you start a cascade of new failure points. You need to recognize these, and anticipate them. I just want to try and keep a fellow jeeper safe. And it isn't too late, while you have done some work, it can be undone and addressed properly. I suggest doing it now, before it gets out of hand. Chip out that bondo, get to fabrication, and reinforce that rear end. THEN you can proceed in making it right.

I hope I have helped you see the light. It is your jeep, and you can do with it as you please. But I for one, would like to see you do it SAFELY, for your sake, as well as others. Good luck.

 

Sorry about the small print on some of the pics...save them and view to read them if you have trouble...

 

Or off the road. The rear hatch is fiberglass in these years. With one pillars missing and essentially no support across the rear, if this XJ were to roll over you'd likely be crushed and severely injured, or possibly dead.

What you want to do is junk that hatch and get a steel one, then weld it in properly.

 

Wow.. Haha thanks for that!! The rear hoop was played inside and out and was not just sealed and attached with bondo lol, but I do see your point. As for no bumpers, mine were completely trashed and offered no structural support since at the time of purchase it had already been compromised. I do however plan on building front and rear bumpers when the money is available to me. As for the rear support a full hybrid cage will be built relatively soon, again when the money is available to me. Things in Alaska are definitely not cheap so things take time. But I completely understand what you are saying! Thanks for the feed back