matt_s

Started out with a 1990 2 door Cherokee that was stock and rusty. I first started by patching the floor with some old street sighs (tell I order up new floor pans). Then I lifted it about 4.5" and put my 32s on it.

IMG_0831.jpg?t=1266983655

I then decided to chop the roof off....
IMG_0898.jpg?t=1266983744
Then I Cut the roof Flush to the B Pillar:
IMG_0901.jpg?t=1266983766
Folded and welded the window lips:
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IMG_0907.jpg?t=1266983818
Then I capped the top portion of the roof:
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This is what the jeep is looking like as of right now
HDRChopTop.jpg?t=1266983858

Going to start the bed rails tomorrow, and start to figure out what I want to do for a tail gate. Anyone have any Ideas for that? I'm going to say this now, I am taking some of blackblazer92 ideas from his build.....

This is my first Build thread and first real build so go easy on me....

Matt

matt_s

I'm working on 2 Chop Tops right now. My 2 Door and my Buddy's 4 Door. I'll try to remember my camera next time I go to help him.

Well even though it was raining today I got some work done on the Jeep. I was able to finish capping the roof and get one bed rail done and over half of the other one done. Was a long day of welding and grinding.

Part of the bed rail welded in ground down and primed



Welding in the second piece of sheet metal


All ground up and primed. Few spots could use some filler.



Started the frame work for the passenger side


How do my welds look? Keep in mind it is raining outside and im using flux core wire


Half of the passenger side rail in


Going to finish up the passenger side bed rail tomorrow and then I'm going to start looking for a tail gate so I can put that in.

I had a idea last night. What do you guys think of using a YJ rear swing out gate? other then its kinda narrow could be kinda cool... thoughts on that idea?

Matt

PS, I re sized the first set of pictures but they keep appearing super large for me, how about for others?

matt_s

Well today I spent a good portion of the day looking for a tail gate. No wreckers had a MJ gate or anything for a decent price. So when I got home I finished up the passenger bed rail, didn't turn out as nice as I would have liked but thats ok.

Finished Passenger Bed Rail



Drives Side one last time


After finishing up the bed rails I cut apart the rear section of the truck and put in a tail gate mounting plate on both sides.

Drivers Side Plate



Passenger Side


So the plan is to either find a tail gate and make it work or build one to fit my specs. I also need to extend the rear quarter panels and then figure something out for tail lights. Then its off to the school to get a Roll Bar bent up and welded in.

matt_s

How does this sound.

If i build a rectangle and cover it in sheet metal to fit between the bed rails and tail gate caps. Then weld in a piece of square stock or c channel to just under were the stock rear gate would latch. I could then weld some hinges to both parts and then get 2 latches similar to this and put them in both upper corners. Make sense? Or keep searching for a MJ tail gate?

Latch:


I'm really have problems figuring out how I want to finish the rear portion of the truck any ideas will be considered......

Matt

matt_s

Well I managed to find a MJ tail gate, going to pick that up tomorrow morning then start work on fitting it in.

Went over to my buddies house tonight and took a few pics of his chop top that we are working on. For his he is sealing off the cab and making a removable rear window. So far it has turned out pretty good. Once we finish the body work we plan on painting it Grabber Green and in Bright Yellow writing "Lemon" in the rear quarters.....





So those are the two Chop Tops that we are working on right now. I should have more updates for you guys on mine tomorrow evening.

Matt

matt_s

Well I picked up the tail gate this morning and when I got home I started mounting it up.





As of right now it is just kinda sitting there, I need to cut part of the floor out and so I will be able to lower the gate down so it is flush with the bed rails. Once that is done I will fab up some mounts for the latches and then also figure out the tail gate straps.

matt_s

I have a new problem though, The Jeep wont start..... Cranks over, tries to fire, will fire up if you pour gas down the throttle body, but dies right away. I am unable to hear the fuel pump. I took my test light to the 3 wire plug and the middle wire has constant power, the reddish yellow wire will have power for a split second when the key is first turned on then nothing. Any ideas what would cause the lose of power to that wire?

Matt

matt_s

Well I was working on the no fuel pump problem a bit tonight and I found out that the only power going into the cabin is power to the gauge cluster, My CD player doesn't work any more, nor does my dome light, both of witch worked before and after I chopped the roof. I pulled all the fuses in the box and they were all good but one, I changed that one but nothing changed. I'm going to take my multimeter to the fuse box in the morning to find out if I have any voltage going to it. If it turns out that I don't have power going to the fuse box were should I start looking? This has be stumped....


Well I got some more work done on the Jeep today. I was able to get a inline fuel pump wired up for now tell I can fix my electrical problems. I managed to get the tail gate put in place with the latches and straps. I had to cut away the floor a bit so that the tail gate would open. Still have to put some sheet metal down on the floor were I cut it out.

Here is the floor that I had to cut away


Here is the gate just resting in place



Tail gate installed and open, There is a bit of a height difference when open but thats ok


Tail gate closed. Sits a tad bit higher then the bed rails but that can be fixed latter if I decided I wan't to change it.




Then I decided I wanted to cut the front bumper....



Now I just need to figure out my electrical problem. The gauge cluster works minus the gauge lights. The only other thing in the cabin that works is the Ignition and the heater controls. The dome light, Cd player, and fuel pump don't work. I have power to all the fuses in the fuse box, I checked the fuse able links at the starter relay... I'm not sure what my problem is, everything worked up tell Friday night now none of it works, kinda odd if you ask me...

So this is were I am at as of yesterday....

Matt

FarEastXJ

You know that actually looks pretty cool, nice job soo far

tactical40cal

looks good man! i'm impressed!! makes me wish i had a 2 door. i just don't care for the chopped 4 doors all that much. as far as your electrical issue...i have no freakin clue! sure you didn't cut something you weren't supposed to?

rivercrazy

Looks good man! I'm glad you kept it all jeep.

As for your electrical problem, the only thing I can think of is that you may have fried a wire or 2 with all that sheet welding. Have you checked to see if your tail lights still work? I would started going through all that circuits and try to issolate your problem.

alfreado121

man your jeep looks awesome!! one day i plan on giving my 2 door a hair cut too but its a 95 with 68k mile original still i think its a lil to early for a haircut
i think chop topped cherokees look amazing Jeep should make them production that way!

your welds look good to me but in my experience flux core isnt the strongest id go back over everything with a mig or a stick welder if you can

looks great keep up the build with pictures!!



are you going to seal off the cab at all or leave it open?

01XJwheeler

looks great man. your buddy's chop looks great as well. very well done.

matt_s

Thanks guys, it's been a really fun project tell this electrical problem happened.

rivercrazy:
For the most part it is still all jeep, just dont look at the suspension. Its got 79 F150 coils with 2" spaces and 89 F150 rear shocks Front and rear. For the rear I made a Bastardpack out of some 2000 Dakota leafs... I plugged both tail lights back in tonight and they both work...

alfreado121:
I plan to keep the cap open and either buy or get a soft rear wall/window made up for it.

matt_s

Well tonight a buddy and I were able to get some were I think. We pulled the fuse block out a bit and started wiggling it around trying to get the test light to the wires behind it and I guess from all the movement of it it did something because now the dome light and cd player work (no sound comes from the speakers). I still do not have gauge back lighting or fuel pump thought. Also I noticed that the yellow ish brown wire for the fuel pump when the key is on it has very little power (test light is very dim) not sure if it is supposed to be like that or not....

I also pulled the bracket that holds the Computer in place and when I pulled the computer down I notice to wires a "White / Black" and a "White / Purple" neither were connected but looked like if they were they would go to the larger of the two plugs.

Any other ideas?

Matt