Started my Roll cage a few weeks ago finally. I took a long break from Fabrication work to focus on my family and the more important things in life...but now I am able to start welding, bending and building cool stuff again. It will be a slow go but it will get done.

 

A little history on the XJ in the picture.. I purchased this 1991 Cherokee Sport with a blown engine about 8 Years ago. I purchased a long block from my employer at the time and had the transmission gone through from a good customer of mine at the time. I took my time on the engine swap and made sure everything was for the most part perfect. Once I had it running really good and made sure the engine was properly broken in I purchased a 4.5" short arm kit from Rubicon Express and installed.. I put 33" tires on it and started doing some light wheeling. Next I found that fender modifications where much needed so I chopped the fenders front and rear for clearance. Next major build was the custom dash. Took me a few months to get it how I wanted it but I think it came out good. I basically moth balled the Jeep for a few years after the dash but would start it and take it around the block just to keep things moving and lubricated. Currently I now have more time and lots more space to build it the way I want. I made it a off-road only toy now and it will be on a trailer for any road trips. I will post more pics and keep this up to date the best I can... Thank you

 

Ahh... now I see why you are not ready to take it out. You got a lot more work to go! But it is looking good for sure.

 

Yes Sr. Should have time this weekend to start the A-Pillars...

 

Any more pictures of the dash looks great. Quick question. Why space the x tubes like that and not run them in line like I see in alot of trucks? (Fab newbie here) can't wait to see more of this project!

 

Thank you. Yes I will take some. About the X in the Main Hoop... Technically how you "Triangulate" and brace is not important as long as your bracing correctly. I have seen many different ways of doing it and all to me seem to be very strong. Some people will set the Middle Seat belt bar back and run one single tube diagonal from drivers top to passenger lower.. Which then requires minimal notching... I wanted my main hoop set back as far as possible so I had maximum seat room mainly because I am a big dude....

 

Gotcha. Thanks for explaining

 

nice start, how are you doing your tie ins to the frame?

 

I plan on doing the UNI-Body stiffener kit from HD... I plan on welding the tie ins on after the stiffeners are in place as well as incorporate rock sliders into the the whole mess... There will be a hole drilled under each location for dropping the cage down to finish weld the top once its all in the cab. I will weld directly to the bottom mounting plate and box everything off.. If that all makes sense...

 

Here is a pic of the dash while I was still putting it together.

 

More Pictures.... Dash "Complete"

 

The dash looks good. What was wrong with the stock one? What did you gain by going to that dash setup? Not trying to bash your setup, looking to learn something.

 

Honestly there originally there was nothing wrong with the original dash but I kept having intermittent electrical issues so one day I got fed up with trying to test connections and wires from under the dash and started pulling it all apart... ended up being that the top of the dash was glued in place do to what looks to me like they had done a sloppy window replacement and adhered the window, body, and dash all together... Long story short the dash got damaged trying to get it off the window and then I had to figure out what I was gonna do... Honestly I love the dash I have now.

 

Cool, sounds like the snowball effect took over. I'm doing my best to keep my XJ from escalating to a HUGE project. My 79 Camaro, that's another story.

 

Was curious anything come of this? I loved the dash how it came out and was watching you go through that when you started it. Wondering how the cage came out and if you had time to finish it up yet? Likely something I may end up doing to mine cage that is in the future.