1974CJ5 Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 I know this has been brought up before, and I have looked over those threads, both successes and failures, but I want to do it a little different. I want to take a cherokee (2000 model) and basically cut it off right around the center of the rear axle. (I do not wish to change the wheel base of the xj) And take a lwb comanche and cut it over the center of the rear axle and use from that portion back. From my preliminary evaluation it looks like the "frame rails" (I know its unibody and the rails will have to be fabbed) will line up reasonably well. If I play my cards right I shouldn't have to disturb the current spring hangers. I imagine I will be using the back section of the mj's cab to seal off the xj's cab. I plan to either shorten the bed and have it separate or weld it directly to the rear of the xj for a more solid look. Thoughts? From what I can tell I will not have to change the position of the current fuel tank in the xj. I shouldn't have to greatly modify the e brake. Other than the rather substantial sheet metal fabrication job ahead, and moving the sound bar over the rear seats, and extending the tail light wiring,figuring out how to make the flares, and modifying the trailer hitch to work on the mj's rear end... Am I overlooking anything obvious? (I will have to get creative in retaining the 3rd brake light also.) From my preliminary calculations looks like it should extend the rear of the xj about 22 inches approximately. So I should end up with around a 4ft truck bed. (Also I would be using a totaled mj so I would not be massacring a perfectly good mj for the project. :) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92tanMJ Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 So you basically want this? IMO I think you would be better off to get to this point And then just extend the 'bed' two feet and throw an MJ tailgate on there and leave all of the xj stuff alone. Which is what I think youre trying to say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1974CJ5 Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 Holy crap! Looks pretty darn close... do you have a thread!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92tanMJ Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Which one? First one, nope. I looked but couldnt find it. Second one, Ive got pictures but no thread. This might help ya some? Maybe. http://www.pic2fly.com/XJ+Chop+Top.html For the second one view post 4,,I had his image hosting site but I can't find it now lol http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=71063 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1974CJ5 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 The second image didnt load for me before. I think I'm aiming between the two... i would like to incorporate the bed from the mj, but not change the wheel base... the wheel base in the red one is definately been altered... but the red ones look is closer to what I'm after... thanks alot for the links they arre a great visual reference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1974CJ5 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Dang my phone got carried away... sorry mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92tanMJ Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I don't know man, I feel like if you don't mod the wheel base and want to add all of that extra distance I think it will just start to look silly.. Do the second photo and then use the last 2 or 3 feet of the MJ then you will have all of the taillights and tailgate and the 4' or so long bed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reece146 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 The red one is a short box shortened in front of the rear wheel. Look at a Hilux or a Frontier to see what the proportion is like. The box ends up being something like 4-5'. To do it any other way will make the truck ugly/long. I have more images of the red one but they are at the awkward angle also. The only way to do it and have it look good (IMO) is to combine the rear of the MJ door with the front of the rear XJ door and then use the back of the MJ cab. I have yet to see one done this way - probably because it is a lot of work. Otherwise the C-pillar looks hill-billy homemade and the MJ vent doesn't flow into the design. Depends on what you are trying to build I guess. Lot of work for a marginally useful, small bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1974CJ5 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Starting to look more and more like this can't be done with leaving as much of the xj stuff un modified as I would like. Not pulling the plug yet, but my hand is firmly on the cord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92tanMJ Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 IMO I would pull it... its a lot of work youre not getting much out of other than that would "be cool". But I would love to see one done up right lol like the red one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92tanMJ Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I saw this on facebok today. two door xj with an MJ bed tagged on the end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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