ThatJeepGuy Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 5 hours ago, 89 MJ said: Also, for you bed, maybe look into taking two beds and cutting one right behind the wheel opening and the other in front of the wheel opening. Then you won’t need to worry about making sure the wheel opening lines up. That is unless you just stretch the stock one in the middle. Here is a a pic of what I’m thinking the best way to do your door would be. Not an MJ, but still relevant. Check out the rear door, except you would section the front of the XJ window opening in the front of the MJ door. The bed plans for this truck (dealing with a short bed) is to as mentioned - build it to a factory long bed length. This way i can still use an MJ long bed topper on it if i ever want to vs dealing with some oddball bed length. My cutting plan is the cut in the middle of the wheel well opening, a couple inches in front of the fender flare and also a couple inches behind the fender flare. So my bed will then be sectioned into a front - a front of wheel well - a back of wheel well - then a rear. Keeping a few inches of tire clearance on either side i may only need to make filler for the middle of the bed above the wheel well(s) I can disect a photo to explain later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 I have a Comanche long bed plastic liner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 I have a long box as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Today was gonna be my day to chop the shell up and start inching it closer to the MJ rear section but it was a wicked hot day out with the MI humidity so instead i flipped on the AC in the garage and got back into that tcase.The tcase took a little puzzle work but i got it all buttoned up this morning. The input(s) ride on a ball bearing thats pretty easy to install. Tap bearing into case - slide input shaft through bearing - install yoke - finished!The E-tape on the pictured input shaft is to keep the thrust washer tight to the gear because when the shaft falls over and the gear slides over on the shaft, ALL the needle bearings fall out. This only happened once thankfully. More loose needle bearings that sit inside the output. I was worried about how well they would line up when installing the output side but these were cake. For those that don't know these are considered pilot bearings and the very bottom of the shaft thats pictured above is the pilot that rides on those bearings. Just about finished up after snugging this one down and as i reached across my bench to grab a cotter pin the nut let go and exploded. I couldn't find the 3rd piece but these 2 didn't go too far. What a bummer! You can see the old dirty side vs the shiny side... this tells me this nut has been split for a little while now. It had me concerned the others might also pop but once i noticed the color difference i realized what was really going on here. I've read that Deez Nuts are hard to come by but supposedly they are the same as a Dana 35 pinion nut. Lucky me the axle still bolted in under the rear of the truck is a Dana 35 and the nuts still there. I'll be confirming this soon. Installed the shift rail seals and rubbed all my greasy hand prints off the unit. Looking pretty good if you ask me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Damn you starting to be legitimate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Time for some body progress! Mapped out my cuts with plenty of material to spare. I will peck away at the not needed material once i get the lines figured out between the 2 halves. Dropped it like its hot and let the bodies hit the floor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 I have to trim a bit obviously but dang it barely fits in my garage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 I may need to swing out and get a closer look at this thing 🤔 monster garage, where's the fridge going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted June 28, 2020 Author Share Posted June 28, 2020 Getting closer, meticulously removing metal and inching the 2 halves closer together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted June 30, 2020 Author Share Posted June 30, 2020 Didn't care for the look of that roof so i chopped some more off the top. The roof height difference is no joke! I did save the old chunk of roof and i'm gonna try to make it fit without trimming the inner structure but if i have no luck - its getting cut some more for sure. Floor is a darn mess! For the time being just to get things rolling i cut out the top of the frame rail 6" in either direction. The MJ frame got cut just 1"~ in front of the front crossmember nut/stud. The XJ frame got cut at a seam line just about middle of the B-pillar. Slowly working the 2 hafs together cut by cut its getting closer! Soo to my surprise these 2 halfs are actually coming together fairly simple. I won't elaborate too many specifics as some of these things need to be left a surprise for those who chose to attempt their own crewcab build. Stay tuned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 it just dawned on me that a roof rack will both look cool and hide any inconsistencies in the roofline. just a random thought. 'tis lookin' good so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted June 30, 2020 Author Share Posted June 30, 2020 The roof rack is something thats been on my mind and I've tempted planning that into the final result of the build BUT in the sense of trying to make this look clean (as I can) and challenging myself vs a quick patch job. I'm going for a presentable roof without one mounted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 totally understandable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted July 2, 2020 Author Share Posted July 2, 2020 Here we go,After 4 hrs tonight we have a near close enough fit for some welds finally I'll interrupt your viewing for this disclaimer - I was faced with a dilemma, Either decision would contradict the other... It was either to keep the high body line (just below the door handle) true and have a slightly off rocker-frame rail OR it was keeping the rocker-frame straight and having to move metal to get the body line back to make it look right. I chose to keep the body line and modify the rocker-frame as those will need attention regardless.So you may also be wanting to point out that the rear door is overlapping some - i got this no worries... Should have some more progress pics tomorrow, aiming for having it sitting on its own weight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Cheromanche! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 with the extra axle is it then a Cheromanchemanche? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 32 minutes ago, Pete M said: with the extra axle is it then a Cheromanchemanche? I'm still not sure how the rear axles will work or connect for that manner. 😕 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 19 hours ago, Pete M said: with the extra axle is it then a Cheromanchemanche? I think technically atm you would be calling it a cheromanchexploder because that 8.8 out back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 Time to tackle this door sill. So with favoring the body line over the rocker alignment meant this had to be moved only about 1/4". This wasn't too difficult as i split it from in the inside of the rocker, placed where it was desired for alignment, marked the line for where it will now rest, cut and welded back in place. Now it was time for some rocker slider action! dual purpose this will also strengthen up the body and tie into the frame. I didn't however call my measurement correctly and shorted myself about 8" of material. My plan was to run this slider all the way out the back of the cab, which will still happen i will just need to add a chunk later on :/ The slider does taper into the body the further it goes towards the rear - thats the nature of how i've been doing my sliders because i like them butted up to the inside of the rocker where it meets the floor and gets seam welded there. The rear door isn't shut all the way because i still have the braces in place so it looks worse than it is. I didn't get it pictured but this thing is sitting on its own weight now, no jack stands, just flat tires hahaha. The joining of the 2 unibody frames, door sill adjustment(driver side), welding the inside of the "new" C-pillars together and driver rock slider getting welded in took all day. SOO MUCH WELDING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJeepGuy Posted July 9, 2020 Author Share Posted July 9, 2020 Though the last week had been Brutal with the heat and i didn't get much done I did manage to get the passenger side rock slider welded in tonight. Tires aren't the best and neither is my compressor - mainly just used to pump up tires occasionally so i snuck the jack in there while i weld the underside seam. With the last scrap haul from the leftover bits of front half MJ and etc i scored some more budget $ and stopped by the steel yard for some steel plate to cut my frame stiffener's. I figure that's next on my list of to-do's. I'll be honest here - I'm kinda dreading the roof line :O Soo maybe after i'm sick and tired of laying on my creeper to wire wheel/grind and weld in those frame stiffeners I suppose i'll stretch my legs a bit and get the roof over with and maybe pickup this garage some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 May need body filler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 Got this going yet or you still playing with bondo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 40 minutes ago, MiNi Beast said: Got this going yet or you still playing with bondo… Actually on the facebook page of All things MJ, he is selling this project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 annnnnnnnnd that's why I haven't moved it to Epic just yet. many have started, few have finished. It's a gigantic undertaking and life can easily get in the way. but maybe he can find a buyer that can give the truck some fresh enthusiasm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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