Project Black Betty (Chop top)
#31
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Location: Wisconsin
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Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L soon to be a 350chev
here we go again
just to kick off this week 2 things a man always needs in his shop a Jeep and a Stang these are my buddies the CJ5 is a 500 beater we saved from the scrapper definetly a sleeper wheeler.
now back to my project
started by chopping the wheel wells completly out to i can stretch them back
there may be a little rubber from some burnouts on the inside of the wheel wells... just a little
then time to restructure the rear completly
may have been a bit of overkill on the c channel for the rear but not enough overkill leaves u stranded
these are the stringers i ran 2x1 .180 i think also put some 2x2 inside the stock rail to stiffen it up a bit did it on my first one and truely believe it helps.also got rid of where the filler neck goes through not fully welded in yet
Also had to come up with somekind of body mount
Heres the first rough cut piece of 3/16 diamond plate
second piece and how tight these fit together is almost perfect
now i may have overlooked a minor detail i plan on using a j10 tailgate on this and my sides aren't long enough to cover the diamon plate so i will be stretching the body later this week
guys keep the comments coming and the input this week this thing will start looking like a finished product got hours of little detail things left then onto the motor swap
now back to my project
started by chopping the wheel wells completly out to i can stretch them back
there may be a little rubber from some burnouts on the inside of the wheel wells... just a little
then time to restructure the rear completly
may have been a bit of overkill on the c channel for the rear but not enough overkill leaves u stranded
these are the stringers i ran 2x1 .180 i think also put some 2x2 inside the stock rail to stiffen it up a bit did it on my first one and truely believe it helps.also got rid of where the filler neck goes through not fully welded in yet
Also had to come up with somekind of body mount
Heres the first rough cut piece of 3/16 diamond plate
second piece and how tight these fit together is almost perfect
now i may have overlooked a minor detail i plan on using a j10 tailgate on this and my sides aren't long enough to cover the diamon plate so i will be stretching the body later this week
guys keep the comments coming and the input this week this thing will start looking like a finished product got hours of little detail things left then onto the motor swap
#36
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Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L soon to be a 350chev
well i've been a bit busy lately building the 347 in my mustang and just ended up buying a ranger and started the 5.0 swap so the cherokee is on the back burner for a bit
#39
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Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L soon to be a 350chev
making progress
well i hit it hard this weekend I'm on the home stretch front bumper coming next week this week finishing up the interior and doing the rear bumper base but this weekend this is what i got done.
started by cutting the inner wheel well skin loop
after that started the welding this is where i get a bit picture heavy
i had to relief cut the 3/16ths diamond plate so it was easier to bend
there will be diamond plate covers over the wheel wells to match the rest of the box area. the body is extended 2" total and the wheelbase is extended about 7 inches.
then i started throwing in the interior and mocking up the seat the rear ones sit a bit up and down but sometimes u have to sacrifice to play with the big boys
its got a bit of a racecar stance right now dont feel like pulling the old girl away from the wall until the rear end fab is completely done
now onto one of the more unique items i plan on building it will be three jerrycans linked together to make a 15 gallon fuel cell going to a summit inline pump with a fuel regulator in the engine bay. the goal is to hide as much of the plumbing as possible to make them look like they are just sitting there. heres the rough sketch
started by cutting the inner wheel well skin loop
after that started the welding this is where i get a bit picture heavy
i had to relief cut the 3/16ths diamond plate so it was easier to bend
there will be diamond plate covers over the wheel wells to match the rest of the box area. the body is extended 2" total and the wheelbase is extended about 7 inches.
then i started throwing in the interior and mocking up the seat the rear ones sit a bit up and down but sometimes u have to sacrifice to play with the big boys
its got a bit of a racecar stance right now dont feel like pulling the old girl away from the wall until the rear end fab is completely done
now onto one of the more unique items i plan on building it will be three jerrycans linked together to make a 15 gallon fuel cell going to a summit inline pump with a fuel regulator in the engine bay. the goal is to hide as much of the plumbing as possible to make them look like they are just sitting there. heres the rough sketch
#40
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Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L soon to be a 350chev
finally relocated my vacuum bulb and ripped out the rest of my ac components also threw the 35's back on it
#42
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#43
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Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L soon to be a 350chev
got the rest of the inner fender well done
also started on the c pilar of the cage now before a riot happens it is linked to the subframe but its threw the wheel well down and in didnt wanna run it this was but ran out of room with the rear seat
then i had to take a break helping my buddy with his weld on beadlocks
also started on the c pilar of the cage now before a riot happens it is linked to the subframe but its threw the wheel well down and in didnt wanna run it this was but ran out of room with the rear seat
then i had to take a break helping my buddy with his weld on beadlocks
#45
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Year: 99
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
damn dude, good progress! pretty cool that your on track to having it back on the road soonish.. a years not bad for all that has been done. the diamond plate looks wicked good. psyched to see it coming in together.