Need some help here

[funfool]

I need to cut the top on this one. A tree fell on it, I jacked it up some but did not spend any real time on it.
I took the hatch and cut it down already. The hatch though is really just junk as it is twisted and wont shut straight. But I have not cut it to the finished hight.

I am trying to install standard Brass exterior House door hinges on it.
As a result, I have raised it, lowered it, I have trimmed some of the plastic from the bumper. As it is now, it opens.
But it rubs badly on the bumper, is not matching the body lines and just not acceptable.
Reading ALL of Turdles vitamin D post, he just hung his on the strikers and left it as is.
Another poster with a generation 1 took a ranger tailgate and made it work, never said what he did for hinges.
Another 2 more posters just hung them and tack welded them shut.
This really may be the direction I take, but still wondering how the guy took the ranger tailgate and made it work with the tight tolerances between the bumper and the tailgate, and if I can do it with a generation 2.
Any ideas on this I would love to hear.

Next I need to cut the top. I drew up a proposed plan and please excuse the bad drawing, but it gets the idea across.
I want to save the back seats, I know it would be easier to just follow the existing window line. I want to save the seat belt shoulder harness, and why I choose to cut it where I drew the line.
I plan to order some 32 ounce marine grade vinyl to make a top.
A standard 36 ounce convertible top material would be nice. The 32 ounce is less then $10 per yard and 36 is $40 per yard ... I need 2 yards minimum, but maybe 3.
On my CJ5 years ago, I had a 36 ounce soft top, and the bikini top was 32 ounce ... to give a idea.

But one big help I need on this project, and I have been searching. What to do with the unfinished edges, once I cut them?
I think I need about 20 feet of something to cover everything.
I would really be interested in knowing what was done with vitamin D, it looked clean.

Any ideas on how to make this project go smooth would be greatly appreciated.

I was hoping to just make a middle piece with no back window, sew a side curtain on each side. Very simple and cheap, cost is a big issue for me right now.
Will this small cover to keep most the rain out and cold wind in the winter, turn into a parachute and snap and pop? Fall off?

This is the current hight and what is needed to open the tailgate 95% of the way, before it rubs/sits on the bumper.

This is what I started with.

 

[Flash]

But one big help I need on this project, and I have been searching. What to do with the unfinished edges, once I cut them?
I think I need about 20 feet of something to cover everything.
I would really be interested in knowing what was done with vitamin D, it looked clean.

Pinchweld, like this : http://www.rubberonline.com.au/pinchweld-c25/plain-pinchweld-c42/

 

[BKennedy]

The best way to get rid of the sharp edges is to leave enough metal to roll it over like the edge of the fenders and all the other body panels.

 

[Flash]

The best way to get rid of the sharp edges is to leave enough metal to roll it over like the edge of the fenders and all the other body panels.

That's the obvious way, is there a tool that can be used to do this tidily?
I know how you'd do it it the parts were on a bench.

 

[BKennedy]

That's the obvious way, is there a tool that can be used to do this tidily?
I know how you'd do it it the parts were on a bench.

I used wide bladed welding vice grips and regular vice grips. Sanded it smooth and paint.

 

[funfool]

Thanks Flash, I think pinchweld would work good in most areas
.
I am thinking that it may be pinchweld rubber on Vitamin-D in most places, while they came up with something different for the tailgate.

What I dont understand is the sizing on it, from the link you sent. I may just look around and see if can find some local. That way I can see it.

http://www.rubberonline.com.au/pinch...pinchweld-c42/

 

[Flash]

I used wide bladed welding vice grips and regular vice grips. Sanded it smooth and paint.

You'd have to have a deft hand for that to turn out looking factory done.

 

[BKennedy]

I don't think cutting the roof off would ever be a "factory" look, but the fenders I did came out okay. Trimmed front and back to clear the tires.

 

[Flash]

I don't think cutting the roof off would ever be a "factory" look, but the fenders I did came out okay.

Alright, professional looking then. Better?

 

[funfool]

I don't think cutting the roof off would ever be a "factory" look, but the fenders I did came out okay.

Bkennedy I agree, they look great.
I could only dream, that my work will come 1/2 as good as yours

Hopefully I can talk the wife into letting me continue on the project this weekend.
I have convinced her the cost of repairing it just good enough to cut plexiglass to fit the window, buy another hatch, will look like a car in a accident.

Will be easier and cheaper to just cut it and cover it with vinyl.
Last year her daily driver was a convertible with no top, she drove it all winter.
So just the mention of cutting the top off the new daily driver and she is like, NUUUUU! :fire:

I can use the weather stripping from the hatch, move it to the top and sides.
I think will need to add a roll bar at the edge of the cut roof, since all the integrity is gone.
I can see the finished product, and have already completed it in my mind.
Time to do it.

The bed rails, cut the interior panel short, the longer exterior panel roll the edge, and then fold it over flat?
Not really seeing the finished product here, but if I can leave myself something flat ... I can work with that.
And such a small area, including the tailgate, left, right bed rails, I only need 10' of something to cover it.

w00t! I just got the sarcastic, "FINE, just do what you want!" :scratch:
Think I am golden

Pics later today to see how far I got.

 

[funfool]

I took a few pictures along the way. It still has a long way to go.
My main goal right now is to just close it up out of the weather.

As a old carpenter, I have a habit of cutting everything long, then come back and trim it.

Still had further to go, with jacking up the roof. I just used whatever blocks I had around, and a bottle jack.
This is as high as it wants to go. Its not bad, I need to run a strap from the tie downs in the truck, and hold the middle in place, while I jack up the edge a couple more inches.

It would have been easier to follow the old window line to cut the roof.
I wanted to save the seat belts for rear passengers. I plan to just fill in with sheet metal 11", and keep the same angled body line.
I plan to put a roll bar at that location as far back as it will go, but still under the roof. So the inside second layer of metal in the corners needs to be cut back 2.5" for future roll bar, remove the old roof rack, and will be able to use the rubber molding from the hatch to cover the edges.
Still not decided yet on bed rails and tailgate, but can keep it from cutting a person for now.

Got a ways to go yet, but got a good start.
Ordering the material and snaps today for the top, will work on adding the side panels to fill the window ... I will putter around with it.
I think it is going to be a great $600 grocery getter, camping on the weekends.
Add a roof rack for the camping gear, a foam pad inside to sleep on, I am liking this little truck

 

[funfool]

Ok I finally got my metal today, was going to start working on the project in a little bit.
I looked at my thread and see a picture of a girl?
I did not post that picture, I have never seen it before.
How did it get included in my thread?

Edit:
I was a little confused at first, then talking with Turdle Thanks for the help.
I found the issue was only on this pc and not other pc, so I have a little mis direction going on. You gots to love flash
But this is a sreen shot to show what I was seeing.
Why I was scratching my head :scratch:

 

[funfool]

Ok had a little more progress.
I went to the big box stores to purchase metal, it was ridiculous in price.
One 10" x 24" 20 gage, was almost $20 and I need 2. Just not in the budget for this project.
I searched around, even stopped at a couple recycle yards to see if I could find what I needed, at a reasonable price.
I ended up going to a place here in town called metal mart. They cut me a strip 12" x 10' 20 gage, for $12. And I got to pick the colour. YAY metal mart!
The rub was, I had to buy ten feet as they cut it off ten foot sheets, so 6' extra.

And here is my hi tech barke for bending metal.

Here is a piece almost finished, remember I measure long and cut twice.
The end has not been bent on the brake yet, it is just sitting in there for a test fit. I then marked it for length and folded over the 4th edge.

Still need to smooth the edges a bit, it also still has the protective clear film on it, to protect the paint.

So I do not have a mig welder at this time. I do have oxy/acetylene ... I dont think so
So I am going to use some self tapping screws to go through the ears I made, into the body, to hold it in place until I get a welder.
Thought I would show what I used to cut the roof, just a skill saw with a metal blade. As a carpenter, have installed several metal roofs, and have the blade around any ways. Cuts real straight on the long parts, finished it off with the sawzall, where the big saw would not reach.

So hopefully will get more progress today.

 

[funfool]

Seems life just has a way of guiding us in the direction it thinks we need to go, not always the direction we want to go.

But I have slowly got some more done on it.
This first photo is of 2 mistakes I made.
1, Is I think I cut to close to the rib on the roof. It does work for me, I would feel more comfortable with 3/4" more, for the rubber molding to bottom out all the way while installing it. If I had more room I might have done something different ... I just wish I left more room there when I cut it.

2, I cut the wiring harness!
I took the time to remove it from the tailgate, I had all the fore thought needed to move the wiring harness from the roof location, to the side panel where the jack is located. It was just lying loose 12" away from where I cut it!
Anyways, I got in a hurry for a few different reasons and cut it.

Here is what the side panels look like finished .... kinda.
I need to buy a mig welder soon, I am hoping can weld this up.
The body has a natural roll going into the pinch weld for the window.
I have a flat panel trying to match up and still screw into place temporarily.
I am a carpenter and never had a desire to work with metal, and now I do, for a few reasons/projects coming up.
Again, if I would have cut further away from the rib, I would have finished the roof at a angle, to match the panel. It is what it is.

So no pics, but I soldered the wiring harness back together and taped it up.
Most of it I ran inside the unibody and came out here. I taped each wire individually and then wrapped the whole thing up with tape before was finished.
I left a few wires up in the roof with easy access to them, thinking a future roof rack and lights on it.

I made a couple end caps for the body, again a carpenter and thinking.

A little putty, little paint, make this old carpenter what he aint!

but a little trimming and they fit fine.

Next, I used the rubber pinch molding that was part of the rear hatch, to cover the rough edges, and the little covers above, just to cover the rough edges.

The next step is to use some of the plastic trim from the hatch, to cover the edge of the headliner and rubber edge.

I have some of the flat metal left over, I think I might be able to do something with it to cover the bed rails.
Thinking paint with bed liner or other options, but just something flat, may ad something more sexy like diamond plate later.

There is plenty more work, but making a dent in it.

 

[Koldham]

damn. you almost got a FSB there.

 

[funfool]

It is a project for sure.
I found this photo, I think I can make a top kinda sorta like this one.
I dont have the skill to add all the windows, but can duplicate the shape easy enough.
Am going to work on the frame next. I picked up some 3/4" metal electrical conduit. And some couplings.