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redline61
02-02-2008, 07:44 PM
I decided I would finally start a build thread for the 5.9.



Well I have done some searching on several different threads and found nothing on the subject, so I decided to make my own thread. I bought my new wheeling project Monday and am in the process of hacking the back off. I found a 98 5.9L limited Grand Cherokee that had been rolled. The previous owner decided that he wanted to chop the top and make it a truck, so when he ran out of time and decided to sell it, it was well on its way to being a truck.
So I will start out with a few pics of the Grand when I got it. Also if anyone knows of any threads on the subject please post them, I am very curious. Also I need to give credit were credit is due. None of this would happen if it weren't for my friend Jon, who is doing all the welding and let me work on it at his place (since I have no welder, nor am I nearly as good of a welder).


A few links that I found. If anyone has any other than let me know so I can post them up.
http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top.html Best writeup I found.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3395&page=5

redline61
02-02-2008, 07:45 PM
Well I am going to start with how I got it so you will have to figure out how to hack your crap up yourself. My only suggestion is make sure your lines are strait! :flipoff2:

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0075.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0076.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00047.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0077.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0078.jpg
Well we started by welding the missing chunk back in that the previous owner bought from the junk yard.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00044.jpg
We decided that we would just go with the factory window body line and cut the D pillars off and bend the window seal over so we would have a flat surface to work on when it came time to build the back of the cab.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0088.jpg
Next it was time to make the tail gate and seal up the D-pillar gap.
Cut the hatch at the same window line.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0082.jpg

redline61
02-02-2008, 07:47 PM
Then it was time to make the caps.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0089.jpg
Well, we got a little more done today. Finished welding the patch panels and got the tailgate all lined up. We welded a brace in behind the tailgate that it will bolt to and it will still latch at the bottom. It would've been welded in but it needs to come off so you can get to the tail lights.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0092.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0095.jpg
Now it's time to do some grinding.
Made a little more progress. Next I need to find someone that sells convertible top material, or just close it in.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00189.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00187.jpg

redline61
02-02-2008, 07:50 PM
Made some more progress, decided that it had to be sealed off. I drive way too much on the street and any wheeling I do is more than three hours away so it has to be bearable. Bought some 16gauge sheet metal and made the plates. I am going to weld the bottom plate all the way to the tailgate and bolt the tailgate to the rest of the Jeep with a seal. Added a few braces out of angle iron and welded them to the top cover. The seats wit quite nicely without the headrests and even latch. I also decided not to go with a bed because I wanted to be able to sleep in the back of the jeep for winter wheeling trips. Grand Slam North West is coming up soon:D I plan on grinding the welds and painting the new pieces with some cheapo Omni single stage paint that I have laying around. Hope to be able to do that by the end of the week and get some more pics up.
Here is a pic of the inside of the Jeep. Looks really good. It is nice and quiet inside the Jeep again too. Driving down the road feels just like driving a four door truck.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00280.jpg
Did a little painting today. Used some omni black and it shows just how far off Slate is to black. The paint isn't even close. But this is a wheeling vehicle so I could care less. I will post up some pics tomorrow of it all unmasked in the daylight.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0074-1.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/IMAG0075-1.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00314.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00316.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00321.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00320.jpg

redline61
02-02-2008, 07:51 PM
Not much happening due to the snow. It is on 35" claws now:thup2:

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00748.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC00745.jpg
possible future plans
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/chop2.jpg
excuse the crappy paint skills:flipoff:

redline61
05-27-2008, 01:06 AM
Well, few new things going on with the Grand. Swapped in a Waggy front Dana 44 and a Toyota rear axle.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC01354.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC01351.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x36/proline61/DSC01352.jpg

Derek33
05-27-2008, 11:30 AM
looks like you did a great job bringing that jeep back from the dead.

how do you like the back chop? do you notice any additional road noise with it?

I think i may do this when my jeep is payed off.

redline61
05-28-2008, 02:37 AM
The Jeep is actually a lot quieter than my friends Grand inside.

NIK5.9
05-29-2008, 02:10 AM
Curious why you chose a toyota rear end instead of a matching waggy D44. Do they even make the matching gear ratios for those two axles?

Looks badass by the way :)

redline61
06-02-2008, 11:09 PM
The Toy rear end is a rather stout axle. 30 spline shafts, tough gears in 4.10s any ways. Plus the main reason is I just picked up a factory E-locker for $225 from a wrecking yard. The cheapest selectable locker you can buy.

dangerousdave
06-02-2008, 11:28 PM
The Toy rear end is a rather stout axle. 30 spline shafts, tough gears in 4.10s any ways. Plus the main reason is I just picked up a factory E-locker for $225 from a wrecking yard. The cheapest selectable locker you can buy.

what kind of locker is it? is the quality there for it to be the cheapest way to go?

NIK5.9
06-03-2008, 12:24 AM
I think the locker is one of the electric lockers that Toyota offered from the factory. I would guess it is strong since the Toyota 8" is about the same strength as a D44.

redline61
06-03-2008, 01:28 AM
Yeah the locker is a factory e locker and comparing it to a D44 is a pretty far comparison. If I had the money I would have liked to have bought the whole axle from a wrecking yard and had a wider axle. The main down side is that I will have to run wheel spacers to match the front. On the plus side though I have an axle that has a steel housing, third member with a selectable locker, and it is fairly strong and I have about $400 in to it. Take in mind I got a really good deal on the E-locker though.