Project: ROCK SOLID REVIVAL

[action fab]

Yes I own Action Motorsports & Fabrication. No the plates will not be for sale. I offered my XJ plates once. But since they are so extesive it cost to much to produce and way to much for average joe to buy.

[cowboy63b]

damnit, i wanted the plating

[action fab]

damnit, i wanted the plating

yah well it would cost you about $1500. so I don't think you really want it that bad. LOL
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Started today by finishing the driver side outer plating.

Then spent an hour and a half trying to cut out my old frame plating from my rear leaf conversion. I ended up having to cut the frame rail off.

here is the mess I have to fix.

after that fiasco... I cleaned the bay up.
before

45 minuts later

[action fab]

started plating the inner frame rail

then came the fun task of cutting out the rockers for the boat sides

then added my 2x4x3/16" rocker

then plated more frame and caped the bottom.

no more oddly shaped frame rail to piss me off.

And then I spent the rest of the night finishing the bottom side of the front frame horn.



all of that took about 15 hours... atleast tomorrow is another day.

[action fab]

I just counted and there are 44 differant plates... so far!!!!

I will end up with well over 60 when its all done.

[chadjans]

Have you thought about the welding and how you are going to phase it to keep from turning it into a taco?

Chad

[IndyZJ]

Not to be a dick, but:

At this rate, would it not have been 10 times easier and about twice as fast to build a tube frame in/ around/ under the ZJ body, using the sheetmetal just as a shell? Kind of like the 5.9 buggy build in the Cherokee section on pirate, but with more body...

Instead of plating ever square inch of the rails, it just seems like it would be easier to cut out the factory stuff and make new rails out of 2x4 or 3x4, then tie the body into it with a cage.

The armchair QB thing is easy, but I wonder about this every time I see somebody spend this much effort plating the existing structure before they even get to the cage work. That said, it's looking good so far and I'm sure you have a reason for doing it this way.

[Jeeptech01]

I would think it is to keep it simple and have one less potential issue to worry about. I couldnt even fathom the logistics of attaching a jeep uni to a new frame.

I had a question about the frame plating since Im almost done doing my XJ front to rear. Do you plan to or is there any benefit to tieing the plates into the floorboard/ firewall? I was wondering about that when I was finishing mine. Or will tieing the boatsides into the rockers and rails be the better stronger way to accomplish this? Even after plating my XJ the doors still move about 1/8" when the doors are opened while it is on the lift.

Sorry for all the questions I have an inquiring mind.

[IndyZJ]

I would think it is to keep it simple and have one less potential issue to worry about. I couldnt even fathom the logistics of attaching a jeep uni to a new frame.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=743130

Like that, only with more body.

To support the extra sheetmetal, incorporate the cage pillars into the body pillars and run those down to the 2x4 rockers which are on outriggers off the main rails. With a well-designed cage tying into the pillars and going to the rockers, you would have plenty of structure to support the body. Hope that makes sense.

Kinda like what this guy did for the pillars. Look at post 17
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=838457

[Jeeptech01]

I had lost that link after saving it. Thanks for posting it. I love how they run the main hoop through the inside of the b pillar like that.

[IndyZJ]

I think it was posted in one of the cage threads on here. I think a combination of that and Ryan's (rstrucks) cage would be ideal in a ZJ.

[indy242003]

I saw this in person on Friday and Chris does some pretty intense work. He has about a dozen things going on at the same time. What you see here is only a 1/4 of what's going on in that shop. It will make your head spin, but somehow he holds it all together.

[action fab]

Have you thought about the welding and how you are going to phase it to keep from turning it into a taco?

Chad

It wont warp. I've done a few front to back plating jobs and they all came out straight.

Not to be a dick, but:

At this rate, would it not have been 10 times easier and about twice as fast to build a tube frame in/ around/ under the ZJ body, using the sheetmetal just as a shell? Kind of like the 5.9 buggy build in the Cherokee section on pirate, but with more body...

Instead of plating ever square inch of the rails, it just seems like it would be easier to cut out the factory stuff and make new rails out of 2x4 or 3x4, then tie the body into it with a cage.

The armchair QB thing is easy, but I wonder about this every time I see somebody spend this much effort plating the existing structure before they even get to the cage work. That said, it's looking good so far and I'm sure you have a reason for doing it this way.

Are you kidding that would take 3-4 times longer. you would have to strip it further than I have now (more time). Then brace the body (more time). Then cut out the existing frame and grind it all smooth (more time). Build the new rails (Lots more time). Then attach it to the body, and brace it to what little structure is left (Way more time). and so on... If you think a jeep can be cut off it "frame" and a new frame built and put under it in less than say 30-40 hours. Well... come on over and show me how you do it.

I would think it is to keep it simple and have one less potential issue to worry about. I couldnt even fathom the logistics of attaching a jeep uni to a new frame.

I had a question about the frame plating since Im almost done doing my XJ front to rear. Do you plan to or is there any benefit to tieing the plates into the floorboard/ firewall? I was wondering about that when I was finishing mine. Or will tieing the boatsides into the rockers and rails be the better stronger way to accomplish this? Even after plating my XJ the doors still move about 1/8" when the doors are opened while it is on the lift.

Sorry for all the questions I have an inquiring mind.

Floor boards. Not really nessesary if you plated it well to begen with.

Boat sides yes. It will help add regidity. I alway replace the rockers with square tube and tie them into the frame rails.


I got less then I wanted done today, but I would have met my goal of getting all the frame plating done if I hadn't started the rockers... so its a wash. I still have 4 plates in the front drivers side to do then it will be ready for welding.
rear rame plated


driver side plated


rockers in

frame plating will be done tomorrow.

[action fab]

I saw this in person on Friday and Chris does some pretty intense work. He has about a dozen things going on at the same time. What you see here is only a 1/4 of what's going on in that shop. It will make your head spin, but somehow he holds it all together.

It was good putting a face to a name for once. I am sorry I wasn't able to shoot the shit with you, hope you didn't think I was being rude. I normaly would have talked your ear off and shown you every little detail in each build but as you saw, things were really hectic. Once you get that 60 under your rig, let me know and we'll go try and brake it.

[IndyZJ]

Sorry, I probably should have stated that differently and provided a better example. The 5.9 buggy was a bit different than I was thinking. I was trying to get at doing the rails similar to what Cam (ATL ZJ) did on his unibugly

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/sho...=rails&page=28

and tying that into your 2x4 rockers. Then tie/ sink the cage pillars into the body pillars (A & B, anyway) and go straight to the rockers.

It seems like it would be faster to slice open the stock rails and miter cut some rectangular tubing for kickups front and rear and weld it together and to the body than it would be to cut, fit, and weld together 60 individual pieces of plate.

How much time would you say you'll have into the plating after welding? What are you planning for a cage?

I'm not saying you're doing it wrong - the plating looks really good. I'm just wondering if there's a faster/ easier way to beef up the unibody.

[Jeeptech01]

Floor boards. Not really nessesary if you plated it well to begen with.

Boat sides yes. It will help add regidity. I alway replace the rockers with square tube and tie them into the frame rails.

I happened across the XJ build you did for your friend on Pirate yesterday and answered alot of questions I had. I guess now I know exactly how you would do an XJ. Amazing build! I really admire your fab skills and the knuckle plating is sick!

[robthebuilderer]

Dig this build...very clean with attention to detail. Subscribed and will return the favor when I start this process on my WJ.

[indy242003]

It was good putting a face to a name for once. I am sorry I wasn't able to shoot the shit with you, hope you didn't think I was being rude. I normaly would have talked your ear off and shown you every little detail in each build but as you saw, things were really hectic. Once you get that 60 under your rig, let me know and we'll go try and brake it.

No problem, I have been there too many times. I try to ride there at least 3 times a year (still a 4 hour ride there). I will let you know when I'm coming to town and we can hit a few trails.

[action fab]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=743130

Like that, only with more body.

To support the extra sheetmetal, incorporate the cage pillars into the body pillars and run those down to the 2x4 rockers which are on outriggers off the main rails. With a well-designed cage tying into the pillars and going to the rockers, you would have plenty of structure to support the body. Hope that makes sense.

Kinda like what this guy did for the pillars. Look at post 17
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=838457

the point of plating isnt to support the structure as much as it is to give you a place to mount things like link mounts and such. If you just sliced the rails ant put tube into them, they would still be wraped in sheep metal.

[rstrucks]

What are the dimensions of the shop you are working in?

[action fab]

My shop is 50x80. But I am building this in my paint booth which is only 20x40.
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All of the frame plating is now done... just have to burn it all in.

Then I started "modifying" the BeCool radiator. With the inner frame plating, it no longer fits. so the tanks must be nerrowed. It too still needs welded.

[FortCollinsZJ]

Is that a qualifier series rad?

[action fab]

No its a direct-fit cross flow.

[action fab]

Anyways... I ran out of wire so I only got to weld for about 45 minuts. So I started on the rear quarter panels. Where the jeep is now will be full bump. I knew that I wasn't stuffing a "True" 40 in that space without some mods. So out came the cutoff wheel, body saw, hammer and Whalah. plenty of clearance and nice smooth "NON-FLAPPY" fenders.

I started my stripping everything which took a little while since the jeep was full of parts and crap.


cut me a big'ol hole


that factory seam seal crap puts off a TON of nasty smelling smoke. BTW :barf:


made a bunch of little slits


then I hit it with a hammer till it looked like this


and now the tire clears


here is the stance a full bump.

I will of corse build new inner fenders when I am all done.

Tomorrow I will finish the welding. And if I have time finish the boat sides.
Thursday I will assemble the engine/trans/transfer and get them stabed into the jeep so that Fri, Sat. and Sun. I can mock up the axles and get all my link mounts built. SO... hopfully by Monday it will be a roller. IF I can do that I will be on scedual.

[Jeeptech01]

Very nice work. Hurry so you can start on the XJ again LOL