Ok so im thinking of choppin the top off my 93 ZJ. Im tryin to decied between behind the back seats, so its a full top to the back of the rear seats, or should i chop it off right behind the drive and passenger seats? Ill be adding a roll cage, and custom seats when i do it. seats will hook into cage and if possible, i might make the rear doors welded shut, along with the tail gate weld it shut and some tube doors. Welding is not a issue with me, as im in school to become a welder. Also will choppin the top off like either of those ways make the unibody weaker and more prone to bending in the middle?? This is a long term project for me, as im still in the planning stages. When i do this, ill be addin some other essitials also, such as new axles, rebuilt running gear, custom rear bumper, rock sliders, and what ever else my imagination can come up with. My goal is to make this as street legal as possible, yet still have it be a cool off road toy. I live in Washington state and they are pretty flexible with what you can get away with here. Any advice you can give me would be great.  Ill take any advise to the fullest, so if ya think im totally outta my mind for wanting to chop a Grand, then let me know.  

choppig the top will have a huge affect on the unibody, but you can make your cage to compensate  

Yea thats what i was thinking. I was kinda thinking along the lines of chopping it behind the driver/passenger seat, and welding the rear doors and hatch shut, and adding in some LED lights in the stock place. and then make a cage that is not only internal, but would be like a exo cage also. tied into my rock sliders and have it act as my fender flares, with it tied into the front and rear bumper to help compensate for the flex of the unibody

that will put a lot of stress on your uni-body, you should also think about making or buying a set of uni-body frame conectors. here is a add from a mag, this style also protects the rockers.

lets try to post this add again, this should be it

well this is not WORKING so here is there address

www.detoursusa.com

Yea i know it would create a lotta stress. thats why i was thinkin of welding all the doors i dont need shut, to help control flex in that area. also i would find some nice C channel to add between my front lower and rear lower control arms. since i would prolly have a long arm system. Not to mention that i would add some supports under the floors to help control flex. but i also dont want it so stiff it wont flex and all that happens is metel fatigue and then breakage due to too much stress from all the restraint that i have put it under. so its like a fine fine line. Im a welder, so creating all the parts i need to make a nice exoskeleton type cage is no problem. i would probably have the internal cage follow the lines of where the old roof line was at...Its a big project, thats why im researching it now, seeing what would need to be changed and what wouldnt need to be. Another idea that has come to me is to make a custom frame for it and then just skin my ZJ and place that skin (outter most sheet metal) over that frame. that would be one way to eliminate all that unibody flex...and add a killer suspension system...and yes im sure im crazy for even thinking of a project like this...why not just buy a wrangler im sure some of you are saying...well i like to wheel some thing differnt, thats why, i dont like taking the easy road either...  

STREET legal I think not! try to get it inspected or insured...........Not worth it and it kills the good looks of the ZJ.I have seen this done before. If you want the top off buy a cj,yj or tj........you'll be better off.  

well i would do it to the one i have now...but yea, the more i look into it, the more work it would be to do it right. so its like you say, start with a TJ or some thing like that. If i am gonna build a top less wheeler, ill do like a full size Chevy blazer, mid 80's era is what im leaning towards now.  

I have seen them done before maybe on NAGCA web site I donot remember. It would look ok if you could get a custom soft top to put on maybe but the cost would be alittle high.  

Yea ive seen them on there i think. If i happen to roll my ZJ or get in a wreck with it. ill chop the top then, but if its still solid...Nope im gonna leave it as is.  

i think choppin the top would be badass...but definately do it behind the rear seats and weld the rear doors shut and, like was said earlier, do something to stiffen the frame. 

Its good to see something creative out on the trail once in a while. 

Backpack

with a well designed cage i wouldn't think you would need to weld up the doors just make sure the cage is in place before you set to chopping other wise you will tweak the frame because you'll be changeing the strength of the unibody construction.  

Well i have decided that if im to chop the top, ill be doing it on the ZJ i have now and only after i were to say wreck it. If its a roll over or side flop perticularly, as yea it can be a shame to cut up a perfectly good ZJ. So im figuring why not start with a ZJ thats already a lil tweaked and lookin for a second chance on life...