subaruguru Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 hey guys was hangin down at jerrys and was really getting into the hatchbrats and i decided that wile i was doing all this work to tiny that he would look good as a hatch and i cant say how good he looks chopped the top three inches behind the 'b' pillar and off at the bottom of the other two and off it came moved my hatch farward to the front seats. Its taking shape im gonna be welding the rear doors shut today and start the welding of the rear hatch dont want to warp the roof. so i think im gonna lay a couple of 3 or 4 inch beads spaced across it then body culk it and sand it to make it look good. also got my brat seats in the back.(and yes the rear wiper,tailight and defroster still work. and with the curv of the hatch it makes aprfect spot behind the drivrs seat for anything that might not be able to go in the bed. here he is now thats a befor if u didnt know what he looked like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 also im using a spare hatch i have to make a tail gate the glas will be up for sale or trade i am leaving it in and cutting the bottom of the hatch off so it wont be getting broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZRX Doug Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Are you gonna add a roll cage at some point? I'd think you just lost an awful lot of integrity in the rear half of the chassis when the roof went away. (In other words, if you put a floor jack under the middle of the car with the doors open on both sides, what's there to keep the rear from sagging?) Cool idea though! Whatcha gonna do for the triangular openings ahead of the "hatch" where 1/4 windows would go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 well when i weld the rear doors shut on the inside and the outside that will ad alot of the muscle back to the body also the hatch is gonna be welded in to the body.the triangular wholes are going to have a plexyglas window but its not plexy its some new type of plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 That looks friggin awesome... I can see it popping up on ebay as "1986 concept Baja" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Well... it is a Nice Idea... Will it be Finished with some Rockin` Colour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Are you gonna add a roll cage at some point? I'd think you just lost an awful lot of integrity in the rear half of the chassis when the roof went away.(In other words, if you put a floor jack under the middle of the car with the doors open on both sides, what's there to keep the rear from sagging?) Cool idea though! Whatcha gonna do for the triangular openings ahead of the "hatch" where 1/4 windows would go? +1 on the roll cage. At least put in some roll protection. Like a square that is crossbraced. It's a lot easier to do now when the thing is apart. 3-4 inch beads and caulk will not protect you when the car rolls. BTW I have some glass from a GL-10 sedan, the ones that are behind the rear door if you need them. BW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy D Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 wow that thing is gnarly looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooinater Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 you going to have it ready for your wheeling trip in sept? definately suggest a cage though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 i will see how much it still flexes after i weld it then i have some square steel framing that i can use that will be good for a roll bar. hell yeah im gonna get it done for the 21st Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZRX Doug Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I'd suggest building your bar first..lots easier to weld the main hoop in behind your seats without a roof in the way. I wasn't actually all that worried about rollover protection, though..you've still got the "A" pillar, "B" pillar, and you're adding the hatch for a sort of truncated "C" pillar..I suspect your roof will be more crush-proof than stock in the passenger area, assuming your welding is any good at all. What I was concerned with was the body/chassis behind your new "C" pillar..there's not a lot to keep it from sagging & twisting now that it's no longer a box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 What I was concerned with was the body/chassis behind your new "C" pillar..there's not a lot to keep it from sagging & twisting now that it's no longer a box. Maybe he's doing it on purpose for better articulation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 lol actualy i was thinking of that and i might just weld the tailgat in too just for the fact that it isnt ever gonna be higher than i can lift something and if it is... well than what ever i can put in ther dosent need to go thus adding the "box" effect back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 if you were REALLY good you could get this thing to have functional rear windows I LIKE!!! I just have to pray to god you can weld, is all. If you can, I hate to talk trash.. I am just saying this is a job to trust to good welding at least.. and anyone who knows, knows that "good" welding is actually barely acceptable.. "top-notch" welding is something that VERY VERY Few attain, so "good" is kinda the bare minimum... Any photos of the beads you're laying down? This is REALLY a neat concept.. I *think* that you just might be able to take your hatch back out, and cut the roof line at an angle to make it match the hatchline a bit.. this would move the hatch forwards a hair.. but you actually might wind up with a shape and size that could be filled by the stock sedan rear quarter panel window.. which would make for a much more finished looking product, but I can certainly understand just taking the simpler way out. "just saying" is all What are you using for a tailgate, part of another wagon hatch? I also have to agree with the notion of a rollbar, as a simple chassis stiffening. This way you can install simple angle or channel across the plane of the bed, rather than use expensive tubes, and still wind up with a rigid chassis. As for "articulation".. Caleb, that was BAD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 As for "articulation".. Caleb, that was BAD You sound as though you expected something else from me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecky Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 lov'n it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 if it were me id take it a step further. Your probally going to take it primarly offroad but id take off the rear door handle and fill it in with bondo same with the rear door seam. Fill that in with bondo too and make it look all purdy and streemline. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 if it were me id take it a step further. Your probally going to take it primarly offroad but id take off the rear door handle and fill it in with bondo same with the rear door seam. Fill that in with bondo too and make it look all purdy and streemline. Ben Something tell me that is all on his "to-do" list, since he hasnt even welded the rear doors shut yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted August 11, 2007 Author Share Posted August 11, 2007 started o n it today i will not post pics of my welds because they are good awful ugly i am a WELD nad GRIND guy. in other words i weld the hell out of it the grind it to make it look nice. you will also find that i am a guess and checker but thats another story. yes the bondoing the rear door thing is in my todo list glad you guys are liking it will take pics of... um the grinds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 started o n it today i will not post pics of my welds because they are good awful ugly i am a WELD nad GRIND guy. in other words i weld the hell out of it the grind it to make it look nice. you will also find that i am a guess and checker but thats another story. yes the bondoing the rear door thing is in my todo list glad you guys are liking it will take pics of... um the grinds there is another car on here like that. onoly he choped a wagon in half and welded it back together. Another canidate for the bondo and shine rootine. But then again if your offroading and beating the snot out of it. Who cares right. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted August 11, 2007 Author Share Posted August 11, 2007 just because its an off road rig dosent meen it has to be ugly i like my soob and i want to be proud to be seen in it not layd back behind the b pillar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott F Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Look here subaruguru and the rest of you rednecks. Square tubing and angle are not acceptable for roll bars or cages. Here's the proper and minimal thing to do: 1) Find a local fab shop or 4x4 shop. 2) Have them bend up a mild steel 1 1/2" x .120" B hoop that will fit closely to the roof line and existing B pillar. Put large 1/8" plates on the bottom and weld these to the unibody. Alternatively, you can double plate it, with bolts through the unibody. The B hoop shoud also tie into the unibody "frame rails", and be plated to the B pillar and roof in several places. Add a big X to the B hoop. 3) The B hoop will need some support fore and aft. You can either add A pillar tubes with two bends, with a cross tube along the top of the windshield, or "kickers" to the rear, angling down to the unibody "frame rails". It would be wise to do both. 4) If your welding sucks that bad, have someone else do the welding. You are a young man with a long life to live. Doing this job right will help to maintain your health and longevity. started o n it today i will not post pics of my welds because they are good awful ugly i am a WELD nad GRIND guy. in other words i weld the hell out of it the grind it to make it look nice. you will also find that i am a guess and checker but thats another story. yes the bondoing the rear door thing is in my todo list glad you guys are liking it will take pics of... um the grinds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZRX Doug Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Good posting. I will agree with ya to a point.."real" roll bars are a necessity in anything that's vaguely close to a competition vehicle..square tubing will get the job done in a slow moving off roader, assuming the welding is acceptable and gussets are properly used (go take a look at what Caterpillar uses on their gazillion ton dozers & other equipment if ya doubt me)..angle iron pretty much sucks as rollover protection, but it does make acceptable body/frame bracing material (again, assuming the welds are worth a damn) if used with a little thought. You're right though..doesn't matter WHAT material ya use if it's mounted to a tinfoil floor w/o proper plating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott F Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 This hacked up unibody will wad up like aluminum foil in any kind of wreck or roll over. Some sort of decent cage is mandatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Scott- You should put up some pics of what you are building so people can see it done right. re:the redneck remark... I prefer the term "Crimson Nape". BW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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