[clffhnger]

Finally got off my A$$ and really started working on designing a cage. I got lots of info from everybody, but of course had to do it even differently. I started by taking everything out of the Jeep and some of the dash apart. I used a friends shop to bend up some 1/4" plate steel as base plates.I then punched 1/2" holes in them, I also welded 1/4 backing plates under the body where needed.

I then cored a 2" hole in the dash 1/2 on the dash and about 1/2 on the windshield frame.

Then bend up the tube to fit

This way I can still use my window cranks, and switches and glovebox.

The tubes come down thru the dash and land on the baseplates

I've even made some handles out of 1".

Almost done. Hopfully finish welding it in Monday or Tuesday

It'll certainly be ready by the Reno event.

 

[Guest]

looks good .....i wish i had the stuff and know how to make that!!

 

[683]

It's about time!

Looks good Tom, I cannot wait to see it finished up.

 

[082]

Real nice Tom. Like those custom clutch and brake pedals. Hey Budd, your email address keeps coming back again.

 

[Tim]

Wow Tom. You be stout. Very nice. Can you post a pic when you get the dash pad installed? Somehow I can't quite visualize that.

 

[504]

Damn Tom, You been busy!! Let me know when you have it back to the house so I can come see it for myself. Looks good so far.

Jerry
1970 Halfcab

 

[kingcarnut]

Tom,
Cage looks great. I am going to get started on mine this fall and wanted to put my front hoop through the dash like you did. Please post more pics when you get it done, I'm sure it will look good.

 

[WalterX]

Looks GREAT! When do we bring our jeeps down so you can do ours??!!?!

 

[clffhnger]

Going thru the dash was not as hard as I thought it might be. After pulling the accessories off the dash, just had to figure out where the hole would be. I wanted it as close to the outside as possible. After cutting the holes with a regular hole saw, I could see I went towards the outside a little too much, there was the 'folds' of the dash right in the way, but since it's behind the dash, I just beat them over with a hammer. Figuring out the front bend was the hardest. After going through the hole in the dash, it goes parallel to the windshield to clear the headlight switch and then bends down to hit the floor plate. Amazingly we didn't screw up any bends. I will post more pics next week. Have to work alot this week.

 

[RRich]

Looks great Tom.

 

[294]

Wow, you went a full 1/2" more up on the dash than I did, do you think the gasket will still seal? That was my main concern when I went through the dash. Looks great so far, but make sure to curve the corners on your base plates, the sharp corners act like can openers on the sheet metal. What did you spray in the tub? Looks great.

 

[DaveGoodrich]

This is Southern California, he doesn't need the gasket to seal. Seriously, it looks great Tom. It is essentially exactly what my "ideal" cage would be. I don't know if I will get it done before Reno though.

 

[clffhnger]

John, I definitley cut through some gasket material. Will it seal? Shoot, with no hardtop, I'm used to a little water. If I really need to, I'll pull the windshield frame and seal it up with some silicon. I did grind all corners and well as the flat edges of the plates, even the bottom plates. That's Rhino lining in the tub (and on the pedals)

 

[Randyzzz]

Tom, that looks first class! Maybe someday I'll actually have a body on mine.......

 

[NoBucks]

Very cool Tom. Nice shop. I thought you were going to have Fat City do it? Sorry if you've answered that before, but I've taken myself out of the loop for quite a while now.

 

[clffhnger]

No, the dork at Fat City couldn't read a calendar. Every time my time slot was up, he'd be knee deep in something else. He was just too busy. I'm better off anyway, I get to do alot of this myself. I like that.

 

[clffhnger]

OK finished it up. Pretty happy on how it turned out, especially the dash. If I had to do it over again, I think I'd relocate the rear hoop. Maybe I'll get used to it. I always liked the look of the Jeepster roadster. It just wasn't safe.
Anyway here's a pic of the front with the spreader accross the windshield and some handles that I'd thought were a good idea, it seems everyone is always holding the rollbar, bad for your hands.

This next pic, you can see the rear has handles as well as a handle at the top of the hoop, long enough for two rear seat passengers. Kind of hard to see.

Next pic you can see how I tried to follow the curves of the Kayline soft top. I'm gonna have to figure out sun visors, but I haven't had any on in two years. Maybe I wont need them.

Now you can see the rear handles in this pic. You can also see that I can almost eliminate the Kayline bows. The bends in the roll bar tubing are almost exactly at the same locations.

On all four of the rear supports, I welded on some bails to tie down stuff in the back. God I love the heliarc welder, I don't think I'll ever afford one but they are bitchen. No mess, no spatter, just clean hot welds.

I'll post a pic of the dash pad when I get it finished.

 

[007]

Looks great. You did a fantastic job. One question, now that it is in and a semi-permanent fixture to the Jeepster, how are you going to paint it? or is it stainless and you'll buff it out?

 

[clffhnger]

Yep, gonna paint it. Probably red just like the Jeepster, it's gonna be a bitch though.

 

[1272]

SWEET cage, did you tie it to the frame? And what are you charging to build them?