unibody tweaking (zj)

[1cleantj]

so few weeks back my mom got into a rear end accident (someone hit her). being a 95 grand Cherokee, they totaled it out. I have only visually looked at it (quickly). The body is tweaked causing rear hatch to not open, the rear doors are bowed out at the top (neither one opens), rear hatch floor is pushed up a little. The vehicle runs and drives, all glass intact etc. paid insurance company $300 buyback for it.

Now it is possible to manipulate the unibody to get the rear doors to work etc ? Thinking about making this a new wheeling jeep. any opinions on back halfing it ? any threads on where to cut/where to put rollcage to keep unibody

This sunday I will be moving it to my house and will upload pics of the damage for better opinions etc.

on a side note: mom is doing good, scored a grand cherokee on craigslist for $2500 that looks brand new.

[Ktmracer419]

i can't really make any decsicions for you without looking at it.

but for $300, sounds like ya got a nice project.

i always liked the look of 2 door xj's chopped from behind the doors. maybe make a 2 door zj with a bed? i cant really visualize it right now, but could be badass.

[LittleD]

http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top.html

And maybe permanently close the rear doors?

[1cleantj]

so I stopped at my parents place today , did an oil change on my moms new grand cherokee and then checked out the old one more throughly.

The rear doors open although the pillar on the backsides are bend slightly causing the top of the doors to bulge outwards. the fix ? who needs doors.

Rear cargo floor is screwed , bowed upward in the middle from the impact.
rear hatch is gone, only thing good on it is the interior panels/the glass. Fix ? who needs a hatch....

rear glass on sides of cargo area also still intact so mine as well save those as well.

Rear gas tank is pushed forward and making contact slightly with rear diff cover, will do something with this later, either fuel cell or stock tank up in cargo area like Dana's TJ was... otherwise new brackets to move it back.

it drives fine which is good news.

SO the question is what shall i do with it ? I need to keep the rear seat area for daughter if she comes along for rides (shes been wheeling with me and gf since age 2 ) so maybe just chop the damaged cargo area and do the tiny bed thing that many do ( like Geno's buddy) or maybe cage the bitch and turn it more of a "long wheel based wrangler of sorts". (see pic below).


Now if i go this route, which i like more, what do you think it would cost in steel for the cage part of it ? Ive never dealt with making cages. I know a few of you local to me involved in the competition stuff may have more information about cage making, who has benders/skill to do it ( sam, corey , dana etc ? )

[1cleantj]

transported jeep to my house this afternoon. finally got some time to look at it more. here she sits





now looks like most of the impact was absorbed by hatch/rear floor area and rear pillars which are causing the rear doors to shut hard and bow out at the tops.




surprised glass stayed in one piece, bent the bottom up good (wouldnt open). father ripped through the sheetmetal where the license plate would go trying to open it up. I was able to reach through the carnage and find a rod and get it to release.


gas tank skid took a little damage too, its bent up a little in the rear and the whole thing is pushed foward with the floor, making contact with rear diff cover

[wrpoole]

http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top.html

And maybe permanently close the rear doors?

that was an idea i had since i got my jeep zj