Chopped Cherokee

One day a friend called me up and said he had a Cherokee that he wanted to chop the top on, but he didn't want the same ol thing. I cut and pasted together some photos of what I thought a chopped Cherokee should look like, emailed him a copy, and he loved it. A few weeks later it was done.
I chopped the top at the body line in the back, and welded in a section of 2X4 tubing along the sheet metal. I knew if I just used body filler to smooth it out, it would most likely crack on the first trip. So I then spent like six hours blending it with the sheet metal without using body filler.

Last time John took it out, he ripped the steering box completely off the frame about a quarter of a mile into the trail! We wrapped a chain around the frame and steering box to limp it back to the trailer. So now, it's back at the barn to get the steering beefed up. Next I've got to convince him to get some 37" Irocks, or maybe 40" swampers's on Dana 60's front and rear, and full hydro steering.

One of these days I've got to try one of these Cherokees. I mean you buy one for $1000, put $1200 in tires, $1500 in suspension, and maybe $1500 in axles, that's $5200. You then go beat it to death for a couple of years. Then go out and buy another Cherokee for $1000, and transfer over all the parts, and go beat on it some more!