Jeep JK8 Build

[joe122]

Like a surgeon! Nice work!

[Jchevy01]

Looks amazing!! Great work!


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[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by M J

Wow, this is coming together really nicely. Great work =)

Thanks!

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by scaler44

This is awesome dude keep up the great work!!! So far mine and yours a pretty simmilar


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Have any pictures of yours? I'd love to see it!

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by nosser

Wow great work so far!

Thanks, still chugging away at it.

[BigChevyTruckin]

Not a big update. Yesterday was a preparation day for the first big storm we are receiving as I'm typing this. But none the less, I still was able to get a little work done to the top. Nothing dramatic.

I ended up cutting out a piece of styrene to fill in the gap on the back of the top. Just liked all the others, I made a template, then cut it out, glued and clamped it on.




Then I figured I'd make the piece that runs below the rear window. I had to make a relief cut there, so I could spread the bottom of the top open slightly to match up with the quarter panels.

Then just scuffed up the plastic, and glued it all on. Then I decided to take the truck out in the rock pit near my house. Pretty fun crawling out there.



I'm hoping to start/finish the bodywork on the top today. We will see what the day brings. Might be a lot of snow cleanup to do.

BUT, Question for all of you guys following this thread. My next job is to tackle the drop bed. I am going
To be running my transmission and motor up front between the shock towers with the use of the gcm motor mount plate. My servo will also be located up front, and I'm hoping I can fit a small 2s lipo on the firewall of the jeep all under the hood. This is going to be a lot of weight in the front of this rig, I'm thinking I might need some weight in the back, so I was thinking of making the drop bed out of sheet metal to add some weight back there. Any thoughts on this? Or would that weight be too up high. I'm listening to all thoughts guys. Thanks!

[scaler44]

Originally Posted by BigChevyTruckin

Have any pictures of yours? I'd love to see it!

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by scaler44

Looks good! Are you running a full interior?

[scaler44]

Originally Posted by BigChevyTruckin

Not a big update. Yesterday was a preparation day for the first big storm we are receiving as I'm typing this. But none the less, I still was able to get a little work done to the top. Nothing dramatic.

I ended up cutting out a piece of styrene to fill in the gap on the back of the top. Just liked all the others, I made a template, then cut it out, glued and clamped it on.




Then I figured I'd make the piece that runs below the rear window. I had to make a relief cut there, so I could spread the bottom of the top open slightly to match up with the quarter panels.

Then just scuffed up the plastic, and glued it all on. Then I decided to take the truck out in the rock pit near my house. Pretty fun crawling out there.



I'm hoping to start/finish the bodywork on the top today. We will see what the day brings. Might be a lot of snow cleanup to do.

BUT, Question for all of you guys following this thread. My next job is to tackle the drop bed. I am going
To be running my transmission and motor up front between the shock towers with the use of the gcm motor mount plate. My servo will also be located up front, and I'm hoping I can fit a small 2s lipo on the firewall of the jeep all under the hood. This is going to be a lot of weight in the front of this rig, I'm thinking I might need some weight in the back, so I was thinking of making the drop bed out of sheet metal to add some weight back there. Any thoughts on this? Or would that weight be too up high. I'm listening to all thoughts guys. Thanks!

I'd cut part of the fire wall so that you an slide a batter in behind the dash board that what I did


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[scaler44]

Originally Posted by BigChevyTruckin

Looks good! Are you running a full interior?

No not at the moment still a work in progress. I had an interior in it by it wasn't full. I need to move the motor up front with the help of gcm

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by scaler44

I'd cut part of the fire wall so that you an slide a batter in behind the dash board that what I did


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Any pictures for reference? Had another idea with something behind the dashboard though....

[BigChevyTruckin]

Okay. So I got most of the top done today. I basically started by giving it a skim coat of putty.

During the sanding process I figured it would be best to lose the ribs on the top of the top to make the sanding process easier, and get a higher quality outcome. They will be added again later.



So after one more tight skim coat of putty over the roof, it was time for the details to begin.

As you can see in this picture below, there were body lines on the top in various places:


You can see the two molded lines of the top or the roof (where the 1:1 hard top splits) and a few body lines around the small side window. During the bodywork process, I obviously lost all of those lines. And it looked plain without them.

So I decided to get them back. I drew out the body lines where they should be:


So using a straight edge, and the backside of an exacto knife, I slowly and carefully scribed them back into the top. They were very hard to see in the raw putty, so I tossed a light coat of a cheap primer on it for you guys.


Keep in mind, that is a cheap rattle can primer. Once I spray a few coats of high build on it, and sand the lines, it should look much better. After adding the ribs back, and the drip rails above the doors, (bet some of you didn't even notice) the top should be good to go!

[XSRCdesign]

Much props for being able to carve into filler like that, I always create some sort of crisis when I even attempt to think about trying that.

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by XSRCdesign

Much props for being able to carve into filler like that, I always create some sort of crisis when I even attempt to think about trying that.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out when that knife touched the freshly finished, could-be-painted body work.. but it came out good. I'm happy with it.

[BigChevyTruckin]

So the top is officially finished! Went for a little drive (30 minutes) to the closest hobby shop that carries styrene products tonight. Ended up finding some perfect material for the drip rails, and the ribs on the roof. So I started with the rails. Really simple. Just cut to the length needed, and glue on.

Before:

After:

Next I decided to tackle the roof ribs. I found some strip styrene that was perfect for the ribs. They measured .030 X .250. So I cut them to the needed length, rounded the ends off, and did some measuring on the roof, and on they went.


Sharp eyes will also notice I added the molded line in the top were it must split on the real 1:1 truck. I didn't think JK8's had that feature but after some research I found that I was mistaken.

Next I decided to square up the back of the top, just below the rear window. Since I spread the cab open a bit, it just wasn't right. In this picture here, the beam below the rear window opening is kind of.... smiling at me...? Which was affecting the way the top fit on the top of the bed rails. So I made a nice straight line, and pulled out the cutoff wheel.

The "smile"....


And how it fits now.


So all that was left to do was to scuff the whole top, and give it a few coats of high build primer.


That's all for now. Hoping to start on the drop bed here soon. Thanks for all the kind words!

[CODYBOY]

Great attention to detail, all the time now will make a big difference in your jeep later. Keep up the good work.
Ernie

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by CODYBOY

Great attention to detail, all the time now will make a big difference in your jeep later. Keep up the good work.

Ernie

Thanks! Working with old, rare muscle cars really makes you look at the details and I guess it just travels down with you. Lol.

[XSRCdesign]

Perfect, now go bounce it off some rocks!

[Jchevy01]

Originally Posted by XSRCdesign

Perfect, now go bounce it off some rocks!

With that beautiful of a rig, go slow and thoughtful! A little bump and scratch is fine but no bouncing.


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[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by XSRCdesign

Perfect, now go bounce it off some rocks!

Lol.. it'll still be a crawler that's for sure.


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