Jk-8 g6

[SuperDrty]

For this new comp season, I felt the need to change the body on my 2.2 trail comp truck. It used to be a highly chopped up 2008 F250 crew cab body (made from leftovers of other modded bodies starting as the same)

How it sat for the second half of last season after completing the build.




At one point last season I had the idea of taking an Axial Wrangler Unlimited roof and chopping it up to fit on a G6 body. A local friend put one of these roofs up for sale, and it got the gears turning on this idea. A different friend had a new clear G6 body laying around as well. I managed to snag both for good deals and got to work.

I got the body first, and got to painting it. I like painting my rigs on the outside. I paint silver on the inside, so when it does scratch, it looks like metal underneath. Then use a layer of Tamiya PS-5, and then put almost anything over top of that, in this case, Duplicolor's Perfect Match GM Bahama Blue Metallic.







Now I did have to lengthen the wheelbase a touch to run this body (was at 11 7/8", now sitting at 12 1/8") but I've been meaning to do that anyway, with bent lower links.

I also used the cage, but chopped the back half of it off completely. This was the night before our local group's test and tune 2 weekends ago, where I was going to also pick up the roof.





Got the roof, and started cutting it up as soon as I got home with it.

To fit the G6 body it needed shortened in both length and height, narrowed and tapered, but I made it work.

Here it is in the beginning stages after the first big cut to get the length right.




Then cut the rear window out




Cut the middle out to change the width and get the taper. It did turn out I cut too much out, but I fixed that later with a small strip down the center.





Initial test fitting. I would later cut the window out as well, but do use the a-pillar as a front mount point with the windshield overlapping it.






Didn't take a pic of the strip I cut to widen the center out a little, but here's the start of gluing this thing back together. I used pieces of what was left of the roof as backer pieces that overlap all the joints, and use Shoe Goo as the adhesive. A friend has suggested another adhesive that welds together, but haven't got around to picking any up yet.



Second round of gluing (this took me all week with all the joints, and limited roof for clamps)



After the top of the roof was glued together, I used the areas off one of the original rear side windows, and made the quarter window openings on the Mopar JK-8 kit.





More gluing and clamps




Wasn't done gluing yet, but couldn't help doing another test fit






Another round of gluing, yeah, it took a while.



And another




Got all the gluing done, then got Tamiya PS-5 inside and out (didn't do silver on the inside of the roof). What I didn't get pictures of was the application of a little Tamiya putty over the joints to help smooth it out a little.




This shows how the rear half it mounted, drilled holes in the cage, and used M3 self tapping screws.







Also added a Knight's Customs JK Angry eye grill, and made new license plates for it.




Finished results. Now I didn't glue the new rear quarter windows or rear glass back in, I actually used servo tape. I finished paint on Saturday, and the season opener comp was the next morning, so using clamps was out of the question. So I cut thin strips of servo tape and surrounded the opening to tape the fresh pieces of polycarb in.






Just thought I'd share

-Derek

[nerby149]

I got to see this truck in action this past weekend, Derek's body work is incredible, his trucks are a work of art that he bashes on the rocks. Keep up the good work Derek, paint looks awesome and the carbon fender flare accents really set it off.

"GOD SPEED"

[sawhead]

That's a cool idea with the inside paint and making it look like its scratched to the metal. I am almost tempted to do that, but use a rust color on the inside...

[JBHardwear]

Wow that's a lot of work, but great payoff! Good Job!