Theoretical question: XJ panel wagon

[Black Dog]

Last night I was laying in bed and doing some thinking, very dangerous stuff going on there. I was thinking it would be kind of neat and different to take the large rear side windows on an XJ and replace them with a solid piece of fiberglass. It really wouldn't be hard to do, just cut your fiber glass to the same dimensions as the window and install it the same the same way. Then I thought what would be even cooler would be to weld in some thin sheet metal and totally smooth it out with no seams. And then this is where the dangerous part comes into play, why not do some sort of a tool box or storage cabinet accessible from the outside in place of the rear windows of an XJ? You would have to build a support structure of some type but that wouldn't be too terribly difficult. Lots of people here are way into built in storage solutions in the backs of their XJs and I'm kind of surprised nobody has done it yet. Would anyone consider giving it a try?

 

[BEVAN]

Yeah...I had the same thought last year !!!

 

[bldeagle10]

i had the same thoughts on the storage/tool box idea but then i thought. nah i think my xj is sexy and that would kill the look for me. thus killing the idea...but none the less its a good idea and im sure if someone was to do it they would get excellent results and it would be great for EXPO'ing around

 

[wADVr]

http://forum.ih8mud.com/wagongear/307003-so-kevin-about-those-windows.html

this got my wheels turning.

page 6 he designed to work with OE glass..

 

[mutt550]

I like being able to see out of the XJ so blocking out the windows would not work for me. I like the idea of a shade set up if your sleeping in the back. But when wheeling and street driving I like to be able to see. Thats just me. But if you like that look go for it! That's whats great about this sport... NO RULES!!

I do like the idea storage access from the rear window tho!! I was at Tomken Machine several years ago and as I recall they had some sort of tool box/storage bin in the rear side window of their XJ. But that was alot of brain cells ago so the memory is a little fuzzy on the details. I liked the idea but never really looked into it any further as my XJ is my daily driver.

:victory:

 

[PolarXJ]

http://forum.ih8mud.com/wagongear/307003-so-kevin-about-those-windows.html

this got my wheels turning.

page 6 he designed to work with OE glass..

Thats cool :drool:

 

[alexfm]

They made Cherokees without side windows for the overseas market. They were designed as cargo models. No rear seat, just floor space, and no rear windows. Im too lazy to photobucket the picture tonight, but here's a link to a picture.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/456895/original/327489_20060218040208_1.jpg

Sorry, Im tired and dont feel to hot, but wanted to share this with you guys, thought it might be of interest.

 

[bldeagle10]

hmm. kinda just looks like an MJ with the 97 up front and a camper shell on the bed with no windows. thats what it reminds me of at least...

 

[TerryD]

The main reason I like the Cherokee is the extra visibility you have out of them. My parents own two 2000 S-10 Blazers, one 4dr and one 2dr ZR2. The rear visibility out of them is not nearly as good as the XJ Cherokee. I think before you commit to doing something like this, you need to cover the rear windows and drive it for a few weeks like this to make sure you're willing to give up the ability to see out the back.

I do think it's a neat idea, I've seen several pickup toppers that have storage built in there.

 

[Black Dog]

That silver XJ kind of makes me thing it might look kind of dorky in real life. Maybe if it was a 2 door model instead it might look better.

 

[timgr]

It would need to be a 2-door and have barn doors in the rear - no tailgate. Then it would be a panel. Jeep made some Wagoneers like that long ago, but they are very scarce.

 

[JCMatthews]

The tool box/storage idea was done years ago by Tomken Jeep out of Colorado and shown at the Easter Jeep Safari.