Jeep Cherokee Chop Top: Opinions?

[Daox]

Originally Posted by ac6404

I'll be turning this car into a long term project and will incorporate some major modifications such as:
-swap in a mercedes om617 turbo diesel
-design removable boattail for highway driving
-increased wheel size w/ lrr tires
-full belly pan w/ tire spats & tails
-small body mods (mirror delete, fender delete, smooth wheel covers, gap sealing, etc.)
-smart alternator mod & electrical fan
- And anything else I can think of!

When it's all said & done, I want to have a versatile 4x4 w/ towing capabilities, an engine that will last 500,000+ miles, a daily driver, bio-fuel & wvo capable, and gets 50+ hwy mpg.

I can count on one hand how many US vehicles can achieve 50+ mpg highway. You'd have to reduce the frontal area of your Cherokee by a good 25% before you got anywhere near them. Then you'd have to decrease the cd by 50%. Then, you'd need an engine that is efficient at pushing around a small vehicle, not a huge heap of Jeep which your 3L diesel is not very likely to do, especially with 4wd. I'm not saying its not doable, but you aren't even going to be able to recognize the vehicle once it is done, and your city mpg will still be disappointing because it'll still be a heavy Jeep.

[TheEnemy]

Originally Posted by shovel

I've seen worse, but I'm having a hard time understanding how this is an actual improvement over the original vehicle

He can bring home tall potted plants from home depot now?

If your like me you open the windows, remove the cover, fill it with friends and/or family and go play.

[Frank Lee]

Every time I see the title for this thread I think "Jeep Cherokee Chopped Up Onions?".

[Gealii]

Originally Posted by shovel

I've seen worse, but I'm having a hard time understanding how this is an actual improvement over the original vehicle

He can bring home tall potted plants from home depot now?

you could fiberglass an angled top out of fiberglass for aero then take it off and load a quad in backwards thats the improvement that blazer still gets better mileage then a 4wd s10 with the same motor

[Smurf]

I showed that Blazalanche picture to my little sister, and then grabbed the SawzAll and started walking to her Jimmy. I didn't know 18 year olds could tackle that well lol

If I had a junky Blazer for off-road fun, I'd consider that chop. But as Gealii said, fiberglass would be a much better option.

[shovel]

Originally Posted by Smurf

If I had a junky Blazer for off-road fun, I'd consider that chop. But as Gealii said, fiberglass would be a much better option.

I cut the top off a 4x4 once, for fun. But I chopped it at the windshield so the convertible part was over my head, not over the cargo space 5 feet behind me - that way everyone riding in it had a seat belt and a roll cage around them.



This cut-the-back-part-off-an-SUV thing, seriously I don't get it.

[Frank Lee]

It may be like when people try to turn pickups into sports cars, and cars into pickups.

[Gealii]

chopping to the windshield instead of over the back seat was the difference between say a bronco and a ramcharger, broncos top came off over the back seat while the charger came off at the windshield back

[ac6404]

Originally Posted by Daox

Then, you'd need an engine that is efficient at pushing around a small vehicle, not a huge heap of Jeep which your 3L diesel is not very likely to do, especially with 4wd. I'm not saying its not doable, but you aren't even going to be able to recognize the vehicle once it is done, and your city mpg will still be disappointing because it'll still be a heavy Jeep.

Jeep Cherokee's are relatively light. 3300 pounds, about the same as a Prius, or 10% more than a modern honda civic.

I've read about a lot of Cherokee Om617 diesel swaps that are getting 30-35 highway mpg with NO aero modifications. This makes me think that 50 hwy mpg is a not-to-distant reality. The om617 also comes from a car that weighs considerably more, and has similar hp & greater torque than the stock I-6 jeep motor.

Cherokee's are not heavy. They have an engine that is not designed with fuel economy in mind, 4wd, and the aerodynamics of a brick.

With a boat tail (mounted further up on the body thanks to chopped top) and a full belly pan (to cover the mess of parts underneath) I think there are some serious improvements to be made.

City mpg will see huge improvement due to the diesel, but that combined with serious aero mods I think will skyrocket highway mpg from its original 22.

I guess we'll see.

chopped onions.

[shovel]

Originally Posted by ac6404

With a boat tail (mounted further up on the body thanks to chopped top) and a full belly pan (to cover the mess of parts underneath) I think there are some serious improvements to be made.

.

I'll be curious how the belly pan is tackled to address the live axles, unless you're lowering it & pulling those up.. though a live axle can only allow a little bit of lowering, too due to interference with the uniframe & engine.

The WJ I'm driving now has sort-of the same problem (two live axles below the chassis), but I'm seeing 22-24mpg sustained on the highway while punching a larger-than-XJ-sized hole in the air - with a V8 and full time AWD. I consider that pretty glorious all things considered so I haven't bothered to make any additional changes.

Still, there's a 6'x4' sheet of thin gauge steel in my garage and the tools to make it work if I can come up with a workable underbelly design..