Time to work on Ugly
 

After the last couple of outings Ugly came back a bit worse for wear. So its time to do some major work, mostly body and frame this time.

So the plan aside from repairs it to build a custom roll cage and what I'm thinking is to have the front of the cage (the two bars right behind the windshield continue up past the top of the windshield then curve back and slope gently down to just behind the front seats. The intent even though it increases my frontal area is to reduce the low pressure area behind the windshield in hopes to at least improve highway stability.

After the front seats it will continue to slope down but also in so that by the time it gets to the back of the Jeep it will be even with the outside of the cargo box. I would apreciate any thoughts.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-th...e3900-side.png

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-th...e3899-diag.png

These pictures are pretty close to what I am thinking.

Have you given any thought on doing an inspired take-off of the 2002 Jeep Compass Concept?

Jeep Compass Concept wallpaper # 04 of 22, Front Angle, MY 2002, 800x600
http://www.netcarshow.com/jeep/2002-compass_concept/
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...ncept_EDIT.jpg

I hate the Jeep Compass, but liked the Concept Compass shown above.

Do your roof as proposed, angle the front grille a bit and you would have something interesting.

I think the wheel flares will be the big aero-killer. At least on my truck they are.

EDIT: ...............like this
http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x...ransportation/
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...Jeep-Study.jpg

right now I am doing just the cage and the removable parts of the body, later on I do plan on working on the nose and the wheel wells.

No matter what I do it has to perform well while off-road.

Interior is almost gutted, having to cut 25 year old rusted torx bolts to get the stock roll bar out. Man I hate those torx bolts.

Even though things came up I am making progress.

The body is off, and am almost done fixing some of the drivetrain issues while I can get to them easier.

I am having to rebuild the body mounts which isn't much of a surprise as the old AMC Jeep body mounts are notoriously weak.

What has been a surprise is that the members of the off road club are encouraging the aero mods for both stability and better FE and offering to help get it done.

that's cool, hope it goes well

IMHO the curve above the windshield is too sharp and there isn't enough curve behind that. Since you say you're putting a curve in the actual roll cage itself, why not have it curve all the way to the back.http://i.imgur.com/2rhnY.jpg

Else you could use straight tubes and add fins or ribs on the top to get the curve.

And chop the windshield.

How long of a boat tail can you make without affecting the departure angle? ;)

I don't have acess to the right type of bender to make long curves.

I was thinking of building a boat tail that would encase the spare and add some storage, the bottom of which would be a skid plate to slide off of the rocks.