Interchangable doors?

[teamwestoutdoors]

Okay, my next step on old Dudley is I want to cut my doors down so I can see out better and help keep the inside of my ride cool on those hot summer trails! I have a killer parts department (AKA-two donor XJs) that I want to take the passenger and driver side doors off and cut them down. Then knock the roll pin out of the door hinges on Dudley and be able to use my regular full size doors in the winter and my donor cut down doors in the summer. My only real issue is that my windows and locks are electric and I would have to cut those wires and find a way to reconnect them so I can roll my windows down.

Has anyone tried this? Can anyone see any con's that that I should be looking at other then the electric locks and windows?

[rguignard]

yep been there done that

http://www.xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6625

[teamwestoutdoors]

yep been there done that

http://www.xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6625

Sweet, I didn't see that thread before or I would have saved my breath. So there is a plug to disconnect the electrical wires for the doors. Thanks for the info. I'll post some photos when I get this project started this week. :driving:

So then my next question is has anyone cut down their doors with photos?

[rguignard]

yes on mine the plug was under the frt kick panels but there was NO plug on the rear doors so my doors are staying on for now but more to come :eek:

[BlueXJ]

The wiring is there even if you have manual windows. The factory saved money by using a single wiring harness. The things that are on higher end XJs were wired into the same harness as the less well equipped models, thus the same harness was used from base to Limited. They are pretty much the same in most model years as well. The division is with body styles.

[teamwestoutdoors]

So what about the door buzzer and dome lights? I would like to still keep the ability to use my dome lights when I need them.

[rguignard]

i unpluged the dome lights at the doors and just turn them on with the light switch

[bigjim350]

And just unplug the buzzer. I am also planning on making some half doors for mine

[teamwestoutdoors]

I was going to start cutting my donor doors today, but winter has made a return and it is currently snowing here in central Utah. I will have to put it off till this weekend. Photos to come. Thanks everyone for your help. :patriot:

[PolarXJ]

Good luck... One of these days I'll doing it to mine as well. :D

[teamwestoutdoors]

Got started on the interchangeable door project this week and thought I would throw out some photos and an update for everyone. So, here are some of my photos of the progress.

First, I cut the bottom end of the door hinge on Dudley.

Before:
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_39513_.jpg

After:
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_39516_.jpg

Door-less Dudley:
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_39515_.jpg

After cutting the doors off my donor XJ (My wife calls it, "The Parts Department." I call it the best $150 bucks I ever spent!) I marked the outline I wanted to have and started cutting.http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_39240_.jpg

Now that's a pretty cut, huh?
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_39241_.jpg

Then I fit it back onto Dudley to make sure I have a fit.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_39514_.jpg

Now I'm in the process of capping the top. I'll try to have some finished product photos soon.

[XJ4IV]

Shouldve used a cut off wheel... REALLY fast and VERY clean, Im not sure what the template looks like but somebody has one where you leave some excess on the outer skind to just fold over and tack into the back skin

[modestmar00xj]

cool man, i cant wait to see the finished product! thanks for the pics!

[teamwestoutdoors]

Shouldve used a cut off wheel... REALLY fast and VERY clean, Im not sure what the template looks like but somebody has one where you leave some excess on the outer skind to just fold over and tack into the back skin

That was my plan but my compressor couldn't keep up with the cutting, so we just torched it. I have a cap that fits over the cut so it will all get covered up anyway.

[teamwestoutdoors]

The finished project

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_40479_.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_40478_.jpg

I had a great time doing this project and now I have a set of half doors and a set of full doors. Once I get moved down to Vegas, I think I will do the same thing to the back two doors just to help keep things cool inside the cab for my kids. Now, I'm thinking about four point harnesses? :pray:

[rguignard]

looks good do the 4 points and think about a cage :D you need some were to connect the 4 points to :rolleye0012:

[teamwestoutdoors]

looks good do the 4 points and think about a cage :D you need some were to connect the 4 points to :rolleye0012:

I need to build a cage anyway. With the doors gone, I think I have weakened the roof in the event of a flop and I don't want to had a flat top XJ! :pray:

[rguignard]

im with you there i took my frt one off and i need to cage mine in the worst way