input wanted

[RHINO]

so, for something a little different. my weatherstripping has been shot for a long time. i got all new weatherstripping from JCwhitney from the lovely list heath put together. most of you know my rig, its beat a little round the edges but its a good solid piggy. apparently its beat a little more than i had thought as when i installed the strips i can only close the front pass door, the others are just too tight a fit with rubber in there. so, heres the input i would like from the group. i have always wanted to cut off the top, rollcage it and have fun. but there is a stong pull for me to keep it uncut which is why i havent done it yet.
should i just go ahead and cut it?
should i spend the time to get the doors to work properly?
should i yank the strip out and just keep enjoying the dusty pig as i have?
yeah, dusty. the whole want for weatherstrip is of a dust nature in the desert, rather than weather,rain cold ect.
so, what do we think?
i'm bearing my soul here, be easy on me.

 

[snailwagon]

I'm almost on the same boat there. I could never get inner weatherstripping to be compatible with my 1969, I ended up cracking my doors. On top of that, I had to adjust the door strikers which then would decide to move back to a new position every time I wheeled it (spot weld fixed it). Under articulation, my roof flexes and pops, the rear doors occasionally crack in wierd places. Large rocks make doors fly open, and to top it off, the cargo area of the roof looks more like a parallelagram (however ya spell it) instead of rectangular. The windshield pops out under super hard impact. Also,spending $500 to fix the holes in the cargo and wind wing rubber falls into the crackhead category.
\

The only thing keeping the top on mine is the fact I throw my dogs in it often and occasionally go on long road trips. But it will happen, the top is coming off on mine one day. Imagine all that top weight, gone. Center of gravity, lowered. In my eyes, a wheeling pig needs a roll bar with a bikini top, no metal top thingy.

I wouldn't go chopping solely because of weatherstripping, but instead to make a meaner machine.

 

[Buckethead]

I wouldn't chop it since it is still a fairly solid rig. If you are trying to keep the dust out, just trim and fit whatever amount of the stripping in that you can and roll with it. I have considered chopping my parts rig, since the body is total crap, but in my opinion, you should keep the rig whole as long as it is worthy (not rotten)

 

[Wayneraintree]

My 55 is similiar, only sees wheeling though I do drive it to the trail and back... rear gate is shutting incorrectly more often, passenger door cracking at the hinges, roof is rust free but was severely dented by a pear tree then some idiot stood on my roof to really do it in.. now it pops in and out like a can on the road. The more I wheel it, the more it declines, and without a remarkable frame off restoration, which is beyond my desires and resources, my 55 is a trail pig forever.... only thing keeping my roof on in my mind is bad weather, being able to sleep in it, and the dust and wind I would experience without it....

 

[LRIwater]

I had huge rust issues on my roof (and doors, and fenders, and rockers, and....). Big rust holes in the roof. I think the PO let the pig go out with the tide, considering how much sand was in the headliner... So, here is what it looks like topless (in Caterpillar colors). Fortunately, the frame is solid. I have a long way to go to get it on the road, but I have done a good amount so far, also. If you're interested, I can post pics of how I am covering the cut metal at the "bed rails" of the truck. Not pretty, but neither is the rest of the rig.
Cheers and Good Luck!
Chuck

 

[cruiser_guy]

This is what we did to a couple of rusted beyond hope "Piggies"!
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=414794
It goes to show that most anything is possible if you really want to! The green one didn't have much of the floors or lower half left and the red ones roof was rough so we married the good parts of each one together and ended up with a pretty much rust free pig!

 

[RHINO]

thanks for all the responses, much appreciated. i still dont know what to do but for now i wont be cutting it.

cruiser guy i have watched your posts with much respect, job well done.

LRIwater, would like to see more of what your doing.

i have gone all through it in my head, if it ever does happen it will be done right and finished correctly, wont be a hack job.

 

[LRIwater]

Here is what I have so far on the bed rails of the truck. I started out with a 16 gage plate cut to the shape near the tailgate and one close to the back seat. I welded those to the body. Then I notched a 2.5 inch exhaust pipe on each end to overlap the plates a about 2 inches at each end and welded that to the plates and the body. I kept the top of the pipe in line with where I cut the doors. I primed and painted the inside of the pipe before welding to keep the rust from forming. I will fair the ends to the body later.

I will be using this rig as a pickup truck for work (someday…). Those rails are very strong and will be able to handle a lot of abuse. That stiffened up the whole body a good amount, too. I still will be fabbing a roll bar and might try to use a bikini top from a Scout or Bronco.

 

[LRIwater]

and one more of the overall deal (not finished). time, time, time. Where does it go??