J truck cab on Cherokee

[shredby4]

My Cherokee's body is hopeless. Has anybody ever tried to put a J truck cab on a Cherokee frame? Are the frames the same? I also have a Commando body handy but it would be much harder to do, I'm sure.I need to talk to anybody with some "body swapping" experience in NC.... And no I ain't talking about some wierd swinging thing either! LOL I need to do something before my Jeep comes crashing down on my head!

[Rockwagon]

I havn't tried that swap but I'm sure that it can be done. I bet it would be pretty easy compared to some of the others I have been involed in. (92 cherokee on a 78 blazer frame, 74 bronco on a 73 blazer) I also have a pristine 84 waggy body if you would be interested. I am in Greensboro

[Hump]

The question has been raised before, and I believe the consensous was that the cab would mount up perfectly, but you would be out of luck with the bed.

[shredby4]

Out of luck on the bed? I don't want a bed anyway.I want to build a flat bed rock crawling mud slinging rig. I just need a tool box and a place for my high lift jack. I really can't afford a "good" body for it anyway. Plus anything nice would get destroyed. I'm trying to get 35's or larger with only 4" of lift.

[ February 07, 2002: Message edited by: shredby4 ]</p>

[TexasJ10]

You didn't mention the years that you were trying to swap, but a 1981 j-10 cab has mounting points that are within 1/4" of those for the three front mounting locations on each side of the Cherokee. Plenty close enough to make it work. I'm with you on the desireablity of keeping it low. I'm not a big lift fan either. Good luck with your project and post some pics when it is done.

[Rockwagon]

I have been running 36" tires on my 83 waggy with 4" lift and some fender modification I understand the beat up part. I don't think there is a strait piece of sheet metal left on mine. I am currently putting tons under mine and going to 39.5

[Bob Barry]

Heck, without a bed, you can fit 35" tires with just some front fender trimming and a 2" body-lift on the cab. But it does sound like a cool project. Maybe you could just adapt some bobbed bedsides to the back to frame the toolbox/spare-tire mount.

Whatever the case, the proportions of a Cherokee-length pickup are really sweet. Here's a couple I photochopped:

http://home.off-road.com/~wagoneer/altered/CherokeePickup.jpg

http://home.off-road.com/~wagoneer/altered/ShortCherokee.jpg

[shredby4]

My Cherokee Cheif is a ' 79. I've seen several J series trucks years different years for sell in my area lately. Since I just want a cab and the front fender wells I won't need to spend much. I don't have enough sheet metal left to be straight or bent. I've actually had rusty parts fall off in the road... LOL.... and I usually stop and pick 'em up. Trophies! If anybody in NC wants to help me try this, I would certainly appreciate it.I'll return the favor... I'm great at the work part, I just don't have the knowledge or confidence to try this on my own...

[chrisnsarah]

The truck cab should bolt up. the mounting points are the same (as far as I can see). Like everyone said, the bed won't fit and I would go with the flatbed or make a shallow bed with round fenders big enough to mount 35's. Then copy the round style on the front fenders for tire fitment. Now you have a gladiator-cabbed short-wheelbased M715.

[shredby4]

Well, thanks guys... I hope it does bolt up fairly easily. Any of you have AIM or Yahoo messanger running? My AIM (AOL) screename is Shredby4 and my Yahoo is neoclassical101 (yes I play guitar)
Scott

[jeepbob]

I did the swap several years ago and it is bolt on. I know you don't want a bed but I used a Ford stepside box with trailer fenders. I was going to redo the rig and found the if you lengthen the wheel base by 1.5 inches a Ford rander style side short box would be prefect if you used trailer fenders to widen it a little. The ranger's body lines are almost exactly the same as a FSJ's.

[bentpushrod]

Drooling all over myself over that red chero that Bob posted. Tell the owner to name his price. I'm sure I can sell a kidney or something to raise funds. smile.gif

Seriously, both of those cherokee's are sweet. Shredby, I'd love to see pics when you get it done. Good luck.

[shredby4]

I will put some pics of my Cherokee on here as soon as it's done... I named it "The Borg" which will fit even better with a new body.Just don't expect anything pretty. I have to disagree with you, the black(?) chopped Cherokee is much cooler...I'd have a place for a BIG stereo in that one! I always wanted to do that to a Wagoneer so I could have a crew cab Jeep truck. Seriously, both of those Cherokees are very nice.

[River Beast]

there is a differnce in the frames.... I have diagrams that were sent to me showing the differnces between the J truck frames and the Cherokee frames....

Let me know if you want them I can send them via email

[la mula pescadora]

nice pics i hope i get mine that way one of this days. SHREDBY4 how bad is the body on my mule all the top was gone along with the floor and some body rust but is not going to a carshow or anything like that is just to have fun fun fun so why don't you play with it for a while http://www.geocities.com/lamulapescadora/lamula.jpg

[jeepbob]

While there are differences in the frames the mounts are all within 0.1" of each other per the FSM the main diff were from the back of cab back.