Wide Open Design LJ buggy build

Jody Treadway said:
As much as I loved my Ranger, it had some inherant issues I didn't like. High COG, high entry/exit and crazy poor visibility. As it's chassis and cab were nearing the end of their lives, I called Wide Open Design and talked to them about swapping my drivetrain into one of their LJ chassis. This chassis will give me everything I want and still be roomy enough for me, my passenger an gear. Not to mention a factory hard or soft top still fits the tub.
Back in March I stripped the Ranger and hauled my SBF, C6, Atlas, 60 front and 14 Bolt rear to WOD. We went over the build plan and I had them add a couple of extras. The low ride height would require a DE ram setup instead of my OG single ended. I wanted them to add their ram mount to the front truss. I have never setup a 2 piece front shaft, so they added the mount and the intermediate shaft for me.
The communication was excellent with them from the start. I had signed a build contract and any expense over the agreed upon amount was cleared with me. We're talking a less then 1% increase. That's impressive.
Picked up the roller a couple weeks back. The hung the engine trans, case, trussed and linked the axles and added 14" Radflo coilovers. I'll be documenting the rest. The list is long for sure but I saved and will reuse a ton of parts from my old Ranger.
Specs: 306 long rod SBF, Fritts built C6, 4.3 Atlas, HP 60, 14 Bolt rear, 43 stickies. Wheel base is 118", weight is yet TBD. I'm thinking around 4400 w/o me.
If the build stays on budget, it's getting a whole new color. If not, it'll get a quick and dirty coat of TJ red.
At WOD on pick up day
View attachment 457000
Front shot of steering and truss
View attachment 456998
Initial to do list
View attachment 456997
As it sits now with radiator mount fab as job #1
View attachment 456999
Click to expand...
I was just looking at their YJ frame, I can’t find any pictures of what it would look like for my YJ. Your build looks awesome.
 
Jody Treadway said:
As much as I loved my Ranger, it had some inherant issues I didn't like. High COG, high entry/exit and crazy poor visibility. As it's chassis and cab were nearing the end of their lives, I called Wide Open Design and talked to them about swapping my drivetrain into one of their LJ chassis. This chassis will give me everything I want and still be roomy enough for me, my passenger an gear. Not to mention a factory hard or soft top still fits the tub.
Back in March I stripped the Ranger and hauled my SBF, C6, Atlas, 60 front and 14 Bolt rear to WOD. We went over the build plan and I had them add a couple of extras. The low ride height would require a DE ram setup instead of my OG single ended. I wanted them to add their ram mount to the front truss. I have never setup a 2 piece front shaft, so they added the mount and the intermediate shaft for me.
The communication was excellent with them from the start. I had signed a build contract and any expense over the agreed upon amount was cleared with me. We're talking a less then 1% increase. That's impressive.
Picked up the roller a couple weeks back. The hung the engine trans, case, trussed and linked the axles and added 14" Radflo coilovers. I'll be documenting the rest. The list is long for sure but I saved and will reuse a ton of parts from my old Ranger.
Specs: 306 long rod SBF, Fritts built C6, 4.3 Atlas, HP 60, 14 Bolt rear, 43 stickies. Wheel base is 118", weight is yet TBD. I'm thinking around 4400 w/o me.
If the build stays on budget, it's getting a whole new color. If not, it'll get a quick and dirty coat of TJ red.
At WOD on pick up day
View attachment 457000
Front shot of steering and truss
View attachment 456998
Initial to do list
View attachment 456997
As it sits now with radiator mount fab as job #1
View attachment 456999
Click to expand...
I was just looking at their YJ frame, I can’t find any pictures of what it would look like for my YJ. Your build looks
Jody Treadway said:
Thanks man. Their frames are very similar between the different Jeep bodies they fit.
If you want an specific pics, lemme know
Click to expand...
good evening, is the frame stretched or OEM length?. My concern is having a short rear drive shaft. My goal is to run a V8/auto tranny/ Atlas Tcase/ 1 Tons’. Does the cage mount to the frame?.
 
mack said:
I was just looking at their YJ frame, I can’t find any pictures of what it would look like for my YJ. Your build looks

good evening, is the frame stretched or OEM length?. My concern is having a short rear drive shaft. My goal is to run a V8/auto tranny/ Atlas Tcase/ 1 Tons’. Does the cage mount to the frame?.
Click to expand...
Here's literally everything about the YJ version from their website.
wideopendesign.com

Wide Open Design JC Chassis for Jeep CJ / YJ

Shop the Wide Open Design JC chassis for Jeep CJ and YJ builds. Designed to combine Jeep trail comfort with the strength and performance of a full tube buggy.
wideopendesign.com wideopendesign.com
 
Spent the weekend chilling with my wife and the pups. So no progress was made on the LJ. Found a great deli and a new to us waterfall, so that's a win.
Anywho...
Stripped down the fuel cell yesterday for new paint and a good cleaning. Replaced the pre-filter, cleaned out the cell and threw a few coats of flat black high temp paint on the cell.
Why high temp? Because I'm cheap and Advance had cases of it on clearance for $1 a can earlier this year.
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While paint was drying, I installed some 5.38s and new bearings in my old 14 Bolt from the Ranger. Local kid is putting it in his XJ.
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More to come this week when it's not swamp ass degrees in the shop after work.
 
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1 step forward...
Got the Atlas cable shifters on and mocked up to the Genright console. Started doing the same with the Winters C6 shifter. But the driveshaft and cable want the same real estate. On my Ranger, it was similar and I routed the trans cable forward around the oil pan, up the pass side of the trans, to the shifter. But the exhaust continually compromised the cable. That being something I'm not doing again, back to the drawing board there.
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Went ahead and reassembled the fuel cell in preparation of deciding exact where it will bolt down.
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Was going to finish patching the floor board today. But my Esab welder decided it was time to have a seizure. Full blown grand mal crap. Wasted 2 hours getting it back operational.
In the mean time, I mocked up the console and realized what I had already done to the floors wasn't gonna work.
So I cussed on a Sunday afternoon and threw 4 hours of work in the dumpster.
Sheetmetal fab sucks. So I decided to tear down a JT I'm gearing, adding a front E locker and RCVs and some trusses to this week. I can do that stuff without pissing myself off.
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I've realized with my limited shop time, not to set a firm deadline yet. I'm not going to rush it and it not turnout like I want.
 
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does your atlas have a tapped hole for a stud on top? the sheet metal tab has me confused for purpose, jumps to the passenger side?
 
Jody Treadway said:
1 step forward...
Got the Atlas cable shifters on and mocked up to the Genright console. Started doing the same with the Winters C6 shifter. But the driveshaft and cable want the same real estate. On my Ranger, it was similar and I routed the trans cable forward around the oil pan, up the pass side of the trans, to the shifter. But the exhaust continually compromised the cable. That being something I'm not doing again, back to the drawing board there.
View attachment 460227View attachment 460228
Went ahead and reassembled the fuel cell in preparation of deciding exact where it will bolt down.
View attachment 460229
Was going to finish patching the floor board today. But my Esab welder decided it was time to have a seizure. Full blown grand mal crap. Wasted 2 hours getting it back operational.
In the mean time, I mocked up the console and realized what I had already done to the floors wasn't gonna work.
So I cussed on a Sunday afternoon and threw 4 hours of work in the dumpster.
Sheetmetal fab sucks. So I decided to tear down a JT I'm gearing, adding a front E locker and RCVs and some trusses to this week. I can do that stuff without pissing myself off.
View attachment 460232View attachment 460233
I've realized with my limited shop time, not to set a firm deadline yet. I'm not going to rush it and it not turnout like I want.
Click to expand...
What size driveshafts you running?
 
It's been an incredibly hectic last few weeks. As a result, pretty much zero shop time aside from equipment at work. But today my wife wasn't in the ER and we didn't have a truck broken down.
So...
Got my Carolina Driveline driveshafts installed and cycled. The front clears the exhaust by the thickness of a sticker. For a hillbilly like me, that's impressive. Rear shaft installed so I can make a mount for the transmission cooler. It's gonna live in the space underneath the tub above the shaft.
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On to the battery box. I grabbed a typical Optima style battery box from Motobilt. I want the battery under hood and near the OEM location. That will keep power runs shorter as well as more storage space. These don't have any mounts so I welded on a 2 bolt plate with gusset for the bottom and through bolted the top with a sandwich plate inside.
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There will be a MAF mount coming off the top of the box and the air filter will live over top of the battery.
The transmission shifter cable and the lever and mount were going to be a clearance issue. I was able to cut and reweld/clock the lever and get the cable installed. There is a less than 1/8" between the mid shaft and the lever hardware in low gear. But having a solid mounted drivetrain, if it clears, it clears.
Atlas and trans shifters are ready to install once I assemble the console.
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Up next will be getting the air intake sorted, trans cooler mounted and then start on electrical and plumbing.
 
I’ve got a box somewhere in the shop with an assortment of I think 4” intake couplers in different shapes and maybe some aluminum tubing. I can snap some pics in the AM if you think you could use any of it.
 
Hokie_YJ said:
I’ve got a box somewhere in the shop with an assortment of I think 4” intake couplers in different shapes and maybe some aluminum tubing. I can snap some pics in the AM if you think you could use any of it.
Click to expand...
Thanks man. I have already got them all here. Gotta see if a 45* or a 90* is most gooder.
I appreciate it buddy
 
Called up Wide Open today and got the rear sway bar on order. I started measuring to see what width bar and arms would be best. After speaking to them, I was totally wrong. So I simply paid the man and got the right kit along with their frame mounts for the chassis headed this way.
Once I get it installed, I'll be dangerously close to setting it on the ground and learning, err I mean determining coil over spring needs.
Plan to get the console assembled and mocked up today after work. That'll put me ready to hook up shifters and my Switch Pro
 
Got the Genright console roughed in pretty much. Had to do some grinding and cutting here and there. But it's essentially all set. Waiting on their aluminum tunnel cover to come in next week and I'll be able to finally get the floor pans done.
It's got cut outs for the trans shifter, Atlas cable shifters, cup holders and 2 12 volt/USB ports.
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Last week they released this video showcasing their latest turn key LJC.

I really like the underbody fuel cell and skid so I asked about it. It'll adapt to my chassis just fine and comes ready for their in tank pump. Just about $3k shipped, so my old bladder cell is hanging around. It's really nice and we'll engineered. But that much just ain't in the budget.
 
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