My Willys 3A and 3B Community

Your Projects => Your CJ-3A Project => Your Modified 3A Project => Topic started by: MikeB on October 07, 2018, 05:30:31 PM

Title: Steel half doors
Post by: MikeB on October 07, 2018, 05:30:31 PM: Well since no one makes them I decided to give it a try and make some steel half door for my M38. Turned out to be easier than I thought and cost of materials hasnï¿½t hit $30 Canadian yet.

Used 3/4ï¿½ square tube about 7 feet and 20ï¿½ of piano hinge.

Tools needed, welder, grinder with cut off disk and hard and soft grinding disks and a few hand tools.

I am about 3/4 finished just need to skin the doors and fab up a latch, on the fence about how to latch but I have a few ideas.

Basically use some cardboard and make a template of the door opening, using the template as a guide make a basic frame out of tubing, I chose to use a piano hinge so I will have a two piece door, but you could use a similar hinge that the soft doors of the after market tiger tops use.

Bending the tube to match the angle of the tub is fairly simple, just notch the tubing and bend, then weld the notch closed once you have the angle right.

Like I said I still need to skin the doors, thatï¿½s next weeks project.
Title: Re: Steel half doors
Post by: bverboy on October 07, 2018, 05:37:37 PM: very sharp factory looking
Title: Re: Steel half doors
Post by: MikeB on October 13, 2018, 03:46:36 PM: Didnï¿½t get to finish today, ran out of shielding gas for the welder, will have to finish next weekend, as I donï¿½t want to drive the 2 hours to town and back to get gas.

Skinned the door with 16 ga sheet metal, Itï¿½s a very sturdy door you can actually put a bit of weight on it when hung, the opening is perfect as the hindge lines up with the roll bar so Iï¿½m not loosing any leg room getting in or out.

Next week finish skinning the other door and mount latches then paint, bed liner on the inside and paint to match the tub on the outside. Toying with the idea of a solid maple or birch trim along the top of the door and some map pockets on the inside.
Title: Re: Steel half doors
Post by: MikeB on October 21, 2018, 02:19:37 PM: Finished this little project, total cost is under $100 including materials, paint, Shop supplies and hardware. Took about 10 hours to build over three weekends.

With that little side project out of the way itï¿½s time to rebuild my rear end. :D
Title: Re: Steel half doors
Post by: Brad Y. on October 29, 2018, 03:14:55 PM: Wow! That turned out looking really good. Seeing the pictures with all the shiny metal I was skeptical. Looks great finished and painted though.

By the way what paint are you using? Color?
Title: Re: Steel half doors
Post by: athawk11 on October 29, 2018, 08:18:10 PM: You do nice work.
Title: Re: Steel half doors
Post by: aboyandhisdog on October 29, 2018, 08:56:00 PM: Mike, why do you want doors? Is it so your top will fit easier with less screwing around? You really did do a nice job!
Title: Re: Steel half doors
Post by: MikeB on October 29, 2018, 10:47:02 PM: I mostly want then so my wife will feel a little more at ease riding in the Jeep. And to keep some of the elements out, I also plan on making a set of soft uppers using a set of damaged bestop doors.

The colour is a Matte non reflective kaki from cloverdale paint.