Body Swap

I'm going to swap bodies on my CJ 5 as mine is tired and needs a lot of patching. The new body just needs drivers floor but I'm going to need the hat channel too anyone know where I can get them or did you make them?. And what did you use if so. One other question for those who have done body swaps what problems did you run into?. Thanks in advance, Ben

 

You can get the hat channel here http://classicent.com/jeep.php

 

Thank you for the information. Ben

 

Body swap on these is pretty straight forward. A couple of average guys can lift it off and on and there really isn't much to dismantle. It's easier if you remove the steering column but can be done with it in place (I left mine in place) but the steering wheel needs to come off -- which can actually be one of the toughest parts.

 

Some here have used rectangular tubing to replace hat channels. Seems to work well. You'd buy sticks of it from your local metal supplier.

The CE hat channels are nice, and will weld up without a lot of cutting and piecing. Raw hat channel is not hard to make if you have a brake. A local sheet metal shop (often a place that makes ventilation ducts and such) can make it for you, if you don't have the tools. If you want to go that way, you can cut it and weld back together to make the bends you need. More work, but not difficult.