Finally have the overhead console underway for my 97 tj. Its a mini ladder style. Hung the cb radio with zip ties to see exactly where I'll mount it. After the test fit I'll paint and cover with pipe insulation to protect and tighten up the soft top.
Good start. I went the other direction with mine. I went across the width of the jeep and made a storage basket that i can strap things to, and is perfect for kleenex and gloves in the winter... I've got my CB mounted to the bottom side of it now, and it works well. I've been thinking about modifying it to include a crossmember like what you're making where i can put molle packs or something...
Good start. I went the other direction with mine. I went across the width of the jeep and made a storage basket that i can strap things to, and is perfect for kleenex and gloves in the winter... I've got my CB mounted to the bottom side of it now, and it works well. I've been thinking about modifying it to include a crossmember like what you're making where i can put molle packs or something...
Nice rack roblaza. I considered going across the wind shield as you did. I went front to back in hope to use the rails to help tighten up my frame less soft top a bit.
Fabricated this mount tonight. Should fit nicely behind the third brake light. 1/8 inch thick, 1 3/4 inch angle iron x 16 inches long. Cut it with a jig saw to fit and put a radius on the corners with a file. I will mount the CB antenna on one side of the bracket and left the other for a future ham radio antenna. I know it may not be the best place to mount for transmitting but I believe it will be good enough. Time will tell. Total cost for antenna mount so far, $5.00. Couldn't finish drilling the holes to mount it as one of my co workers lost my larger drill at work last week. Ugh......$150 drill stolen or left in the ceiling somewhere on a college campus.
It was hot in the shop this afternoon.......glad to make a little progress.
Did some final test fit work for the antenna mount. Had to make a couple of cuts on each side of the tire mount so the angle iron would lay flat against the tire mount/tailgate. I think it turned out ok. No bonding of the electrical to the tailgait yet. No SWR test. That may be a few days out as I have the family in town this weekend. I did power up the CB and listen in. My shop is just off I-4 in central florida. A busy road. Not one person on the radio. I didn' transmit as SWR is not set and I have no idea what it will be. Don't want to damage the radio.
You guys are pretty creative and handy too. A lot of good ideas here. Been drawing up what I want my overhead console to look like. Discovered the SketchUP program, LOL!! ! hell of a lot easier to draw what I want than it will be to build it. Heres a glimpse of what ive been thinking about.
The 2 outside holes would be just that, cubby holes. The 2 inside holes would be for the CB on the right and a bank of switches on the left. Been toying with the idea of using a metal frame and a wood shell or maybe a completely metal console. Of course it would be built using light weight casing and a frame of 1/2x1/2x1/8 angle or possibly square tubing.
Any suggestions would be appreciated folks. Seeing as yall are well under way in your builds I was thinking I might learn from yall.
Keep up the great work guys.
You guys are pretty creative and handy too. A lot of good ideas here. Been drawing up what I want my overhead console to look like. Discovered the SketchUP program, LOL!! ! hell of a lot easier to draw what I want than it will be to build it. Heres a glimpse of what ive been thinking about.
The 2 outside holes would be just that, cubby holes. The 2 inside holes would be for the CB on the right and a bank of switches on the left. Been toying with the idea of using a metal frame and a wood shell or maybe a completely metal console. Of course it would be built using light weight casing and a frame of 1/2x1/2x1/8 angle or possibly square tubing.
Any suggestions would be appreciated folks. Seeing as yall are well under way in your builds I was thinking I might learn from yall.
Keep up the great work guys.
Welded out the overhead console today. Before I did I changed the piece of angle iron on the rear. I had it on top of the roll bar and didn't like the angle that the console ended up sitting at. It ran uphill about 6 degrees and I thought it looked funny. I moved the angle iron to rest under the roll bar and now the console runs at a similar level as the sides of the roll cage. I'll post some pictures before I take it out to paint.
We also set the SWR on the antenna. It is a firestick firefly. I was able to get channel 19 down to nearly 1:1.1. Channel 40 was around 1:1.6 and channel 1 around 1:1.2. I had to take the set screw off the top of the antenna and put the screw all the way in to get these readings with the plastic cap on. The antenna mount location may not be the best but I was able to talk 2 miles on it through the pine forest in central fl to another vehicle mounted CB.
Sandblasted and painted this afternoon. Rustoleum. ..primer then semi gloss black. It's what I had in the shop. Sandblasted before painting with a friends blaster. Having a beer and hoping it looks good in the a.m. not the best photos.
Console is in the jeep. Kind of anti climactic. Looks good and is functional but no wow factor. Still have some housekeeping to do with the power wire. Ran #8 wire to the battery so I can add another radio or device in the future.
Took it out for a test and drove to daytona beach. On the way home my left front brake caliper seized up. Finished a project I wanted to do and now have a project I have to do.....now that's a jeep thing.
Well I finally made a decision on my overhead console. I ordered King Starboard plastic sheeting to build it with. Ill be using 1/2" thick for strength on the face and rear panel and the top and bottom panels will be 1/4" thick. The overall dimensions will be 46"x9"x5".
Heres some pics of what ive done so far.
Drawing of what I intend it to look like
Some pics of the face layout
Theres so many different things I think of to add on its nuts
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