Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
mmccurdy
Adventurer
I mean this in the most respectful way, but I think it may be time to start a new thread (or three) to discuss the various great ideas @jscherb has raised in the past few posts. It's good stuff, but it's probably lost on members of the general forum being buried under the "Barn door..." thread. At the same time, folks interested in barn door mods may or may not be interested in wiring/door hinges/etc. Just my two cents for you to take or leave as you like... keep up the awesome work!
02rangeredge
Adventurer
I disagree, it's convenient, I keep checking this thread for jscherb's newest plans and ideas
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've been in the Elkhart, Indiana areas the last few days, so here are a few udpdates from the trip...
I met with the RV window company that's making the slider windows for the JK factory hardtop retrofit kit. Made sure a few details were on track; the first production run should happen next week.
Also discussed the Freedom Panel skylight project with them, they're ready to make the glass any time.
I met with the hardware company that's going to make the LED mounting brackets for the Jeep accessories company. I turned over engineering drawings for all of the mounts I've built prototypes of and shown in this thread. They'll prep the designs for manufacturing and will run a few prototypes of each for me to verify and test.
Also discussed the hinges for the skylight project with them; they'll be making the hinges for the glass.
BTW the other day I suggested a name and graphic for the LED product line to the Jeep accessories company and they seem to like it, here's a draft...
I also met with the company that manufactures/markets a number of my hardware designs and accessory designs. They had the cargo net version of the Storegate tailgate storage compartment ready for me to sign off on, which I did, so that will be available soon. The version with the swing-down locking door/trail table was released last month.
I've had a prototype cargo net version in my LJ Safari ever since I designed it a few years ago:
The company doing the Storegate also does the JK HD tailgate hinges; I showed them the matching HD door hinge prototype I posted the other day and they liked that, so they may become products if they can manufacture them (in the USA) at a price that makes sense. I designed them with cost-efficient manufacturing in mind, so hopefully that will work out.
They'll be an exhibitor at the vendor expo at Easter Jeep Safari, and we also discussed a new product idea they'd like to have in a prototype stage by then. More on that when I can talk about it.
And finally, I'll report that on my trip to Indiana from upstate NY my Retro Wrangler pickup passed the 100,000 mile mark. I took this photo of it encrusted in road salt at an Ohio Turnpike rest stop a dusk Wednesday, just a few miles before 100k. I built it in 2008/9 out of a stock LJ - that was 75,000 miles ago and it's been a very reliable daily driver and parts hauler ever since.
I met with the RV window company that's making the slider windows for the JK factory hardtop retrofit kit. Made sure a few details were on track; the first production run should happen next week.
Also discussed the Freedom Panel skylight project with them, they're ready to make the glass any time.
I met with the hardware company that's going to make the LED mounting brackets for the Jeep accessories company. I turned over engineering drawings for all of the mounts I've built prototypes of and shown in this thread. They'll prep the designs for manufacturing and will run a few prototypes of each for me to verify and test.
Also discussed the hinges for the skylight project with them; they'll be making the hinges for the glass.
BTW the other day I suggested a name and graphic for the LED product line to the Jeep accessories company and they seem to like it, here's a draft...
I also met with the company that manufactures/markets a number of my hardware designs and accessory designs. They had the cargo net version of the Storegate tailgate storage compartment ready for me to sign off on, which I did, so that will be available soon. The version with the swing-down locking door/trail table was released last month.
I've had a prototype cargo net version in my LJ Safari ever since I designed it a few years ago:
The company doing the Storegate also does the JK HD tailgate hinges; I showed them the matching HD door hinge prototype I posted the other day and they liked that, so they may become products if they can manufacture them (in the USA) at a price that makes sense. I designed them with cost-efficient manufacturing in mind, so hopefully that will work out.
They'll be an exhibitor at the vendor expo at Easter Jeep Safari, and we also discussed a new product idea they'd like to have in a prototype stage by then. More on that when I can talk about it.
And finally, I'll report that on my trip to Indiana from upstate NY my Retro Wrangler pickup passed the 100,000 mile mark. I took this photo of it encrusted in road salt at an Ohio Turnpike rest stop a dusk Wednesday, just a few miles before 100k. I built it in 2008/9 out of a stock LJ - that was 75,000 miles ago and it's been a very reliable daily driver and parts hauler ever since.
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jscherb
Expedition Leader
This morning I was wondering what it would take to customize the LED pods to match the Jeep, perhaps having the lens bezels match the body color?
It turns out (pun intended) that the bezels are easy to unscrew, using long-nose pliers as a spanner wrench. The bezel could then be painted any color one wants, perhaps to match the body of the Jeep, and screwed back in place.
The company will likely offer a few optional bezel colors, but it would be very easy to customize them with a rattle can of touch-up paint to match the Jeep.
It turns out (pun intended) that the bezels are easy to unscrew, using long-nose pliers as a spanner wrench. The bezel could then be painted any color one wants, perhaps to match the body of the Jeep, and screwed back in place.
The company will likely offer a few optional bezel colors, but it would be very easy to customize them with a rattle can of touch-up paint to match the Jeep.
Jakes01234
Explorer
I'll good stuff. I keep checking in for the sliders.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The first production will probably be sometime next week.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I wonder why nobody's done real flat fenders for the JK yet - as far as I know, there are no true flat fenders out there. There are some that are sort-of flat, but most follow the curve in the fender that the factory flares mount into so they don't look like the original Willys MB/CJ-2a fenders. I did this concept drawing to show what I'm talking about:
Are there none out there because nobody thinks true flatfenders would be a good look on the JK?
Are there none out there because nobody thinks true flatfenders would be a good look on the JK?
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Thanks for guys like Jeff
Jeff,
I want to say thanks from us guys who have some build skills and a willingness to learn, but cannot conceptualize and come up with a workable design. Following your details on the M416 fiberglass thread on tventuring, I gained the confidence to build myself a trailer. I bought a welder and added that to my woodworking skills to build this. Your willingness to share ideas and designs is what made it possible. I love this trailer and will be taking it to Badlands and Mt Rushmore this Spring after spending last summer and Fall testing out a little closer to home.
Thanks again for what you do.
posted some more pics in the let's see thread http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/75496-LETS-SEE-YOUR-TRAILERS!!!!?p=2241987#post2241987
Jeff,
I want to say thanks from us guys who have some build skills and a willingness to learn, but cannot conceptualize and come up with a workable design. Following your details on the M416 fiberglass thread on tventuring, I gained the confidence to build myself a trailer. I bought a welder and added that to my woodworking skills to build this. Your willingness to share ideas and designs is what made it possible. I love this trailer and will be taking it to Badlands and Mt Rushmore this Spring after spending last summer and Fall testing out a little closer to home.
Thanks again for what you do.
posted some more pics in the let's see thread http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/75496-LETS-SEE-YOUR-TRAILERS!!!!?p=2241987#post2241987
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Jurfie
Adventurer
I wonder why nobody's done real flat fenders for the JK yet - as far as I know, there are no true flat fenders out there. There are some that are sort-of flat, but most follow the curve in the fender that the factory flares mount into so they don't look like the original Willys MB/CJ-2a fenders. I did this concept drawing to show what I'm talking about:
Are there none out there because nobody thinks true flatfenders would be a good look on the JK?
I can't really tell in the photos, but it appears the MCE fenders don't follow the curvature of the fender. Or are you referring to the "vertical" portion rather than the "horizontal" part?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm referring to both surfaces. The MCE fenders do follow the recesses for the factory fenders, so they are curved. I drew a straight line on this photo to show the curve:
Also the MCE fenders don't come out to the front of the grille, they stop where the recesses stop. I would want to extend them all the way like the original flat fenders.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Congrats on your trailer project, it looks fantastic! I'm glad I was able to help in some small way, that's a big part of why I post so much detail. It's very rewarding for me when others use the information in my posts to succeed at their own projects
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Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
I want fenders with cup holders...
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I made some "paper doll" mockups to see what the JK version might look like. The mockup needs a few adjustments - it's a bit wider in the rear than it should be, but overall I think it shows how the flat fenders would look.
These would be pretty easy to make in fiberglass.
These would be pretty easy to make in fiberglass.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I want fenders with cup holders...
You definitely won't get something like that from me.