Thanks Jeff. Just wondering about the LJ/TJ Safari Cab hardtops sold through GR8TOPS...are these hardtops designed with the sectional pieces (as is your LJ and the JKU Safari Cab on this thread) so the top can remain fixed while the various side pieces can be removed? All the photos on the GR8TOPS website show the hardtop as a complete unit. THANKS!!
Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The answer is "yes, sort of". I designed the LJ/TJ Safari Cab (and the JKU/JK Safari Cab) to be completely modular, specifically the sides and rear panels are separate so the sides can be removed leaving the rear panel(s) in place. This photo shows mine with the hard sides off/soft sides installed, and the rear panels are in place:
Gr8Tops decided that they would mold the Safari Cab in fewer pieces -- they made the side and end panels one piece. This photo shows some Gr8Tops side panels, you can see that there are end panels attached to each side (these are just out of the molds, no window holes cut yet):
So with the Gr8Tops version, you can't remove the sides and leave the rear panel in place. You can remove the sides, but the rear panels come off too because the sides/rear panels are one piece.
That doesn't mean you can't remove the sides and run soft sides, it just means that the soft sides must also include a soft rear panel, and also that some means of support for the rear of the roof needs to be provided. I designed two sets of soft sides for the Safari Cab, the set shown above uses the hard rear panels and either the hard barn door or a soft barn door, and the set below has soft sides (rolled up in this photo), a soft rear panel (also rolled up in this photo) and supports for the rear of the roof:
Designs for both types of soft sides exist and as you can see from the photos both designs have been implemented and tested. Also the supports for the roof have been designed, tested and manufactured - in addition to the prototype parts on my Safari Cab, last year I arranged for a limited production run of the supports for several people who bought Safari Cabs from Gr8Tops and wanted the ability to run without the sides and ends.
Great, I was hoping there was some modular flexibility to the GR8TOP cab. Are there supports still available and will they continue to be available? I am hopeful to get moving in time to get the Safari Cab before the inventory is out. Now, I just need to purchase a Wrangler LJ!!
As I have said countless times already (and all well deserved), thank you for your gracious patience, thorough explanations, and great designs!!
As I have said countless times already (and all well deserved), thank you for your gracious patience, thorough explanations, and great designs!!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The supports have never been generally available because Gr8Tops never offered them as an option. I arranged a special production run for a group of Safari Cab owners earlier this year as a favor to the group. More could be manufactured, but the company that manufactures them requires a minimum run of at least 4 sets.
You're welcome, my pleasure.
Thanks Jeff. I'm not sure of the price for each support unit or the price of the minimum production run, but I will contact Matt at GR8TOPS and see if he might be open to signing up for the minimum run and offering the structural supports as an option. I really love your Safari Cab design and it's flexibility...without the flexibility, the top looks really nice but it loses quite a bit of its offroading benefits. I think without the supports to make the top flexible, I might look to purchase a newer JK and look for other hardtop options...which makes me very sad...
Again, thanks for all your great work and your willingness to provide your creative insights!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
It isn't hard to fabricate supports, they're pretty simple, so if Gr8Tops isn't interested I can give you the details for making your own.
Excellent! Thank you very much!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
At the invitation of MORryde, I spent today at the RV Industry Association's annual industry-only trade show in Louisville, Kentucky. For those not familiar with MORryde, in addition to their line of Jeep products, they've been on of the key components suppliers to the RV industry for over 50 years, so they have a pretty good presence at the RVIA show.
They showed the two upcoming Jeep products they debuted at SEMA - the JK Overland Rack (with my minor addition to support HiLift jacks) and the Trail Kitchen. When they told me at SEMA that they planned to show those products at RVIA I didn't know if it made sense, because they're Jeep products, not RV products. But as t turned out, the products generated a surprisingly large amount of interest among the RVIA crowd. I spent some time in the booth listening to the questions asked and comments made by people and was surprised by the interest. So good call by MORryde.
I enjoyed my day at RVIA, checked out lots of RV components that might make sense on the Jeep/overlanding world and also checking out all of the smaller camp trailers (I spent zero time looking at the many huge multi-hundred-thousand-dollar RV's). As I sort through the many photos I took if there's I think are worth posting I will.
They showed the two upcoming Jeep products they debuted at SEMA - the JK Overland Rack (with my minor addition to support HiLift jacks) and the Trail Kitchen. When they told me at SEMA that they planned to show those products at RVIA I didn't know if it made sense, because they're Jeep products, not RV products. But as t turned out, the products generated a surprisingly large amount of interest among the RVIA crowd. I spent some time in the booth listening to the questions asked and comments made by people and was surprised by the interest. So good call by MORryde.
I enjoyed my day at RVIA, checked out lots of RV components that might make sense on the Jeep/overlanding world and also checking out all of the smaller camp trailers (I spent zero time looking at the many huge multi-hundred-thousand-dollar RV's). As I sort through the many photos I took if there's I think are worth posting I will.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
One of the optional features I want to add to the Trail Kitchen is a sink. I've done a prototype already, and I'm very happy with it:
The prototype spigot is gravity-fed from the Rubican container mounted on the side of the fridge, and flow is very good, but I've wanted to include a pump more flexibility in the placement of the water source - the gravity-fed prototype required that the outlet of the water source be above the sink spigot. So I met with several RV plumbing components suppliers at the show today to explore options. Long story short, I've got several samples being shipped to me - below is a very small 12v pump that'll work very well for the sink.
I've also got a cool folding faucet coming my way. When I get the samples in hand and connect them to the sink I'll post about it.
I may even experiment with doing a trail shower.
The prototype spigot is gravity-fed from the Rubican container mounted on the side of the fridge, and flow is very good, but I've wanted to include a pump more flexibility in the placement of the water source - the gravity-fed prototype required that the outlet of the water source be above the sink spigot. So I met with several RV plumbing components suppliers at the show today to explore options. Long story short, I've got several samples being shipped to me - below is a very small 12v pump that'll work very well for the sink.
I've also got a cool folding faucet coming my way. When I get the samples in hand and connect them to the sink I'll post about it.
I may even experiment with doing a trail shower.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks! I have one or two more minor adjustments I want to make to the design before I start making the mold master. Also I need a few supplies to make it and I plan to pick those up tomorrow, so work will start soon.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Trying out several different turn signals...
Factory CJ-7 turn signals might be a little large for this grille:
Factory CJ-2a turn signals are a little better sized. Being domed, they stick out a bit:
The ones I posted yesterday:
I'll be making the mold so any of the above could be installed, and could be installed outboard of the headlights like the stock JK grille, centered under the headlights, or inboard CJ-style.
Factory CJ-7 turn signals might be a little large for this grille:
Factory CJ-2a turn signals are a little better sized. Being domed, they stick out a bit:
The ones I posted yesterday:
I'll be making the mold so any of the above could be installed, and could be installed outboard of the headlights like the stock JK grille, centered under the headlights, or inboard CJ-style.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The way I plan to make the mold, using CJ7 turn signals will work just fine. I'm not sure which ones I'll use yet, maybe I'll have to pose the CJ7 lights on the Jeep to see how I feel about them.