Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Man, it looks really good Jeff.
The more I look at this, the more I think it would be really cool if the slider made a step platform, almost like a running board, but with punch holes for a more industrial/period military look.
In any case, super nice work! :beer:
The more I look at this, the more I think it would be really cool if the slider made a step platform, almost like a running board, but with punch holes for a more industrial/period military look.
In any case, super nice work! :beer:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you very much. The look I was going for has been achieved
.One other thing I think I need to do now - the bumper looks too long, so maybe I'll do this: https://www.quadratec.com/products/12106_0004_07.htm
Something like this for the slider/step? Wouldn't be hard to make one of these and mount it to the Rubicon rock rail.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Thank you very much. The look I was going for has been achieved
One other thing I think I need to do now - the bumper looks too long, so maybe I'll do this: https://www.quadratec.com/products/12106_0004_07.htm
Something like this for the slider/step? Wouldn't be hard to make one of these and mount it to the Rubicon rock rail.
Agree with you, and have always liked that Stubby kit.
The drawing of the side rails nails it! Really gives a finished look, in a classic fashion. :beer:
thechadwick
New member
That looks great! Added protection if it's done in heavier gauge and super clean lines. I've got to ask, have you put the rhino grill on the above mock up? Maybe it's just me, but with the flat fenders it seems more appropriate for a willys wagon build like below:
I know you are mainly interested in going where no man has gone before though. Something about the willys style flat fender look kinda jars with the J-series to me. The Gladiator that the M-715 was based off had a much more rounded appearance that carried over into the wagoneer.
What would be really cool and match the rugged utility of the flat fenders would be rounded ones like on the 715 like so:
Not sure if all that makes sense, but either way, fenders like yours on that truck (I think you mentioned Art in another thread?) with some wood vinyl side panels would sure be a hit I bet. Great looking rig as usual, lots of fun to follow along from a stock sahara JKU to this beauty.
I know you are mainly interested in going where no man has gone before though. Something about the willys style flat fender look kinda jars with the J-series to me. The Gladiator that the M-715 was based off had a much more rounded appearance that carried over into the wagoneer.
What would be really cool and match the rugged utility of the flat fenders would be rounded ones like on the 715 like so:
Not sure if all that makes sense, but either way, fenders like yours on that truck (I think you mentioned Art in another thread?) with some wood vinyl side panels would sure be a hit I bet. Great looking rig as usual, lots of fun to follow along from a stock sahara JKU to this beauty.
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jscherb
Expedition Leader
Maybe I'll add a running board to my to-do list. Won't be soon though, I really want to make some progress on the Retro Rhino kit.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
If the flat fenders don't look right when I get the Retro Rhino kit done, no problem, I'll make some round fenders like those on the M715's, take off the flat fenders and put the new round ones on. No big deal to make a new set of molds for round fenders
.TrailBadger
Banned
I think Scherb's flats would suit the Willys wagon better in this respect..
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Now that the Rubican mount is in place on the fridge slide, I made up a sink panel for the fold-down table. The panel is a direct replacement for the original wood panel and folds down/stows just like the wood one but it has a hole in it for a small RV sink. In order to stow, the sink is removable - it just sits down inside the hole in the panel.
To fold/stow the table, the sink is just lifted out of the hole and stowed elsewhere.
Because the bottom of the Rubican is several inches above the top of the sink, the Rubican can be used as a gravity-fed water source for a faucet. I haven't installed a faucet yet, but it will be easy to do and plumb to the Rubican with a flexible hose.
To fold/stow the table, the sink is just lifted out of the hole and stowed elsewhere.
Because the bottom of the Rubican is several inches above the top of the sink, the Rubican can be used as a gravity-fed water source for a faucet. I haven't installed a faucet yet, but it will be easy to do and plumb to the Rubican with a flexible hose.
oh man, this is the most epic thread I have ever seen. Jeff, you are the Willys Wonka of the Jeep world.
I found this thread last week while looking for a barn door conversion for my Jeep. After reading about the barn door and then the modular Safari top I had to go back and start from the very beginning. You finished them around page 100, but I had to keep reading to see what else you came up with, if you ever did a camper top, and if anyone picked them up to manufacture. 249 pages later I am back to the present and sooooooo upset. I can't believe nobody has picked up your designs for the barn door or safari top. They are killer, and I really, really want them both (but maybe with the camper setup you designed but never built) I am a pretty novice do it yourselfer but after making a few upgrades and accessories for my Jeep, and after a couple bad shop experiences and deciding to do a head gasket/engine rebuild myself I have started to realize I need to learn some new skills and spend more time doing things myself. I'm a big believer in buying well made but reasonably priced parts or accessories, but only if they are really what I want/need, or if I can't figure out a way to accomplish the same goal myself. For instance, I think Goose Gear makes an incredible product, but I think it is very expensive and they don't have a system that really fit all my needs so I am making my own storage/sleep system. After reading this thread, it seems my only options for getting a good barn door or modular hardtop/camper top would be to learn some fiberglass skills and do it myself. I will however be picking up a set of the hinges and tailgate reinforcement you designed because they look to be extremely well built, accomplish my goal of allowing more weight to be attached to the tailgate/spare tire, are an upgrade to the stock hinges which are starting to go after 200k miles, and are a much better design and much less expensive than most of the tire carrier bumpers or alternatives out there. I was about to go on and on about my ideas for the camper top, but I'll save you all the ramblings since it doesn't seem we will be getting back to the Safari or camper top soon, but if we do I have a ton of ideas for the camper top.
Great stuff Jeff, keep up the good work and if I ever decide to try my hand at either modifying an Ursa Minor top, or maybe building my own camper top I hope you won't mind me bouncing some ideas off of you.
I found this thread last week while looking for a barn door conversion for my Jeep. After reading about the barn door and then the modular Safari top I had to go back and start from the very beginning. You finished them around page 100, but I had to keep reading to see what else you came up with, if you ever did a camper top, and if anyone picked them up to manufacture. 249 pages later I am back to the present and sooooooo upset. I can't believe nobody has picked up your designs for the barn door or safari top. They are killer, and I really, really want them both (but maybe with the camper setup you designed but never built) I am a pretty novice do it yourselfer but after making a few upgrades and accessories for my Jeep, and after a couple bad shop experiences and deciding to do a head gasket/engine rebuild myself I have started to realize I need to learn some new skills and spend more time doing things myself. I'm a big believer in buying well made but reasonably priced parts or accessories, but only if they are really what I want/need, or if I can't figure out a way to accomplish the same goal myself. For instance, I think Goose Gear makes an incredible product, but I think it is very expensive and they don't have a system that really fit all my needs so I am making my own storage/sleep system. After reading this thread, it seems my only options for getting a good barn door or modular hardtop/camper top would be to learn some fiberglass skills and do it myself. I will however be picking up a set of the hinges and tailgate reinforcement you designed because they look to be extremely well built, accomplish my goal of allowing more weight to be attached to the tailgate/spare tire, are an upgrade to the stock hinges which are starting to go after 200k miles, and are a much better design and much less expensive than most of the tire carrier bumpers or alternatives out there. I was about to go on and on about my ideas for the camper top, but I'll save you all the ramblings since it doesn't seem we will be getting back to the Safari or camper top soon, but if we do I have a ton of ideas for the camper top.
Great stuff Jeff, keep up the good work and if I ever decide to try my hand at either modifying an Ursa Minor top, or maybe building my own camper top I hope you won't mind me bouncing some ideas off of you.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you.
A JK/JKU camper top is an active design project of mine, I just haven't posted about it in a long time. Recently I've been working on the design of a tub extension that could add a foot or more of length to the back of the tub for extra space, and along with that I've been doing some design work on a longer hardtop. So if you have camper ideas, feel free to post them, maybe I'll incorporate them in the design and post concept drawings.
As for the barn door, the only companies/people that have been interested in it so far I don't think have been qualified to turn it into a product, but if there are any companies or people interested in it as a product I'd be happy to talk to them. Also a while back I posted the idea of a DIY barn door kit, it would provide the fiberglass shell and leave it up to the buyer to mount to the tailgate, install whatever window they wanted, etc. I figured it could be a very affordable way for the barn door to be available, but there was very little interest in the idea. Maybe most of the JK/JKU crowd wants "bolt and go" accessories.
And always feel free to bounce ideas off me, I'm very happy to offer advice and whatever help I can give.
jeff
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Continuing on the fridge/table/sink project, I made up a spigot mount and plumbed it to the Rubican.
It's plumbed over to the Rubican that's mounted on the panel on the side of the fridge.
In operation:
The spigot mount is held in place by the sink being in the tabletop, so when the sink is lifted out of the tabletop the spigot mount comes out too - no hardware involved.
All that's needed now is a drain fitting in the sink leading to a gray water can.
The Rubican has a 10 liter (2.6 gallon) capacity, which is a pretty good amount to supply a sink, but using available mounts, a lot more water could be carried. The side mounts, for example, could be used (photo obviously taken before the installation of the flat fenders):
Since they're stackable and the side mount is plenty strong enough to hold multiple Rubicans, two could be stacked on each side of the Jeep for over 10 gallons of extra water in addition to the 2.6 gallons next to the fridge. Or, a jerry can could be on one side to be the gray water container, and two Rubicans could be on the other side to hold fresh water.
One other small enhancement... I made a slip-on cover for the table to protect it when it's stowed.
It's plumbed over to the Rubican that's mounted on the panel on the side of the fridge.
In operation:
The spigot mount is held in place by the sink being in the tabletop, so when the sink is lifted out of the tabletop the spigot mount comes out too - no hardware involved.
All that's needed now is a drain fitting in the sink leading to a gray water can.
The Rubican has a 10 liter (2.6 gallon) capacity, which is a pretty good amount to supply a sink, but using available mounts, a lot more water could be carried. The side mounts, for example, could be used (photo obviously taken before the installation of the flat fenders):
Since they're stackable and the side mount is plenty strong enough to hold multiple Rubicans, two could be stacked on each side of the Jeep for over 10 gallons of extra water in addition to the 2.6 gallons next to the fridge. Or, a jerry can could be on one side to be the gray water container, and two Rubicans could be on the other side to hold fresh water.
One other small enhancement... I made a slip-on cover for the table to protect it when it's stowed.
jgaz
Adventurer
You have designed and built one of the nicest slide and table setups I've seen. I'm not sure I'd use the sink, but it is a really nice option to have.
I really like the molle panel you fabricated. I figured when I asked about its construction several posts ago that you had done the hole saw and jig saw method but it looked so well done that I was curious. If I may ask, what slot dimensions did you use?
I really like the molle panel you fabricated. I figured when I asked about its construction several posts ago that you had done the hole saw and jig saw method but it looked so well done that I was curious. If I may ask, what slot dimensions did you use?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you very much.
I designed the system in a modular way so if it ever became a product you wouldn't have to use (or buy) the sink component if you didn't need it. You could start with the basic slide/drawer, and optionally add the drawer-top table, the fold-down side table (either as a full table or with the sink option), the Molle/Rubican panel (optionally with a Rubican, or not if you wanted to use it for Molle only). The electrical system and battery carrier could also be options (and the battery carrier is already on the market - it's the MORryde JK inner fender ammo can holder). The idea is to get just what you need and upgrade later if needs change. Now having said all that, I have no idea if it will ever be a product - I will turn all the ideas over to the companies who provided the base slide and fridge and if they want to do anything with it they can. At this point I'm pretty much done with it.
For the slots in the Molle panel I used a 1" hole saw and most of the slots are 3" long although a few in the middle by the Rubican/Rotopax mounting holes are a little longer.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Some before and after photos of the fenders. Also showing junk the prior owner installed that I removed, like the light hoop on the front bumper and the air dam on the hood. I also removed the Sahara silver bumper overlays, the Jeep logo on the grille, and I swapped the side steps for rock rails.
The first thing you may notice is the great increase in tire clearance, or perhaps a more accurate description would be that you notice that my stock tires now look too small.
I never realized how big the factory fenders look, to me the new ones look much better proportioned for the Jeep.
The new ones colorized for a better comparison to the body color Sahara fenders.
The first thing you may notice is the great increase in tire clearance, or perhaps a more accurate description would be that you notice that my stock tires now look too small
.
I never realized how big the factory fenders look, to me the new ones look much better proportioned for the Jeep.
The new ones colorized for a better comparison to the body color Sahara fenders.