Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[StayDirtyMyFriends]

Plywood may be stiff enough, and installing an RV window in it will also stiffen the plywood so that may work out. Thicker plywood may stand proud of the hardtop - the original glass is about 1/4" thick and I believe when closed it ends up roughly flush with the hardtop or slightly lower, so 3/4" plywood may be raised as much as 1/2" from the surface of the hardtop at that point. That may or may not be objectionable to you.

You could use thinner plywood, even 1/4", if you build a supporting structure inside it. The Safari Cab barn door has an internal structure to make it completely rigid, it's visible in this photo. There's a raised area going all the way around the window (consistent with automotive practice for the last 100 years or so ); this area is wider at the bottom to enclosed the wiper motor. With a structure something like this even 1/4" plywood would be rigid enough and it would integrate nicely with the hardtop as it slopes in.

That was a thought too since I need 1/4" plywood for another fiberglassing project. Building bracing like that would also give me a place to hide wiring for a CHMSL, and a second higher backup cam to use when towing my trailer. I may be able to use the excess from my other project to fab a barn door with. Thanks again for your ideas and suggestions.

 

[Comanche Scott]

You both had my attention at the Craft Beer sign! :beer:

 

[rubicon91]

You both had my attention at the Craft Beer sign! :beer:[/QUOT
hahahaha Scott I debated on whether to say something directly to you in the post but decided not to.

 

[jscherb]

You both had my attention at the Craft Beer sign! :beer:

Ford's Garage, Cape Coral... http://fordsgarageusa.com/

 

[Comanche Scott]

Hey, that's an awesome place to meet up!

 

[rubicon91]

Hey, that's an awesome place to meet up!

Yes it is. Also nice and big parking area so we can check out all the new designs. That is at least when it isn't raining lol.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[jscherb]

I've been approached by a Jeep accessories company about the flat fenders, they're interested in bringing them to market. I'm trying to decide if they're worth bringing to market, I'm not sure for these reasons -

- There are many aftermarket fender options these would have to compete with, which probably limits the market for them.

- I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on them from this and other places I've posted the project, but also some people have said things like "they're too flat" or "the angles are too sharp, they should be more rounded", so that makes me think those people just don't get the Willys look or don't think it's appropriate for a JK. I love them of course and I don't like any of the rounded ones on the market, but I would love them, I'm designed them to look like they do .

- They'd probably have to be priced around $700-$750 for a set of four, which puts them at or below the midpoint of the aftermarket fender options, but they wouldn't be a "low price choice".

If there were no tooling costs necessary to get them to market I'd feel better about letting this company go ahead with them, but they would have to make a few thousand dollar investment in production molds, my prototype molds are just that - good for making prototypes but they wouldn't be appropriate for volume production.

If they went ahead, they'd probably mold them in black like I did, so they wouldn't require painting unless the person wanted them color matched like I plan to do. They could also offer them untrimmed, and/or with any of the trim options we've discussed in this thread, that would be up to them.

At this point I'm inclined to say no, but I'd like to hear what you guys think about the possibility of these being on the market.

 

[rubicon91]

Man that is a tough one Jeff as we talked other night. I think they look great and would rock them. The rears as well were discussing would need to be a little narrower for someone like me with a smaller rear bumper. They are from a price point on bottom end which is great but idk if they would get enough sales to make it worth their while as much as I liked them. Tough call.

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[akpostal]

Dont deny the people those fenders!

The 2 door sliding windows need to come out soon, Ive spent too much on my guns lately.

 

[danraposo]

I regularly camp out in the back of my Jeep and prefer it to a ground tent, which is why I am building a storage system that can easily convert into a nice size sleeping platform. While a pop up camper would be an even more ideal solution, I'm just having a hard time justifying 10k for the UM pop top once select all the options I would want in it. I think they make a great product, but I would prefer something that doesn't increase the height as much over a stock hard top, and it would be great if it was more modular like your safari top so it could be more easily removed when you didn't need the full pop up.

I am thinking of using your step by step instructions to cut up my top, but I have never worked with fiberglass and am a little nervous it may be a bit ambitious for a first fiberglass project. Do you have any suggestions for a novice looking to learn about fiberglass? I believe you mentioned a book at one point in this thread but I can't find it now, or maybe there are some good websites you could recommend?

One of the main reasons I love the modular top you designed is because I think it would be a great starting point for being able to switch out the freedom panels and roof section for a "drop in" pop up camper type roof section. I'm thinking the camper top would have a bottom layer that would act as the sleeping base and this would bolt to the frame and other modular roof sections. Then there would be the actual roof on top of the bottom layer that would be connected via the tent, hydraulic arms and then some sort of clamps for when it is in the down position. It is kind of hard to explain, but I'll try to put together a sketch of what I'm thinking of for it.

If I can bring myself to go modular on my hard top and do the fiberglass work, maybe I can take the next step and do a barn door, and then another step and build myself a modular camper top instead of shelling out 10k on an UM top that I may not be 100% happy with in the long run. Too ambitious for a first timer???

 

[jscherb]

...If I can bring myself to go modular on my hard top and do the fiberglass work, maybe I can take the next step and do a barn door, and then another step and build myself a modular camper top instead of shelling out 10k on an UM top that I may not be 100% happy with in the long run. Too ambitious for a first timer???

I designed the factory modular conversion and the step-by-step instructions with the DIY-er in mind - someone who has some DIY experience but hasn't worked with fiberglass before shouldn't have much trouble doing the conversion, so that's a very reasonable first fiberglass project assuming you're brave enough to cut your factory hardtop into pieces .

Building a barn door from for a factory hardtop scratch is an advanced fiberglass project that I wouldn't recommend until you have some experience building molds and molding fiberglass parts. In order to seal out the weather, the barn door needs to be curved in both directions to match the curves of the factory hardtop opening, and it needs to be stiff enough to exert consistent pressure on the weatherstrip all around the perimeter. And if you plan to put a window in it, in spite of it being curved you need to build a flat area into it for the glass/window because getting custom curved glass made is cost prohibitive. Designing and building molds to meet those requirements is an advanced project.

As for building a modular camper top, I have done a design for a pop-top modular camper based on the factory modular conversion but so far I haven't posted about it. Since I've only heard of one person who did even a partial modular conversion of his hardtop following the instructions I posted, I doubt anyone would take on the camper top project.

 

[jscherb]

The 2 door sliding windows need to come out soon, Ive spent too much on my guns lately.

Current status of the 2dr factory hardtop slider window kit: Two weeks ago I received a preproduction retrofit kit from the manufacturer and I've signed off on it for production. I expect to hear any day now from the window company that they've got a preproduction slider window ready for my sign-off. Once I sign off on the slider window it should only be a short time before the full kit is available for purchase.

 

[jscherb]

Man that is a tough one Jeff as we talked other night. I think they look great and would rock them. The rears as well were discussing would need to be a little narrower for someone like me with a smaller rear bumper. They are from a price point on bottom end which is great but idk if they would get enough sales to make it worth their while as much as I liked them. Tough call.

Donny,
Narrower rear fenders are very easy to do (wider ones are also easy), but as we discussed the current width of the rear fenders is the minimum required for full coverage of the tires (and in fact they're narrower than the factory rear fenders) - any narrower and they'd be illegal in some states (Pennsylvania, for example). In spite of that, even in Pennsylvania (I live just over the border) I see many Jeeps with "illegal" fenders, so if a company thought that narrower fenders (or wider fenders) would be good in the market that could be done very easily.

 

[thechadwick]

Plus one more on giving the fenders a greenlight for production. It's a unique offering in the market. I bet if you even staged a photoshoot with the color-matched flares and a set of large knobby tires (I'm betting the market looking for these flares is probably already running larger tires to begin with) it would be one issue of any of the popular 4x4 magazines away from several orders. They look great black, they'll look great color-matched, and while the price at 750 may not be the lowest end of the market, fenders that bolt on with no fuss are certainly one of the most popular modifications around.

I'd also be very interested in hearing more about the modular top-based camper as well. It's still pretty tough to leave the top off down here in southern GA during the rainy months, but come fall I am setting aside some time to take a swing at going modular myself.

 

[Comanche Scott]

I've been approached by a Jeep accessories company about the flat fenders, they're interested in bringing them to market. I'm trying to decide if they're worth bringing to market, I'm not sure for these reasons -

- There are many aftermarket fender options these would have to compete with, which probably limits the market for them.

- I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on them from this and other places I've posted the project, but also some people have said things like "they're too flat" or "the angles are too sharp, they should be more rounded", so that makes me think those people just don't get the Willys look or don't think it's appropriate for a JK. I love them of course and I don't like any of the rounded ones on the market, but I would love them, I'm designed them to look like they do .

- They'd probably have to be priced around $700-$750 for a set of four, which puts them at or below the midpoint of the aftermarket fender options, but they wouldn't be a "low price choice".

If there were no tooling costs necessary to get them to market I'd feel better about letting this company go ahead with them, but they would have to make a few thousand dollar investment in production molds, my prototype molds are just that - good for making prototypes but they wouldn't be appropriate for volume production.

If they went ahead, they'd probably mold them in black like I did, so they wouldn't require painting unless the person wanted them color matched like I plan to do. They could also offer them untrimmed, and/or with any of the trim options we've discussed in this thread, that would be up to them.

At this point I'm inclined to say no, but I'd like to hear what you guys think about the possibility of these being on the market.

Don't sell yourself, or your design short amigo! Everything on a Jeep, including the Jeep itself will have lovers & haters.
I didnt' get my cup holders on the front fenders, or my built in step on the rear fender, and I still dig them... :elkgrin:

If I'm in charge of the company making you an offer, before agreeing to license a product, I'm going to get the marketing group involved. If Marketing, production, and engineering are all in agreement, I'd make you an offer.
The other time I might make an offer, is if I have a competing product, and yours is better. I may not want it getting out to my competition. I'm going to make you an exclusive offer.
So, if this company has done due diligence, and you are comfortable with their reputation go for it.
It sounds like another winner for everyone. :victory: