Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

About two months ago I posted about a tailgate cargo receiver design I was working on. It uses small receivers that mount to the tailgate (no drilling BTW) and accessory mounts that slip into the receivers. I made a bicycle carrier, which I've used mulitple times since, and prototype jerry/Rotopax carriers:

Yesterday I found an old tailgate rack on Craigslist, I think it's a Bestop rack from the YJ era but I'm not sure. For $20 it's perfect for continuing the prototype work on the project. Two months ago I had done wooden rack mount arms to serve as patterns for making metal arms but without a rack to experiment with I didn't take them any further. This morning I mocked up the rack on the wooden arms.

The same arms, installed through the bottom of the receivers, provide a low mounting position for the rack. In this mockup I'm supporting the rack with a board to the garage floor because the wooden arms probably aren't strong enough to support the rack by themselves.

In both positions the tailgate can be fully opened.

Now that I've got a rack, I'll use the wooden arm patterns to make metal ones. I've got the metal, but not the time for the next few weeks due to travel and other commitments, so I'll get back at this project in a few weeks.

 

[jscherb]

Nice writeup about the Trail Kitchen from the Canadian magazine 4WDrive: http://suncruisermedia.com/4WDrive/accessories/take-a-kitchen-on-the-trail-award/

 

[jscherb]

I've been working on some JL hardware designs... I don't have access to a JL so I went to the dealer, took a photo, scaled it 100% and printed myself a JL tailgate to use as a reference...

These are prototypes of my first JL designs, I sent them to someone I know who has a JL to test them for me.

The prototypes bolted right up and worked pretty well, I'll only be making a few small tweaks before these (and one other JL design that isn't pictured) can go into production.

 

[akpostal]

I've been working on some JL hardware designs... I don't have access to a JL so I went to the dealer, took a photo, scaled it 100% and printed myself a JL tailgate to use as a reference...

The prototypes bolted right up and worked pretty well, I'll only be making a few small tweaks before these (and one other JL design that isn't pictured) can go into production.

Thats pretty dang good if you made the prototypes just from pictures.

 

[jscherb]

Thats pretty dang good if you made the prototypes just from pictures.

Thanks. I did some measurements at the dealer so I could scale the photo accurately but the photo enabled me to "install" the parts to verify that bolt spacing, hinge spacing, tire clearance, etc. was correct so when I sent them to my friend to test I was pretty confident they'd bolt right up.

 

[Zeep]

Do you ever take a day off, Jeff?

 

[jscherb]

Do you ever take a day off, Jeff?

I'm sort of taking a little time off from Jeeps right now... today I'm in rural India on a magazine assignment, I've been asked to do a story on the Gwalior Light Railway, which is a narrow-gauge railway built by the Maharajah of Scinda about 100 years ago and is today the longest 2-foot gauge railway in the world. It's a lifeline to many villages in India that have no road transport. This morning I was walking overland several kilometers to a village that no roads go to and this train passed me...

But somehow I can never get away from Jeeps, in the town of Sabalgarh I snapped this photo of a Mahindra Commander, which is probably my second-favorite Jeep in the world...

Actually I did do some Jeep work here, two days ago in New Delhi I met with a sewing manufacturer that does subcontract work on gear for the Indian military and I believe also does manufacturing for tactical gear company Rothco. I discussed two of my designs with them and left them prototypes I had sewn so they can sew samples. They seem like a good place to get tacticak gear sewn, their quality is excellent and they're willing to work on small quantities.

 

[Zeep]

In other words, No!

 

[jscherb]

In other words, No!

I finished the magazine photography this morning so until I get back to New Delhi in about 5 days I won't be doing anything resembling work, I'll just be exploring.

Took these photos of a Mahindra PikUp in police service this morning...

 

[Zeep]

The doors resemble FJ Landcruiser.

 

[NEwhere]

I'm sort of taking a little time off from Jeeps right now... today I'm in rural India on a magazine assignment, I've been asked to do a story on the Gwalior Light Railway, which is a narrow-gauge railway built by the Maharajah of Scinda about 100 years ago and is today the longest 2-foot gauge railway in the world. It's a lifeline to many villages in India that have no road transport. This morning I was walking overland several kilometers to a village that no roads go to and this train passed me...

But somehow I can never get away from Jeeps, in the town of Sabalgarh I snapped this photo of a Mahindra Commander, which is probably my second-favorite Jeep in the world...

Actually I did do some Jeep work here, two days ago in New Delhi I met with a sewing manufacturer that does subcontract work on gear for the Indian military and I believe also does manufacturing for tactical gear company Rothco. I discussed two of my designs with them and left them prototypes I had sewn so they can sew samples. They seem like a good place to get tacticak gear sew
n, their quality is excellent and they're willing to work on small quantities.

And the number one favorite jeep is......?

 

[jscherb]

And the number one favorite jeep is......?

The Mahindra Savari. It's a long wheelbase version of the Commander. It think it would make the ultimate overlander/camper.

I've been thinking about bringing a Savari over the the US and putting it on a more modern and lengthened Jeep chassis. They're not too expensive over here and it looks like I can get a container shipped from New Delhi to New York for a few thousand dollars.

Here's one in long distance taxi/bus service in rural Rajasthan, it's been modified with extra doors on the rear sides and roll-up soft sides for more air for the passengers (like I've done on my LJ and JKU Safari Cab hardtops ).

It also comes in a soft top version and a removable hard top version but those are much less common because the full body version is so practical over here for transport.

I can post more Savari photos if people are interested.

 

[14JKURX]

Really neat vehicles keep the pictures coming.

 

[jscherb]

The doors resemble FJ Landcruiser.

Yes, they're very similar.

Mahindra doors:

Toyota FJ40:

 

[NEwhere]

That is neat! I had actually thought it would be cool if my jeep had little side doors like that for my kids to get in the back, obviously would only work when my rear sides are out. I'm beginning to think all of my ideas have already been done LOL.