Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
Part of the JK Safari Cab design is integrated roof rack mounting points that transfer the weight on the rack to the JK's sport bars - none of the weight up top will be borne by the fiberglass roof.
I used an XJ Cherokee rack on the LJ Safari Cab and it's worked out great, so I'm thinking I'll use an XJ rack on the JK Safari Cab as well. Because of the Alpine windows in the roof, the XK rack will have to be narrowed slightly, which is very easy because of how the rack is constructed. Here's what an XJ rack would look like on a JK Safari with 4 Alpine windows:
With a rack basket on the XJ rack:
Or with a roof-top tent. The Safari Cab barn door would open nicely under the RTT platform.
I like the XJ rack for a bunch of reasons:
1. There were millions of XJ's made, most with roof racks, so they're plentiful and inexpensive in most junkyards ($15 in my local u-pull).
2. They look right on a Jeep because they are from a Jeep. Nobody's ever asked me "is that a Ford Explorer roof rack on your Jeep?" .
3. Because millions were made, there's terrific aftermarket support for things to mount to the XJ racks.
I want this top, can I get one with the normal rear window tailgate you have shown, with the flip up glass and not the barn doors, and can I get sliding rear windows?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm just building this top as a personal project, so they aren't available for sale. Some of my designs get licensed by companies that bring them to market, so that could possibly happen with this top, but for now I'm just going to make one or two prototypes for testing and my own use.
The top is designed to accept any RV-style windows, or simple gas-and-gasket windows, or even bonded windows like the factory hardtop has, so I imagine if a company signs up for this top they'd offer sliders, and perhaps swing-up side windows as options.
Since the barn door opening in the rear is the same size as the factory hatch, it would be possible to install a liftgate instead of a barn door, but I'm building the prototypes with rear barn doors.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
There really isn't a price I could put on one, money isn't a motivator for me.
There are two situations in which I might make an additional copy of one of my projects:
- If a company licenses one of my designs for production, sometimes I deliver the original masters for the molds to them, and sometimes I mold a set of parts to deliver to them. If the company preferred parts or for some reason that was the best approach to help them make their production molds, then I'd make them a set of parts. And BTW, when I license one of my designs to a company for production, it's not about money - I do it because it's fun for me to see other people using and enjoying my designs.
- If someone's building a show Jeep for say, the SEMA Show, I'd consider making one of my designs for them because it's fun to see my stuff on display at SEMA.
Oh, I guess there's been one more situation - my friend Tom wanted to learn fiberglass work, so he's helped me all along on the barn door project, and when we got to the point of molding parts, he molded his own barn door parts in the molds he helped me make. So he's getting a barn door, although he's doing more of the work on his barn door than I am.
But money isn't a reason for me, making something for hire sounds too much like work to me, I'd rather spend my time designing and building something new and creative than doing another copy of the same thing all over again
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rubicon91
Explorer
There really isn't a price I could put on one, money isn't a motivator for me.
There are two situations in which I might make an additional copy of one of my projects:
- If a company licenses one of my designs for production, sometimes I deliver the original masters for the molds to them, and sometimes I mold a set of parts to deliver to them. If the company preferred parts or for some reason that was the best approach to help them make their production molds, then I'd make them a set of parts. And BTW, when I license one of my designs to a company for production, it's not about money - I do it because it's fun for me to see other people using and enjoying my designs.
- If someone's building a show Jeep for say, the SEMA Show, I'd consider making one of my designs for them because it's fun to see my stuff on display at SEMA.
Oh, I guess there's been one more situation - my friend Tom wanted to learn fiberglass work, so he's helped me all along on the barn door project, and when we got to the point of molding parts, he molded his own barn door parts in the molds he helped me make. So he's getting a barn door, although he's doing more of the work on his barn door than I am.
But money isn't a reason for me, making something for hire sounds too much like work to me, I'd rather spend my time designing and building something new and creative than doing another copy of the same thing all over again
I have been seeing a trend for you on your threads. You are always going back and having to explain this aspect over and over again. I wonder if it might save some time for you if you maybe put a disclaimer in your very first post of each thread or better yet maybe in your signature so everytime you make a post it automatically shows up again. Just an observation. I see you just explaining all the time and thought this night be easier. Maybe maybe not. Keep up the great designs and keep em coming.
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Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
This goes back a few pages, but you had asked how we would want the Barn door optioned, and if picked up by a mfg what a fair price they might charge would be.
I would prefer the barn door with no window cut out (option 4), so that I could cut out and install a window of my choice. I think $600-$650 with mounting hardware (minus body color paint) would be a fair price.
In my case, I would hope it would be an option for the Ursa Minor J30. So I hope you have the opportunity to pitch this to them, and they respond favorably.
I am going to discuss this with them at the Expo in AZ next spring. Hope to hear something positive.
Also really like your Safari top ideas. :beer:
I would prefer the barn door with no window cut out (option 4), so that I could cut out and install a window of my choice. I think $600-$650 with mounting hardware (minus body color paint) would be a fair price.
In my case, I would hope it would be an option for the Ursa Minor J30. So I hope you have the opportunity to pitch this to them, and they respond favorably.
I am going to discuss this with them at the Expo in AZ next spring. Hope to hear something positive.
Also really like your Safari top ideas. :beer:
There really isn't a price I could put on one, money isn't a motivator for me.
There are two situations in which I might make an additional copy of one of my projects:
- If a company licenses one of my designs for production, sometimes I deliver the original masters for the molds to them, and sometimes I mold a set of parts to deliver to them. If the company preferred parts or for some reason that was the best approach to help them make their production molds, then I'd make them a set of parts. And BTW, when I license one of my designs to a company for production, it's not about money - I do it because it's fun for me to see other people using and enjoying my designs.
- If someone's building a show Jeep for say, the SEMA Show, I'd consider making one of my designs for them because it's fun to see my stuff on display at SEMA.
Oh, I guess there's been one more situation - my friend Tom wanted to learn fiberglass work, so he's helped me all along on the barn door project, and when we got to the point of molding parts, he molded his own barn door parts in the molds he helped me make. So he's getting a barn door, although he's doing more of the work on his barn door than I am.
But money isn't a reason for me, making something for hire sounds too much like work to me, I'd rather spend my time designing and building something new and creative than doing another copy of the same thing all over again
Ok, Fair enough. How much beer will it take? ha ha ha! Beer is fun!
I love that top. it looks KILLER!....hopfully a company shops that design up.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm sure I'm partly to blame here - even though I just do these projects as a hobby to amuse myself, I design all of them as if they're going to be commercial products, and when I post about them I ask lots of questions about features and functions people would like to see in the design, so many people assume I'm planning to offer it for sale. I'm asking all the questions because all of the input I get from people helps me improve the designs - my designs end up being much better because of all of the input and criticism I get.
Also, since some of my projects have become commercial products, I think sometimes people assume all of my projects will go commercial.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
This goes back a few pages, but you had asked how we would want the Barn door optioned, and if picked up by a mfg what a fair price they might charge would be.
I would prefer the barn door with no window cut out (option 4), so that I could cut out and install a window of my choice. I think $600-$650 with mounting hardware (minus body color paint) would be a fair price.
In my case, I would hope it would be an option for the Ursa Minor J30. So I hope you have the opportunity to pitch this to them, and they respond favorably.
I am going to discuss this with them at the Expo in AZ next spring. Hope to hear something positive.
Also really like your Safari top ideas. :beer:
Thank you.
What style window would you install in your barn door?
I'm not a J30 owner and have no plans to be, but I really think the barn door is a perfect option for it. Access to the cargo area is so much more convenient with a barn door than with a hatch/tailgate combo.
I've often thought it would be fun to make the trip out to the Expo, maybe one of these years I'll add it to my itinerary. I could bring the sewing project I did this summer... a tilt-up camper for a Jeep-tub trailer
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Yes, my LJ/TJ Safari Cab is in production - here's a photo of production examples of both the LJ and TJ versions:
A little bit better shot of the TJ version:
And both my fiberglass Jeep-tub and fiberglass military replica trailer kits are in production, there are lots of them on the road now.
Since I live in an out-of-the-way place in upstate NY, I've never had the fun experience of seeing any of the production versions of my designs on the road
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jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you very much.
