Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[rubicon91]

Why not get another hard top and test it out. I see them on the west coast of us quite a bit cheaper than on the east coast. That in itself could be an option. Btw Jeff stop replying here and enjoy Maob. I can't stop looking at all the pics from vendors and others out there. Not to hi jack thread but pics Jeff pics of Maob lets see them

 

[Jurfie]

Why not get another hard top and test it out. I see them on the west coast of us quite a bit cheaper than on the east coast. That in itself could be an option.

Yeah, that's the plan. I've just started looking, and most seem to be in the $1500-2000 range. Too much to justify cutting up without knowing what I'll find. I'll keep my eyes open for a smoking deal or a damaged one to play with. If anyone has a freebie, I'll take it! Or maybe I should just start a Kickstarter page and accept donations. FYI, I have no intention in marketing this, so if I do go ahead, I'll post up a separate thread with ideas and pictures of my successes/failures so others can follow along and make suggestions, question my ideas, laugh at my work, or just heckle (the real reason the internet was invented, right?).

Btw Jeff stop replying here and enjoy Maob. I can't stop looking at all the pics from vendors and others out there. Not to hi jack thread but pics Jeff pics of Maob lets see them

Agreed! I'm hoping someone starts a EJS picture thread!!

 

[rubicon91]

I saw here on CL 2 which did not have the freedom panels for $500 each. That might be something to look for. Obviously being in FL that doesn't help you. I see on some of the jeep forums hard tops out west for less than the $1500 they go for where I live. I've found them as low as $1200 here but always too late. Anyways if you do decide to attempt this please post here would love to see.

Sry missed you are in Canada hate cell phone app.

 

[Haf-E]

$500 here in Seattle for the back part only...

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/4923401945.html

 

[jscherb]

Why not get another hard top and test it out. I see them on the west coast of us quite a bit cheaper than on the east coast. That in itself could be an option. Btw Jeff stop replying here and enjoy Maob. I can't stop looking at all the pics from vendors and others out there. Not to hi jack thread but pics Jeff pics of Maob lets see them

I haven't posted any photos yet because I'm driving the LJ-8 on this trip, but here are a few from yesterday. Also today I spent some time going over the Africa and Chief concepts in detail, took a bunch of photos and measurements of both.

 

[jscherb]

Thanks Jeff, I figured you'd chime in; much appreciated! All I need is to find a cheap hard top to experiment with...but even used they are pretty spendy. Might have to see if I can find a damaged one at a wrecker.

My thought was to cut along the seams visible on the exterior. Then use a modified soft-top door surround to attach the front edge, and (somehow) attach a zipper along the top and rear. Yes, there would need to be some additional structural support for the top, given that it is bolted at the side rail, but...details, details.

I do have some construction design/engineering experience, so I'm not completely in the dark. We'll see. :ylsmoke:

Sound like a good place to start, but rather than use a modified soft top surround, I'd reuse the front edge of the hardtop door jamb. I think you'll find that the factory soft top sides are not well suited at all to becoming roll-up side panels, so to end up with a satisfactory result you''ll likely want to sew new ones that are designed to roll. They'd also be best if they attached to the front jamb differently than the soft top windows attach to the surround, so you'd have to redo that anyway. At least that's my experience from designing and implementing the LJ Safari Cab roll-up sides and having them in use for the past 4 years.

 

[jscherb]

Hey, if Jeff licenses this to an aftermarket manufacturer, or if Jeep adds this as a feature/option on future models, I think that would be great. I believe it will be the former (for the JK, at least), and the latter (for the next model). I think the Safari top concept is great, but realistically a ways out from bringing a production model to market. And, depending on the company who does produce these, it may not be available to everyone; for example, the TJ/LJ Safari top that Jeff licensed to GR8 Tops...they won't ship it, so you'd have to go to Florida (I believe) to get one fitted at their plant/shop. Not convenient for people on the west coast (like me).

I don't think I would license the JK Safari Cab to a company unless they made them easily available without having to travel to the company's shop.

Also I think it's extremely unlikely that Jeep would offer something like the JK Safari Cab, especially with soft sides. After all, they still after all these years don't offer upper half door windows that match the premium soft top - the only ones they've ever offered are ones that match the base soft top, so if they can't even justify doing something like that, I can't imagine how they'd ever justify a premium top design like the Safari Cab.

In the meantime, the most appealing feature for me is the roll-up side windows with a hard top. If I could modify my existing OEM top to incorporate this feature, that would be the cat's ********. Then eventually custom fabricate some hard-side panels for winter months. Why not just run the soft top with the side windows out and rear window rolled up? I could, but that isn't unique. And I like unique, even if that means more work just for the sake of being different. I'd also like to incorporate a roof rack attached through the roof to the roll bar, like Jeff's LJ. I'd like to be able to carry a couple of 17' long sea kayaks on the roof, without buying a Gobi-style exterior rack/cage.

I'll second all of that, those are many of the reasons I designed the LJ and now the JK Safari Cabs .

 

[kojackJKU]

God dammit take my money! ha ha..these roof setups are AMAZING Jeff. You are a great fabricator!

 

[JeepSafariDigest]

Sure I realize jeff is prob doing all this work by himself.. and the turnaround would be slow and tedious. But common, be real here.. if I can get on the phone with a friend who makes boats for a living.. and already has a small boat with similar shapes as safari cap.. He's willing to alter his design to make this happen.. and over night if need be.. Realistically and affordability.. This soft top would be more desirable and within our reach..

Reasoning.. I said above.. Jeep has just intro'd the Safari jeep concept with a safari style hard top.. Here's a couple of options: Wait for jeff's concept.. (3k - 6K) or wait for jeeps concept.. (32K - 56K) Which includes the safari hardtop.. extra room in the back, the barn door and a diesel engine to boot.. Ideally, I'd prob never be able to afford either one.. thus I'll wait for the fabric safari conversion as offered by another forum member.

But there is an alternative.. I've always been told to think outside the box and be creative.. So how hard would it be (based on passed topic/post) by jeep wrangler members to create an alternate Safari style soft or hard top.. Van conversion allready have the means to create the "cap" as it would be.. and I've even spoke to them about this concept, They seem open to the idea as to just create a safari cap without the sides and used as an "addon" when the current hard top has been altered. Hell let's get crazy, and flip a small fiberglass boat and use it as out safari cap the good ole fashion redneck way.

But I'm think actually taking an existing design Bestop's safari soft top and adding windows from the factory soft tops. However it just seems to me,.. these concepts are 2-4 years behind schedule.. and in this day and age.. one must remain current, up to date and leave their images offline unless you want someone with more talent and the funds to mass produce there before you ever get started...

 

[p8ntbill2]

I must have missed it in a previous post, but who created this soft top?
Thanks, Bill

Sure I realize jeff is prob doing all this work by himself.. and the turnaround would be slow and tedious. But common, be real here.. if I can get on the phone with a friend who makes boats for a living.. and already has a small boat with similar shapes as safari cap.. He's willing to alter his design to make this happen.. and over night if need be.. Realistically and affordability.. This soft top would be more desirable and within our reach..

Reasoning.. I said above.. Jeep has just intro'd the Safari jeep concept with a safari style hard top.. Here's a couple of options: Wait for jeff's concept.. (3k - 6K) or wait for jeeps concept.. (32K - 56K) Which includes the safari hardtop.. extra room in the back, the barn door and a diesel engine to boot.. Ideally, I'd prob never be able to afford either one.. thus I'll wait for the fabric safari conversion as offered by another forum member.

But there is an alternative.. I've always been told to think outside the box and be creative.. So how hard would it be (based on passed topic/post) by jeep wrangler members to create an alternate Safari style soft or hard top.. Van conversion allready have the means to create the "cap" as it would be.. and I've even spoke to them about this concept, They seem open to the idea as to just create a safari cap without the sides and used as an "addon" when the current hard top has been altered. Hell let's get crazy, and flip a small fiberglass boat and use it as out safari cap the good ole fashion redneck way.

But I'm think actually taking an existing design Bestop's safari soft top and adding windows from the factory soft tops. However it just seems to me,.. these concepts are 2-4 years behind schedule.. and in this day and age.. one must remain current, up to date and leave their images offline unless you want someone with more talent and the funds to mass produce there before you ever get started...

 

[JeepSafariDigest]

So good of you to ask p8ntbill2 expect much more from this fellow very soon. Matter of fact, one connected with him here: http://jeepspace.jeepforum.com/Squint77

 

[jscherb]

I must have missed it in a previous post, but who created this soft top?
Thanks, Bill

That was created by my friend Greg, who goes by the name of squint on this forum. Here's his thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/72247-Building-custom-soft-top-for-the-LJ. He plans to market them, check his thread for details.

 

[jscherb]

Here's an interior photo I took yesterday of the Jeep's new Africa concept, showing the extra space created by the raised roof. It also has an additional cross bar that curves up.

The JK Safari Cab roof will be a couple of inches taller than the Africa roof, but this gives some idea of the extra space that will be in the Safari Cab too.

 

[jscherb]

God dammit take my money! ha ha..these roof setups are AMAZING Jeff. You are a great fabricator!

Thank you very much.

I make no claim to being a great fabricator, but yesterday I spent an hour checking out the details of the Jeep Africa and Chief concepts and that made me feel good - I wouldn't be embarassed to have my designs and fabrication compared side-by-side with the Africa. That isn't to say that my work is perfect (or is Jeep's actually, but I won't point out issues with their work ), but I'd be proud to have my work to stand side-by-side with theirs and have anyone do a comparison.

As for taking your money, it's as unlikely that I'd do that as it would be for Jeep to take your money for the Africa - as you know I just do this as a hobby and I don't sell anything, and Jeep isn't likely to sell the Africa. But I'd bet it's more likely that my JK Safari Cab gets to market than the Africa does .

 

[jscherb]

It's off-topic for this thread, but here's one more photo from yesterday. The tail gunner on our trail yesterday was a friend of mine from back when I had a Scrambler. He still has his Scrambler, and it's one of the nicest examples you could ever want to see. We just had to pose his CJ-8 and my LJ-8 together...