Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
Ended up ordering mine directly from MORryde. Should be here in ~3 weeks. Can't wait!!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The other parts I molded over the last couple of days are the upper jambs and the drip rail extensions.
This photo shows the upper jambs mocked up in place. If the assembly looks too long you've got good eyes; I left the upper jambs trimmed about 9" too long for now, they'll be cut to exact length when I start fitting the parts on the JK.
The profile of the parts without the drip rails/roof installed matches the profile of the factory roof. I did that so that the roof panel would be compatible with the factory hardtop - that way the roof could be installed on a factory top as a tilt-up camper, for example, or one of the other factory hardtop mods I've shown over the course of this thread.
The jambs are designed so that they can go on the Jeep separate from the roof panel, which will allow a soft roof panel to be used as I've shown before in this concept drawing:
This photo shows the upper jambs mocked up in place. If the assembly looks too long you've got good eyes; I left the upper jambs trimmed about 9" too long for now, they'll be cut to exact length when I start fitting the parts on the JK.
The profile of the parts without the drip rails/roof installed matches the profile of the factory roof. I did that so that the roof panel would be compatible with the factory hardtop - that way the roof could be installed on a factory top as a tilt-up camper, for example, or one of the other factory hardtop mods I've shown over the course of this thread.
The jambs are designed so that they can go on the Jeep separate from the roof panel, which will allow a soft roof panel to be used as I've shown before in this concept drawing:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The drip rails will be part of the roof panel, and also serve as the bolt/weatherstrip flange for securing the roof. These photos show the drip rails mocked up but not trimmed to final length or fit yet:
Once the roof panel is molded, the drip rails will be bonded to the bottom of it.
There are only two molds/parts left to do - the main roof panel, and the windshield header. Once those are done, I can begin fitting everything to an actual Jeep instead of just doing mockups. The main roof panel is next.
Once the roof panel is molded, the drip rails will be bonded to the bottom of it.
There are only two molds/parts left to do - the main roof panel, and the windshield header. Once those are done, I can begin fitting everything to an actual Jeep instead of just doing mockups. The main roof panel is next.
Why has no company jumped on this design? Even it if was 4500 or so I would own one. That is awesome. easier to store the hard parts when you swap to soft parts. And the functionality of the roof as a whole, is hard to beat. I think we should start a petition, either Jeff stops posting these amazing roof builds, or starts a crowd fund. I am so wanting one of these.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I haven't been trying to find a company. I told the two companies that did contact me about it that I wasn't going to decide anything about it becoming a commercial product until I finished up the molds and completed a first prototype or two and installed them on Jeeps for testing. Once I get to that point, I'll think about whether or not it's worth making it a commercial product. A number of factors will go into that decision, such as whether I think there would really be enough demand to make it worthwhile. I'd also want to know what plans prospective companies might have for it (for example, would they just do a basic version of the top or would they be interested in the options I've designed like the soft sides, or would they want to make a pop-up camper version as well?). Another factor will be how much work it would be for me to get it to market, things like this typically aren't "throw the molds over the wall and wish them luck" type deals, it would almost certainly involve a lot of time on my part helping the company with the production engineering.
Don't need a Crowd Fund, if I wanted to start producing and marketing these myself I could do that. The fiberglass company that manufactures my Jeep-tub and military replica trailer kits for Dinoot would be very interested in manufacturing these for me (or for any other company), and funding isn't a problem. But I absolutely, positively don't have any interest in being in business to sell these myself, so if they're going to get to market a company will have to sign up for them. I'd much rather move on to my next project than go into business (I've already started the preliminary design work on my next fiberglass project
).For now I'm just focused on finishing the molds, there are only two left to do - the roof panel and the windshield header. If people would prefer that I stop posting that's fine
.
Jurfie
Adventurer
I'd much rather move on to my next project than go into business (I've already started the preliminary design work on my next fiberglass project
Are you referring to your soft-door slider project, or something new? Tease!
If people would prefer that I stop posting that's fine
HECK NO!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
No, not the JK half door slider project, my work on that one is pretty much done for the first release of the product. I'm waiting on the window company to deliver a set of four prototype slider windows to me so I can verify the engineering details; if everything checks out with those samples I'll turn them over to the company that's planning to market them and they can place their first production order. Hopefully I'll get the sample windows in a week or two.
The project I was referring to I'm calling the "Retro Rhino grille kit for the JK", it's similar to the Nukizer and J12 concepts Jeep did a year or so ago. (If you're not familiar with all the slang around full-size Jeeps, "Rhino" is the term for the original Gladiator center grille front clip).
crusaderJK
Adventurer
Please tell me you have a concept drawing!! :drool:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Yes I do have concept drawings, but I'll save them for when/if I start a thread on the project.
I'll show this though - at the top is an unmodified FSJ "Rhino" grille. At the bottom is one that's been "selectively scaled" to reduce it to an appropriate size for the JK. Some elements are the same size, but the center grille has been made smaller and the entire panel is smaller, so things are closer together.
Here's a printout of the scaled grille held up to a JK:
I'm going for a more retro look than the Nuikizer/J12 concepts - the Jeep designers did a great job updating the Rhino look to be more modern, but my goal is to stay a little more faithful to the original.
For now this is a design exercise, I definitely won't start construction until after the Safari Cab is on the Jeep and in daily use. For now I'm just working ahead on the design and collecting parts I'll need to make it a reality.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
There are three main skills one needs to do what I do with fiberglass:
1. Design skills. You need to have a workable design before starting construction, not only for your parts, but for the molds you'll be making in order to make the parts.
2. Fabrication skills. In order to make custom fiberglass parts, you need to make molds, and in order to make molds you need to make "mold masters", which are full-scale replicas of the parts you intend to mold. I make mold masters from wood, metal or fiberglass, it depends on what the part is and whether it's a 100% from-scratch part or if it's derived from a commercial part but modified.
3. Fiberglass skills. This may be the easiest of the three skills, if you can successfully bake a cake you probably can do fiberglass without too much trouble. Here's a book on fiberglass I would recommend for anyone who wants to do their own molds and parts. You can usually find it in the automotive section at a Barnes & Noble bookstore:
Fiberglass and Other Composite Materials, Forbes Aird, Book - Barnes & Noble
The book does cover mold masters to some degree. It's a good place to start for anyone considering diving into custom fiberglass parts.
I covered the complete process in some detail in these two threads (sorry, they're on a another forum):
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/safari-cab-custom-hardtop-project-952157/
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/cj-grille-conversion-kit-tj-lj-project-build-thread-1364193/