Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Such an awesome project.
Was just looking back at the mold, and how good the "body work" looked. The top should be awesome!
Can't wait to see it mounted up.
On another note: I was out looking at camp trailers, and one of the things I saw that was really cool is the flush mount windows that don't use a gasket.
The seal is a foam tube glued to the wall that runs just inside the edge of the glass.
Would be really cool if the Safari Windows could use a windshield glue, or this type of seal, for an OEM style finish.
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but you really are doing some awesome work Jeff. Just don't let it go to your head.
It wouldn't do any of us any good if your head grew bigger than the shop door opening... :elkgrin:
Was just looking back at the mold, and how good the "body work" looked. The top should be awesome!
Can't wait to see it mounted up.
On another note: I was out looking at camp trailers, and one of the things I saw that was really cool is the flush mount windows that don't use a gasket.
The seal is a foam tube glued to the wall that runs just inside the edge of the glass.
Would be really cool if the Safari Windows could use a windshield glue, or this type of seal, for an OEM style finish.
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but you really are doing some awesome work Jeff. Just don't let it go to your head.
It wouldn't do any of us any good if your head grew bigger than the shop door opening... :elkgrin:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you. Don't worry about it going to my head, this work is hard enough to remind me on a regular basis how imperfect I am
.If the JK Safari Cab gets to production and whatever company takes it on decides they'd like to use bonded/flush windows, it wouldn't be hard to do. One of the nice things about the modular design of the Safari Cab is that it's easy to make alternate/custom parts, you can just make a modified mold for that part rather than the entire hardtop like you'd have to with a traditional one-piece hardtop.
I made several sets of Safari Cab side panels so I can experiment with various styles of windows and cargo hatches, but the "daily driver" windows will be the gasket-mounted kick-out vent windows, I like them the best for the first prototype hardtop. I'll use the second set of side panels for testing sliders, tilt-out windows and cargo hatches, but probably won't run any of those on a regular basis.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
This morning I popped the roof panel out of the mold. Here I am getting the first peek at what it looks like:
Trimming the edges; cutting fiberglass is always best done with abrasives, I'm using a cutoff wheel in my angle grinder. The roof is slightly green because the mold release hasn't been washed off yet.
Washing off the mold release:
Trimming the edges; cutting fiberglass is always best done with abrasives, I'm using a cutoff wheel in my angle grinder. The roof is slightly green because the mold release hasn't been washed off yet.
Washing off the mold release:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
A JKU Safari Cab "kit" :
This is all the fiberglass parts necessary to assemble a JKU Safari Cab, except the windshield header. I've designed the header, but since the dimensions are fairly critical I decided I'd make that after I've installed the top on the Jeep so I can take precise measurements.
Tomorrow I'll do a mock-up assembly so we can see approximately what the finished Safari Cab will look like.
:
This is all the fiberglass parts necessary to assemble a JKU Safari Cab, except the windshield header. I've designed the header, but since the dimensions are fairly critical I decided I'd make that after I've installed the top on the Jeep so I can take precise measurements.
Tomorrow I'll do a mock-up assembly so we can see approximately what the finished Safari Cab will look like.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Saweet! :beer:
congratulations on how the top came out.
The kick out windows are my favorite as well. I was thinking of the Alpine windows being gasket less.
I take it you'll be bringing this to EJS for all of us to drool over? :elkgrin:
congratulations on how the top came out.
The kick out windows are my favorite as well. I was thinking of the Alpine windows being gasket less.
I take it you'll be bringing this to EJS for all of us to drool over? :elkgrin:
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks.
I've chosen gasket-style Alpine windows because the same roof mold can be used to make a Safari Cab with or without Alpine windows. To do gasketless bonded Alpine windows, you'd need to mold a recess into the roof panel for the glass to sit in, which for a production shop would almost certainly mean separate molds for both versions. If the Safari Cab gets to production and the company doing it wants to offer bonded Alpine windows, they certainly could do that if they thought it was the right decision.
No, probably won't bring the JK to EJS - it's my wife's daily driver, and she doesn't want to be bothered by red rock dust in the interior for years to come like I've got in my LJ. Probably will keep bringing my LJ-8 Safari Cab to EJS like I've done most years, or maybe I'll bring the Retro Wrangler pickup again, haven't done that in a few years.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
This morning I did a mockup assembly of the Safari Cab parts. The roof panel needs final trimming, so it's sitting about 1" higher above the drip rail than it will be when the parts are finalized, and I haven't put the upper door jams/front drip rails in this mockup, but I think this gives a pretty good idea of what the final Safari Cab will look like.
With Alpine windows:
and a roof rack... the rails are bowed up a bit because the rack came from the curved roof of a ZJ Cherokee, but they'll be flat when bolted down:
A rear view:
With Alpine windows:
and a roof rack... the rails are bowed up a bit because the rack came from the curved roof of a ZJ Cherokee, but they'll be flat when bolted down:
A rear view:
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jscherb
Expedition Leader
Some months ago I posted a photo/drawing concept showing what the 2dr version of the JK Safari Cab would look like. The first prototype is a JKU version, but here's a comparison of the original concept and the actual parts. Making allowances for the differences in proportion between the 2dr and 4dr JKs, I think the actual parts ended up being pretty true to the concept...
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Looks like the sun-roof options will fit even with the rack. Very cool.
Just realized that the top is tall enough, that an electric sunroof could be installed. At least in the rear position.
Can't wait to see this mounted up. :beer:
Just realized that the top is tall enough, that an electric sunroof could be installed. At least in the rear position.
Can't wait to see this mounted up. :beer: