Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
OK, so that saves me the trouble of painting yours
. I haven't decided yet what color I'll paint this first prototype. I might do the sides body color and the roof in white like the Jeep Africa concept. Or maybe the whole thing in black. Still thinking about it.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The prototype side panels have kick-out rear vent windows, they're open in a lot of the photos:
I'm thinking it would be inconvenient to have to go to the back of the Jeep to open or close them, so I'm going to power them. A trip to the local u-pull yard yielded a pair of power vent window motors, here's a photo of one of them sitting next to the manual flip lever for comparison. These motors are the perfect size, shape and opening distance, and were only $10 each.
In this next photo I'm test-fitting it; it fits very nicely, I'll just have to make mounting brackets for them.
I'm thinking it would be inconvenient to have to go to the back of the Jeep to open or close them, so I'm going to power them. A trip to the local u-pull yard yielded a pair of power vent window motors, here's a photo of one of them sitting next to the manual flip lever for comparison. These motors are the perfect size, shape and opening distance, and were only $10 each.
In this next photo I'm test-fitting it; it fits very nicely, I'll just have to make mounting brackets for them.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I made up a bracket to mount the power vent motor, here's a test:
I'm beginning the design of an accessory wiring harness for the JK Safari Cab, so since these work nicely support for power vents will be part of the harness. I'm also planning to include switched and unswitched power, plus support for the JK's interior lighting. The rear wiper and defroster won't be part of this harness because those will just plug into the factory hardtop plug in the JK - this harness will be for the extra features. Anything else I should design into the accessory harness?
I'm beginning the design of an accessory wiring harness for the JK Safari Cab, so since these work nicely support for power vents will be part of the harness. I'm also planning to include switched and unswitched power, plus support for the JK's interior lighting. The rear wiper and defroster won't be part of this harness because those will just plug into the factory hardtop plug in the JK - this harness will be for the extra features. Anything else I should design into the accessory harness?
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Power vent windows... No there is a man after my own heart. Makes so much sense to be able to open and close windows & moon roofs w/o leaving the driver's seat.
Great idea Jeff! :beer:
The safari windows in the top will show up much better with a lighter color. So for the purpose of showing off the top to prospective clients, I'd say go a light color. Maybe a saddle color that would also look great with the maroon?
You could always go darker once you have a vendor deal.
Great idea Jeff! :beer:
The safari windows in the top will show up much better with a lighter color. So for the purpose of showing off the top to prospective clients, I'd say go a light color. Maybe a saddle color that would also look great with the maroon?
You could always go darker once you have a vendor deal.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks, but I have to admit that powering the vent windows wasn't originally my idea, someone on another forum suggested it. All I did was a little research to find compatible parts that could be sourced at a junkyard and designed and built simple brackets to mount them. That's a big reason I post so much detail on my projects - someone always has a good idea for me to implement (or a criticism I can think through and possibly alter my design for the better). So thanks to everyone who posts ideas or criticisms, I really appreciate it and I take all of them seriously. Many ideas from forum members end up in my projects
.A saddle color roof, hadn't thought of that before. Or maybe a tan for the roof like the Jeep Africa concept body color? Both would probably look good with the cherry red JKU. I'll have to do some concept drawings to see what the various combinations might look like.
I don't plan a sales effort to try to line up a vendor deal. If someone or some company comes to me and is interested in taking it on, I'll be happy to explore it with them. If not, that's fine too, I've got lots of other projects I want to move on to...
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've got some time before I have to decide on the colors for this first top, but I've been playing with some color ideas. I've posted this photo before of the top in white unpainted fiberglass from my initial test fitting:
Here are some edits of that photo in different colors. Some single colors:
And some combos:
I like them all actually, haven't decided which way to go. What do you guys think? Any other colors/combos I should try?
Here are some edits of that photo in different colors. Some single colors:
And some combos:
I like them all actually, haven't decided which way to go. What do you guys think? Any other colors/combos I should try?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
That's definitely part of the plan. There are two parts to the harness BTW, one part for the tub and the other part for the hardtop, they plug together so the hardtop can be removed without removing the tub side, just like the factory hardtop harness. The plan also is to design the tub side of the harness so it's very easy to install and plays well with the Jeep's electronics, and also the tub side could be used in a Jeep without a Safari Cab hardtop installed, so it could be used to add electrical capabilities to a Jeep with a factory hardtop.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've been doing some final trimming and adjustments to the Safari Cab parts based on the initial test fitting last week. Everything fit very well on the first try, but there were a few minor adjustments and additional trimming to make to a few of the parts. The changes are minor and I've pretty much finished them up, so I'll be putting the parts back on the Jeep sometime this week.
In case anyone's interested in how some of the parts go together... the photo below shows the driver's side panel and upper jamb. The side panel bolts to the Jeep using the factory hardtop bolts, and the upper jamb bolts in place using the factory holes for the soft top surrounds. There's also a bolt to hold the two parts together. I've pasted in drawings of the upper jamb bolts and the jamb/side panel bolt.
This concept drawing shows the sides in place with the upper jambs; the jambs are circled in red:
The roof panel bolts to the upper jambs and the top of the side and end panels. The modular design is also intended to support different roof types - for example, a soft roof similar to a pickup truck tonneau cover:
For the roll-up soft side panels, the rear hard side comes off, and a fiberglass rear jamb/c-pillar goes in its place. In this next photo the hard side has been removed and the rear soft side jamb has been bolted to the upper jamb:
This concept drawing shows the rear jamb in place and the soft sides rolled up:
The roof panel bolts to the top of the upper jamb and the top of the side and rear panels. The drip rail gets bonded to the underside of the roof panel (haven't done that step yet) and goes the full length of the sides and across the back, and the inside of it forms the bolt flange to attach the roof to the sides.
In case anyone's interested in how some of the parts go together... the photo below shows the driver's side panel and upper jamb. The side panel bolts to the Jeep using the factory hardtop bolts, and the upper jamb bolts in place using the factory holes for the soft top surrounds. There's also a bolt to hold the two parts together. I've pasted in drawings of the upper jamb bolts and the jamb/side panel bolt.
This concept drawing shows the sides in place with the upper jambs; the jambs are circled in red:
The roof panel bolts to the upper jambs and the top of the side and end panels. The modular design is also intended to support different roof types - for example, a soft roof similar to a pickup truck tonneau cover:
For the roll-up soft side panels, the rear hard side comes off, and a fiberglass rear jamb/c-pillar goes in its place. In this next photo the hard side has been removed and the rear soft side jamb has been bolted to the upper jamb:
This concept drawing shows the rear jamb in place and the soft sides rolled up:
The roof panel bolts to the top of the upper jamb and the top of the side and rear panels. The drip rail gets bonded to the underside of the roof panel (haven't done that step yet) and goes the full length of the sides and across the back, and the inside of it forms the bolt flange to attach the roof to the sides.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've assembled most of the parts (except for the roof panel) on the workshop floor so I can make a few small tweaks to the drip rail parts. Also I wanted to make sure the second set of side panels bolted up interchangeably with the set with the vent windows, in these photos I've got the driver's side cargo hatch panel installed.
The parts are now ready to go back on the Jeep so I can do a final trim on the roof panel.
The parts are now ready to go back on the Jeep so I can do a final trim on the roof panel.