Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[Comanche Scott]

I should have known you'd be all over that already... lol :beer:

Yeah, that would be perfect, especially if you could add a rain lip around the top edge.
I wasn't sure the soft top opening was tall enough. Glad to see it is.
For guys like me, who have a love-hate relationship (love the soft top - hate the rear window), this would be the ultimate solution, because for top down cruising, the Barn Door & Jamb can be put in a cloth carry bag, and strapped to the sport bar, out of the way.

The one thing I was thinking is that the bottom of the jam on each side is going to want to spread open. I was thinking about enveloping an aluminum plate inside the FRP to help resist this.
On your LJ/TJ design, you've got this taken care of with the metal frame.

 

[Broncbuster]

Did I miss the part if these are on the market yet????
Been following since the start.
Getting ready to order a 2017 and would like one of these.

 

[Yuke]

Are the window retrofits with storage cover a posibility?

 

[jscherb]

Did I miss the part if these are on the market yet????
Been following since the start.
Getting ready to order a 2017 and would like one of these.

No you haven't missed anything.

 

[jscherb]

Are the window retrofits with storage cover a posibility?

If you mean cargo hatches, yes they are a possibility. I've done prototypes of cargo doors for both 2dr and 4dr factory hardtops (2dr pictured below). I don't yet know if the company wants to go ahead with cargo hatches - they plan to do slider windows first, and if those do well then they may add other types, either the cargo doors or possibly windoor combo slider windows/swing up hatches.

The JKU slider window is ready for production and I expect the company will be initiating the production orders for both the slider windows and the retrofit kit in the next week or so. As soon as I deliver a final draft of the installation instructions to them I'm done with the project until they ask me to design the next version or window style.

 

[jscherb]

Some better views of the roof.

 

[jscherb]

Today was "leak test day", he says with nervous anticipation...

Step 1 of leak testing was driving at high speed on the interstate listening for wind noise. If there was wind noise anywhere, it could mean a gap in the weatherstripping and I'd need to check that area for the possibility of leaking.

No wind noise, the Safari Cab is very quiet.

Step 2 of leak testing consisted of pouring water along the windshield joint, a likely place to leak from heavy rain runoff.

No leaks there.

Step 3 was a trip through the automatic car wash.

No leaks there either. The car wash doesn't necessarily prove that there wouldn't be a leak in an extended torrential downpour, but I'll declare it leak-free.

Nice and clean now...

 

[Comanche Scott]

California is going through a pretty bad drought right now. That's my "reason" for using the local car wash (they recycle the water).
Although I have to admit, Leak testing is a pretty good reason too.

I would think with the forced air dryer at the end, it would "shove" water through any potential leak area. You could always rent a smoke generator as a final test.

 

[jscherb]

Since I just took the new JK Safari through the carwash, I just had to take some photos of it all clean, so please forgive me for posting a bunch more photos of it...

 

[jscherb]

A few more...

 

[Saev]

Awesome job looks amazing

 

[GetOutThere]

Wow. Fantastic job. It would be nice if Jeep got on board with different roof types such as this available from the factory... they should talk to you.

 

[kojackJKU]

The best picture of that roof, would be on MY JEEP! I hope someone jumps on this design...

 

[jscherb]

Now to get on with some of the reasons for the Safari Cab being a modular design... in this photo I'm pulling off one of the side panels off to check the fit of the c-pillars (rear door surround) for the soft sides...

The c-pillars are what the soft sides attach to at the back of the doors. They're still unpainted white fiberglass, so they need to be painted spice.

A few concept drawings showing what the roll-up soft sides will look like:

Before I sew the soft sides I'm going to sew a final spice cover for the soft barn door.

 

[thechadwick]

I wonder if you would have time to take the doors off and snap a picture with the side off as well just to see how open it would feel? I'm thinking to myself of a jku adventure in the Serengeti with half doors and roll-down sides all around. With the opera and alpine windows and no obstructions, you've got just about the best rig I can think of right there. You've really designed and executed what a "safari" wrangler trim level could be if FCA let the r&d section go wild.