Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[Metcalf]

I would make the later model as close to the same as the older model as possible. Then add in the two additional fill pieces to the top to make it work. That should eliminate the most cost and complexity I think.

 

[Metcalf]

Idea to make the fill pieces for the 2011+ more functional....

Maybe you could integrate some kind of LED strip light into the one opposite the hinge side to light up the work area with the door open.

 

[kojackJKU]

Cool Idea, but I like the fact that the lift up glass gives rain protection in the back when cooking or whatnot. Good luck with it tho. I can see some benefit but I like my flip up.

 

[Dan Grec]

Looks like the Ursa Minor uses the factory liftgate glass? If so, then what I'm building will work fine with it.

I'm 99% sure they do use the factory liftgate glass, so yes, it should work great.

-Dan

 

[jscherb]

Cool Idea, but I like the fact that the lift up glass gives rain protection in the back when cooking or whatnot. Good luck with it tho. I can see some benefit but I like my flip up.

On my LJ Safari Cab, the roof-top tent provides rain protection for the barn door .

 

[jscherb]

Idea to make the fill pieces for the 2011+ more functional....

Maybe you could integrate some kind of LED strip light into the one opposite the hinge side to light up the work area with the door open.

Someone also made a suggestion to put faux louvers in them so they don't just look like plan filler panels...

 

[jscusmcvet]

Love your ideas and execution. Congrats on licensing some of them out. Good to see creativity and inventiveness being rewarded.

John

 

[jscherb]

Some progress photos... this week I've been working on the mold master for the outer skin of the barn door; it's basically complete, in these photos it's just been shot with high-build primer.

The master is curved to exactly match the curves of the hatch glass. It's several inches larger in both directions than the later model hatch glass, that's so the parts get molded oversize and then trimmed to exact size for either the late model wide hatch hardtops or the early model narrow hatch hardtops.

Next it'll get shot with epoxy, and then it will be ready to have a mold made from it. Also coming up I'll begin working on the mold master for the inner skin.

 

[jscherb]

Love your ideas and execution. Congrats on licensing some of them out. Good to see creativity and inventiveness being rewarded.

John

John - thank you!

 

[Septu]

How easy could one remove it if they wanted to take their hard top off?

 

[jscherb]

How easy could one remove it if they wanted to take their hard top off?

Very easily. The TJ/LJ barn door is held in place with 4 thumbscrews, and the wiper wiring just plugs in, so it's just a matter of removing the 4 screws and unplugging the wiring. The JK barn door will attach to the tailgate slightly differently, but similar in concept. I remove mine all the time to go from the Safari Cab hard sides to the roll-up soft sides.

 

[jscherb]

I did a little drawing on the earlier photo of the outer skin mold master - here's where the window would go, and the dashed line indicates the trim line for the 07-10 hardtop opening. The small circle is roughly where the wiper shaft will be.

 

[jscherb]

The mold master for the outer skin has been shot with epoxy, it's now ready to have a mold made from it.

Fiberglass work happens on Sunday.

 

[jscherb]

I'm 99% sure they do use the factory liftgate glass, so yes, it should work great.

-Dan

Dan,

Since you brought up Ursa Minor, I borrowed an image from the thread you linked to and installed a barn door on it . Left to right - stock with a hatch, with a hardtop-color barn door, with a body-color barn door...

If anyone wants to see what their JK looks like with a barn door on it, send me a photo I can draw on...

 

[goofiefoot]

I really like the body-color window surround. It gives definition to the modification - calls it out, rather than hiding it.