How would you outfit this custom LJ?

[Beowulf]

New spy shots with comparison photo. The top pic shows the companies working top with the framed windows installed.

 

[jscherb]

An idea I'm toying with... swing up/removable side panels. This is just a mockup, right now it's hinged on the upper mounting bolts of the side panel, and the gas props are simulated with narrow pieces of wood:

It would be pretty straightforward to have hinges at the top of the panel similar to the Jeep's door hinges that allowed the panel to lift off completely. I'd probably use lockable paddle handle latches on the bottom, similar to those used on pickup truck toolboxes.

 

[Jim K in PA]

An idea I'm toying with... swing up/removable side panels. This is just a mockup, right now it's hinged on the upper mounting bolts of the side panel, and the gas props are simulated with narrow pieces of wood:

It would be pretty straightforward to have hinges at the top of the panel similar to the Jeep's door hinges that allowed the panel to lift off completely. I'd probably use lockable paddle handle latches on the bottom, similar to those used on pickup truck toolboxes.

Excellent Jeff. This is right along the lines of my comments early on in the thread about the windows. Having external access to the storage area from the sides of the Jeep would be a huge benefit when traveling long distances. I think swinging windows would be less complex, but the whole side swinging up would allow even easier access to the storage area, fridge, etc.

Thanks for sharing, as always.

 

[jscherb]

Excellent Jeff. This is right along the lines of my comments early on in the thread about the windows. Having external access to the storage area from the sides of the Jeep would be a huge benefit when traveling long distances. I think swinging windows would be less complex, but the whole side swinging up would allow even easier access to the storage area, fridge, etc.

Thanks for sharing, as always.

Jim,
I've also done a little research on swing-up windows, and that's certainly an option:

The idea behind the swing-up side panels is that if the side panels are designed to come off so you can run the hardtop roof panel only in a hard bikini configuration, it's easy to add the swing-up capability too.

Speaking of the hard bikini configuration, I'm working on the hard bikini roll-up side curtains now, I hope to get them sewn up soon. Here's a photo/drawing concept of the roll-up side curtains on the hard bikini configuration:

 

[ccarm]

It never ceases to amaze me how clean and fitting this top and all its accessory designs are. Your ideas are neverending.

 

[jscherb]

It never ceases to amaze me how clean and fitting this top and all its accessory designs are. Your ideas are neverending.

Thank you very much.

I've actually only posted a few of the many configurations and options in this thread.

 

[ccarm]

You are quite welcome. I've been over this thread a handful of times, and I love the configurations and options but would jump at the chance to see more. Are you going to let us know who the mystery company is that will build a production top from your design any time soon?

 

[jscherb]

You are quite welcome. I've been over this thread a handful of times, and I love the configurations and options but would jump at the chance to see more. Are you going to let us know who the mystery company is that will build a production top from your design any time soon?

I think they'll be announcing themselves very soon.

In the meantime, here are some photo/drawing concepts showing a few of the Safari Cab configurations for the TJ...

Full hardtop:

Hard Bikini, fully open, side curtains rolled up:

Hard Bikini, hard doors, side curtains rolled down:

Half Cab, full doors:

 

[lil_freak_66]

Might i make a suggestion for the trailer?

Make it a pop up,it would reduce drag,and you could put a rack on its top for extra cargo space, while still keeping height and all that lower than the fixed roof.

 

[jscherb]

I'm working on finishing up the Hard Bikini configuration. In these photos you can see the pre-production bikini stanchions which support the rear of the roof. There will also be roll-up side curtains to enclose the hard bikini configuration, I'm working on the hardware now so the Jeep can go off to the canvas shop to have those made up.

BTW the stanchions are laser-cut, so it's easy to put designs other than the 4 holes in them, here are some ideas:

 

[jscherb]

Might i make a suggestion for the trailer?

Make it a pop up,it would reduce drag,and you could put a rack on its top for extra cargo space, while still keeping height and all that lower than the fixed roof.

Thanks. The idea behind the trailer is to re-use the Safari Cab hardtop molds in a different configuration, and end up with a camper trailer with no setup required before sleeping. It's kind of like one of those teardrop trailers, but with a different shape . Like this offroad teardrop I saw at SEMA this year:

Anyway, progress on the trailer has been a bit slow, the Safari Cab hardtop project is taking precedence over the trailer. The tub is coming along though, I've ripped out the huge factory inner fenders and rebuilt everything with much smaller inner fenders to maximize interior space along with new side panels:

 

[jscherb]

Here's a photo/drawing showing how the roll-up side curtains might look when they're rolled down, followed by the same photo with them rolled up. I've followed the design of the hard side panels and windows pretty closely and copied it into the canvas design.

Yesterday I finished making all the necessary retainer hardware and the tailgate bar for these side curtains, so everything's ready for the canvas shop to sew up the prototype. Just have to finalized some details with them and hopefully will be able to set a date to deliver the Jeep to the canvas engineers very soon.

 

[Black Dog]

If you wanted to sacrifice the back seat, you could put lockable storage containers or a kitchen type thing on the sides. The only problem then would be that the storage in the back would be pretty skinny.

 

[jscherb]

If you wanted to sacrifice the back seat, you could put lockable storage containers or a kitchen type thing on the sides. The only problem then would be that the storage in the back would be pretty skinny.

I've done a bunch of concepts and even some implementation of some storage ideas.

Here's one concept which would turn the entire cargo area into a work truck with swing-up diamond-plate side panels:

That may be a wacky idea, but here's one I have implemented and it's much more practical - an LJ "trunk box", fitted exactly to the cargo area of the LJ:

It follows the slope of the rear seat, and it's about as high as the top of the tub, so it's got way more storage capacity inside than anything else on the market.

I may be getting a short run of maybe 10 of these boxes made up, so if anyone's interested let me know.

Jeff

Oh, almost forgot, here's another storage idea I've been working on - storage nets that go along the side rail of the tub. They attach to the hardtop mounting holes, and are adjustable so they'd fit any open Jeep from the CJ-7 to the LJ:

 

[Black Dog]

Work trucks like plumbers and electricians were exactly what I was thinking of. :ylsmoke:

I'm really liking the ideas of built in storage areas in a vehicle, until now I've always just used rubbermaid tubs and stuff. I think once I figure out a rear bumper and some front recovery points on my XJ I might have to think about a storage system.