"Safari Cab" modular hardtop project
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
tacomadave
Adventurer
Very nice, I like it a lot, hopefully this will be available for the JK someday, i'd love a barndoor style door!
jesusgatos
Explorer
Nice work. Would love to see more pictures of the process as you're making these master plugs and molds.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks. I should be finishing the woodworking on the rear corners today, will post pics.
I love this top and would definitely buy one for my LJ if it comes to market.
My preference for options would be as follows:
I know I am in the minority regarding fixed glass, but sliders always leak and would be much more noisy at speed. They are also likely to wear out over time. Plus it looks cluttered visually in combination with the opera windows. Either way I would buy this top without hesitation.
My preference for options would be as follows:
- Barn door tailgate
- A cloth, OEM style, charcoal gray, head liner backed with acoustic foam to minimize wind noise
- Roll bar tie-in for the roof rack
- Fixed glass panels with no screens and dark tint
- Primer finish to allow for color matched paint.
- Matching opera windows on the back and sides
I know I am in the minority regarding fixed glass, but sliders always leak and would be much more noisy at speed. They are also likely to wear out over time. Plus it looks cluttered visually in combination with the opera windows. Either way I would buy this top without hesitation.
Ford Prefect
Expedition Leader
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks, I'm glad you love it
. Comments on your list:- Barn door tailgate - I'll be building the top for my LJ that way; not certain whether the company would do barn door or liftgate for commercial tops. I'm working with the company on a survey that we'll ask you guys to respond to, that'll be one of the questions.
- I'll do a cloth headliner in mine as well. I did cloth headliners for both my CJ-8 World Cab and my Retro Wrangler pickup, both were backed with insulation and both made for a significant reduction in road noise. Not sure what the company would do for headliner. Photos of my CJ-8 headliner below.
- I plan to build the roll bar tie-in for my top to prove the concept, and the mold for the inner structure for the roof will be designed to accommodate the tie-in. I don't know whether the company would offer the tie-in as an option or whether they would just offer plans so people could implement it themselves. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be part of the base top offering.
- I may do fixed glass in the first top I make (for my LJ), I don't need sliders for my own use and I'm likely to need to get windows for it before the company would be ready to place their own bulk order for windows. I probably wouldn't do dark tint for my Jeep though. The company would definitely do sliders for the commercial tops and may offer clear or tinted as options. I doubt the company would offer fixed glass, but if enough people said they preferred it to sliders perhaps they would. So far the feedback has been overwhelmingly in favor of sliders.
- Mine will definitely be painted to match the body color, my LJ is black so I'll be doing my top in a matching gloss black. The company would offer primer as one of the options, and I suspect a couple of other colors, although that hasn't been decided yet. Maybe black, light khaki, white?
- And yes the LJ tops would definitely have opera windows on the sides and the back.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm not sure a blanket or quilt would be a good idea, but I've seen some commercial tops that have indoor/outdoor carpeting glued to the inside as a headliner, and I've also seen some people do that to their factory hardtops. It's easy to do and doesn't look bad.
I too am against sliders. I don't really see the point and they do add to noise, usually end up leaking and will only add visual clutter. Plus, from a manufacturing stand point it will add cost. If you have the vented opera windows on the rear then the sliders are not adding much value. Plus, if you have someone sitting in the back the split that is present in sliders will take away from their ability to see out, and that has always been the number one complaint I have heard from people sitting in the back. They are never hot or cold, just annoyed at the visibility.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I got the woodworking done on the rear corners today. First photo below shows the corners combined with the door surrounds to make a half-cab; this half-cab is the same size as the factory Scrambler half cab.
Next four photos show some detail shots...
Next two photos shows the same parts spread out a bit and clamped to a piece of YJ tub. I've taped an opera window in place and I definitely have room to widen it about 3/4", so I'll make a new print for tomorrow.
And finally just a shot of the corner and door surround sitting on the floor next to the roof; if you've got a good imagination you can start to see how the whole LJ cab will come together.
Tomorrow I'll make the master for the rear door upper outer skin, then we can see a complete half-cab mocked up.
---------------------
Questions about the Safari Cab? Try here first: Safari Cab FAQ
---------------------
Next four photos show some detail shots...
Next two photos shows the same parts spread out a bit and clamped to a piece of YJ tub. I've taped an opera window in place and I definitely have room to widen it about 3/4", so I'll make a new print for tomorrow.
And finally just a shot of the corner and door surround sitting on the floor next to the roof; if you've got a good imagination you can start to see how the whole LJ cab will come together.
Tomorrow I'll make the master for the rear door upper outer skin, then we can see a complete half-cab mocked up.
---------------------
Questions about the Safari Cab? Try here first: Safari Cab FAQ
---------------------
Last edited:
spencerswahoos
Observer
Very nice craftsmanship, looking forward to seeing the progression of this project.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
I had slider windows on my LWB SJ-413. They basically sucked but then so did the whole top so I'm not certain it was a bad idea or just not implemented properly.
I like the multi-configurability (is that a word?) of this top. A lot like Series Land Rovers.
I like the multi-configurability (is that a word?) of this top. A lot like Series Land Rovers.
winkosmosis
Explorer
Can you flip it over and use it as a boat?