ProtocolJK
Member
Wow these look fantastic! Great job
Custom modular JK hardtop
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
martinzusmc
New member
Damn nice...let me know when you plan to bring this to market.
Thank you.
I don't sell anything or bring anything to market, I just design and build projects like this as a hobby. But sometimes companies like what I design so they license the design from me to bring it to market - quite a few of my Jeep/offroad designs are now on the market. So far three companies have contacted me about this hardtop. Two of them I've already ruled out for various reasons. The third is very qualified to manufacture something like this, and they're interested not only in the hardtop, but also marketing the barn door separately as an option for factory hardtops (I designed the rear barn door so that it fits perfectly with a factory hardtop).
But I haven't decided yet if I think this hardtop should be a production product, or if it's worth the effort it would take to help a company get it into production. I'm still thinking about it. Right now I'm leaning towards just finishing up this first prototype, calling the project done, and moving on to my next project.
Thank you very much!
In one of my last posts I mentioned that the barn door for this hardtop also works with factory hardtops - here's a photo from early in the project showing the barn door being test fit with a factory top:
I've done the molds for the barn door so they can also be used to make a wide barn door for the later model hardtops, here's one on a friend's JK, this video was taken during a test fit; the window glass, wiper, etc. aren't installed yet (well actually the wiper motor is installed, you can see it in the bottom of the barn door frame), and it's still in raw fiberglass...
I've done the molds for the barn door so they can also be used to make a wide barn door for the later model hardtops, here's one on a friend's JK, this video was taken during a test fit; the window glass, wiper, etc. aren't installed yet (well actually the wiper motor is installed, you can see it in the bottom of the barn door frame), and it's still in raw fiberglass...
Thanks! In my build threads (this isn't a build thread), I try to post lots of detail so people with ideas for similar projects can see how I've done things and apply it to their own projects. Glad some of my trailer ideas helped you!
OhNoTheJiggies
New member
Very very cool. That is one unique modification!
Threw my rack basket on the rack today to see how it fits.
There will be tie-in brackets between the rack and the roll bars so all of the weight in the rack is supported by the roll bars; I haven't made up those brackets yet though.
The drip rails are also designed to support racks that mount that way.
There will be tie-in brackets between the rack and the roll bars so all of the weight in the rack is supported by the roll bars; I haven't made up those brackets yet though.
The drip rails are also designed to support racks that mount that way.
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What the barn door looks like when it's open. I'm holding it in this photo because I haven't bolted it to the tailgate yet.
Also in the photo above you might have noticed the opening rear vent windows.
Electrically the barn door is compatible with the factory wiring and plugs in to the factory hardtop plug, although because the hinges are on the other side of the Jeep from where the plug is, an extension runs under the carpet. Wiper, defrost and washer functions are supported. I did this video when I was testing the extension:
The wiper motor is in the bottom of the barn door, so unlike the factory hatch, the motor isn't obstructing the view out the back. Also the stalk-mounted third brake light can go away because there's a brake light on the hardtop, which will further improve rear visibility.
Here's an "over the shoulder" view out the back:
The barn door also works with the factory hardtop; in this photo I threw on my dusty early model hardtop to check the fit.
The molds are designed so they can make tailgate-width barn doors for the early model hardtops like the one above, and wide barn doors for the later model hardtops.
Also in the photo above you might have noticed the opening rear vent windows.
Electrically the barn door is compatible with the factory wiring and plugs in to the factory hardtop plug, although because the hinges are on the other side of the Jeep from where the plug is, an extension runs under the carpet. Wiper, defrost and washer functions are supported. I did this video when I was testing the extension:
The wiper motor is in the bottom of the barn door, so unlike the factory hatch, the motor isn't obstructing the view out the back. Also the stalk-mounted third brake light can go away because there's a brake light on the hardtop, which will further improve rear visibility.
Here's an "over the shoulder" view out the back:
The barn door also works with the factory hardtop; in this photo I threw on my dusty early model hardtop to check the fit.
The molds are designed so they can make tailgate-width barn doors for the early model hardtops like the one above, and wide barn doors for the later model hardtops.
About the rear vent windows I mentioned in the last post - I think they'll be a great way to get some flow-through ventilation when the Jeep is closed up, but it might be inconvenient to have to go to the back of the Jeep to open or close them. So I've made up a mechanism to power them, using a vent window motor from a Chevy Venture minivan. I haven't decided if I'm going to install them or just leave the windows for manual operation, but the motors do work pretty well...
Goldeneagle1LC
Member
I would love to be able to buy something like this since I don't have the skill set to make one, I like the idea of Hardtops better than soft tops but they lack the flexibility needed with the weather here in Florida. Your design addresses all of those issues and creates even more usefulness out of the jeep. This would be a great product. :thumb:
One of the ideas I've been experimenting with to take advantage of the modularity of the design is to swap the roof panel could be swapped for a soft roof. The tonneau cover from one of my trailers is pretty close to the right size, so I tried it on. It's a little wide and a little short, but gives the general idea of what a soft roof would look like.
With the soft roof removed:
With the soft roof removed:
Today I cleaned up the garage from all the mess I made trimming and fitting the parts, so I moved everything outside. Here's what a complete set of JK Safari Cab parts looks like - the roof panel, two upper jambs, two side panels, a rear panel and the barn door:
And some "alternate" parts... two side panels for trying out different windows, in this case a slider window and a cargo hatch. The thin pieces in the middle are rear jambs; when the hard side panels are removed and the soft sides are installed, these provide a surface for the rear of the door to seal against, and a place for the front of the soft sides to attach.
And some "alternate" parts... two side panels for trying out different windows, in this case a slider window and a cargo hatch. The thin pieces in the middle are rear jambs; when the hard side panels are removed and the soft sides are installed, these provide a surface for the rear of the door to seal against, and a place for the front of the soft sides to attach.
Soon I'll have to make the most difficult decision of the Safari Cab project - what color to paint it? I've colorized one of the photos from the last install to see various color schemes. The colorization isn't perfect but I think it gives a reasonably good idea of what a color combo will look like. Please let me know which of these are your favorites, or if there is some other color or combo I should try. I can also show some of these images larger, but for this first color post I made them smaller because there are so many possibilities to show.
This Jeep is Heather's daily driver so she gets the final say, but maybe if there's one scheme that most people like we can influence her choice
.
This Jeep is Heather's daily driver so she gets the final say, but maybe if there's one scheme that most people like we can influence her choice
.
piginajeep
The Original Smartass
The right color tan and go with it!
AllAmericanInfidel
Caught the Bug
Soon I'll have to make the most difficult decision of the Safari Cab project - what color to paint it? I've colorized one of the photos from the last install to see various color schemes. The colorization isn't perfect but I think it gives a reasonably good idea of what a color combo will look like. Please let me know which of these are your favorites, or if there is some other color or combo I should try. I can also show some of these images larger, but for this first color post I made them smaller because there are so many possibilities to show.
This Jeep is Heather's daily driver so she gets the final say, but maybe if there's one scheme that most people like we can influence her choice
Here is a great idea. Paint it Granite Crystal Metallic and then let me know how much and where to pick it up! Lol! Seriously though, great work! If it were me I'd probably go color matched.
allwhitejeeps
New member
I really like the black over cherry.