Custom modular JK hardtop
02-13-2015, 07:35 AM
#192
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
I made a mockup storage compartment in cardboard. The compartment extends wider than the hatch opening, and below the hatch opening, so there's a pretty good amount of room in there. Inside I've got a gallon can and a 2-liter bottle, and on the back wall I mounted a Molle water bottle pouch. I'm working on other ideas, like shelves, a Molle grid and a cargo net, not sure what would be best in there yet.
02-13-2015, 07:48 AM
#193
JK Super Freak
Since I like hiking with my dogs, I can see their water (that 1 gallon jug ) leashes, support gear in there.
Also makes a great cooking table for that camp stove , coffee, grilling.
Also makes a great cooking table for that camp stove , coffee, grilling.
02-13-2015, 09:00 AM
#194
JK Enthusiast
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Location: Denver, CO
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A few weeks ago I posted some photos of "Gullwing Doors" (as they're known in the Land Rover world) with cargo compartments to replace hardtop windows : I've done a little design work on the idea to see how much room would really be available in the JKU, given that the roll bar gets in the way. A JKU cargo compartment would look something like this: You can see there's an accommodation for the roll bar, but there's still almost 4" of depth at the bottom of the compartment between the door and the roll bar cavity, so there's still a pretty good amount of room inside. The overall depth other than at the roll bar cavity is about 7", which brings it to the inside edge of the roll bar inside the Jeep. There would also have to be a small accommodation for the mount for the rear seat belt, that's not shown in this drawing. The door could have a mount for a Rotopax container on the outside, or perhaps some other piece of trail gear. The back of the compartment would probably have some sort of grid system, so you could use something like QuickFist mounts to secure trail gear, or perhaps even mount some shelves or baskets inside to organize cargo. Or maybe a Molle grid would be a good idea. The compartment is a bit larger than the hatch opening for maximum interior space. The dimensions in this drawing are rough dimensions, to be refined as the design progresses. An animated view... Someone also suggested installing the hatch the other way so it swings down and functions as a table, and they suggested installing a light, which is a good idea whichever way the hatch is installed.
02-13-2015, 02:35 PM
#195
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
I assembled the Safari Cab side and end panels in the workshop to play with the various window options.
First shot is the fixed window with the kick-out vent.
The crank-out window:
Cranked open:
The slider:
Slider open:
First shot is the fixed window with the kick-out vent.
The crank-out window:
Cranked open:
The slider:
Slider open:
02-13-2015, 04:05 PM
#198
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
02-13-2015, 06:10 PM
#199
JK Super Freak
The 4 Season modular hard top; removeable sides . The opening windows that fit oem hardtop .Everything on the Menu, actually . A production timeframe, price list is undoubtedly a premature request, but it all looks so good, I can't resist asking . Talk about nose pressed to the Window !
02-14-2015, 03:53 AM
#200
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
The 4 Season modular hard top; removeable sides . The opening windows that fit oem hardtop .Everything on the Menu, actually . A production timeframe, price list is undoubtedly a premature request, but it all looks so good, I can't resist asking . Talk about nose pressed to the Window !
I'm not in business to sell anything, so if any of the stuff in this thread is going to come to market someone/some company is going to have to decide that these ideas are worth turning into products and sign up to do that.
That definitely could happen - almost a dozen of my Jeep product designs have been licensed by companies over the past few years, including my LJ/TJ Safari Cab hardtop, my fiberglass Jeep-tub trailer kit and my fiberglass military replica trailer kit; my TJ Exogate large spare carrier, my JK heavy-duty tailgate hinges, spare-mount jerry can carrier, hinge mount Hi-Lift carrier, my TJ side-mount jerry can carrier and more.
Several companies have contacted me about the JK Safari Cab, the barn door, the window options and the cargo hatch, but it's too early to know if those contacts will turn into anything.
The windows are fairly easy to turn into products; I've got several window companies that are interested in making windows in the right size for the JK, and one of the companies also told me they'd be interested in making the retrofit kit I've designed so the windows can be mounted on the curved surface of the JK hardtop. The investment and commitment someone would had to be willing to make to offer them as products would be fairly small. So why hasn't anyone done it yet? Is it because there isn't be a market for opening windows?