How do you get the curve out of the ZJ rack to mount to the flat JK top?

I still have my old ZJ and have no problem pulling and cutting the rack to put on my JK so I can mount my raft or monoskis up there.

 

The rails are very flexible, it takes almost no pressure to flatten them. Bolting it to the roof using the bolt holes in the rail will be it takes.

 

I'm doing a few more measurements in preparation for making the main roof mold - in these photos I've got an Alpine window setting on top of the side panel, its actual location in the roof panel will be about inch higher than shown in these pictures.





This concept drawing is a fairly accurate representation of what the hard top will look like when done, except that the concept is a 2dr and the parts shown are for the JKU version...

 

Jeff, First of all, thats one pristine looking shop.. Question.. on the rear flip out side window.. Will there be any sort of mesh screen located inside the window frame as the final design?

 

I can do higher quality work in a clean and organized workshop .

If you mean the windows in the photo below, I did them because I thought they would be cool for the prototype but I wouldn't expect those to be in a production version. But whatever windows would be in a production version would be up to the company that was marketing the top, so if they thought there was enough demand for flip-outs then they could include them if they wanted.



What I'd expect in a production release would be either sliders, or possibly tilt-out windows like those pictured below. Both of those types are available with screens, in fact the windows in these photos do have screens, if you look very closely you might be able to see the screens.



[URL=http://s213.photobucket.com/user/jscherb/media/JK/WindowsPsgrCrank2_zps2a614ad1.jpg.html]

 

We prefer the flip out versions.. Reminds me of the old VW Karmann Ghia days.. The Rear window flipped out and locked in place. But I do see the possibility, someone forgetting that these windows have been left open and hitting the trail.. Moreover the trail hitting them.

I've seen other concepts you've done which incorporate a roof rack.. Are your safari caps designed with these roof racks in mind?. Asking, because I like the design of the Nissan Xterra.. Where the rack is more pronounced or located towards the swooping lower front.

Also, with companies like Wildboar.. they've incorporated a "t" top version which allows panels very similar to the freedom to be removed. I wouldn't want to destroy the structure of your concept.. But what is your feeling on removable panels within your design?

Lastly, I've posted the image of the white modified wrangler on Google+ one doubting follower suggest "who would buy these?" I for would will be on the waiting list and I have subscribed. But the user changed his tone when he asked if these were to be made from aluminum, then he would have second thoughts. Along with this.. can your products be advanced into other areas by using a variety of construction techniques like aluminum?

We look forward to the completion of this Safari top.

 

You've asked a lot of questions and made comments which don't necessarily have yes or no answers, so I'll answer them all in separate posts to avoid a single huge answer post.

I've made the window mounting surface flat so that any windows you might find on a pickup cap or RV can be manufactured to fit in the Safari Cab. Flip-out windows are pretty common in pickup caps, so if the Safari Cab gets to market the company marketing it could decide to do windows like that. For my prototype I used Toyota FJ40 flip-out window parts for a bit of a retro look, but I don't think those would make sense in a production hardtop, they're much more labor intensive to install and probably more expensive than an RV window like the flip-out one on this pickup cap:

 

The other day I did a post about my roof rack plans. Yes, the Safari Cab will include integrated roof rack support that transfers any load on the rack to the sport bars, so there's no stress on the fiberglass. My LJ Safari Cab has the same thing and it's worked out great.

I'll be using a ZJ Cherokee rack on my prototype for reasons I outlined in that post, but if a rack is to be offered for a production version, that would be up to the company that markets it, and they could decide exactly which rack they offered.

 

I don't plan any joints in the roof panel, so there won't be any Freedom panels or t-tops. I have posted several concepts showing various openings in the roof in the past, although not sure I've posted them in this thread.

One option is sunroofs with removable panels:



Another idea is a soft roof that can be swapped in place of the hard roof. It would be like a pickup truck soft toneau cover, and would snap around the edges. I know the owner of a tonneau company not too far from here and I may ask him to make a prototype for me, he's done that before for other projects when I've needed a custom tonneau.

 

An aluminum version wouldn't be cost-effective, and in my view, it's not as good a material for this application as fiberglass. Because every panel has compound curves, dies would have to be made to stamp the panels to shape, and for a fairly limited production item like this, the dies would be cost prohibitive. Stamping dies are far mod expensive than molds for fiberglass parts.

Besides, aluminum isn't as good a material for a hardtop as fiberglass is. It's much easier to damage and harder and much more expensive to repair.

If aluminum was a good material for a Jeep hardtop, then why have Jeep hardtops been made out of fiberglass derivatives since the 70's?

Me too . I'm not working on it full time, so it'll be a while yet. I've got a bunch of other projects going on that demand my time, so the Safari Cab is at best a part-time project at the moment.