Custom modular JK hardtop
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 37
From: Elmira, NY
Perfect, thank you! Also, The modular window/storage idea above is brilliant. It wouldn't take much depth to be useful, and there are so many applications. You could do a mesh cover for bringing wet, sandy swim trunk and towels home from the beach, have interior access for storage or a removable garbage receptacle, insulate it and have a cold beverage storage area.. Heck, you could put a monitor, dvd, game console etc for a rear passenger. Extra hard top mounted speakers. Exterior folding jump seats. Side mounted turret with ammo storage. The hot-swappable possibilities are endless!
I'd like to make the molds for the compartment and make some prototypes in fiberglass as I've drawn them for the 2-dr hardtop, but I don't have a 2-dr so I'm thinking about making molds/prototypes for my JKU.
Last edited by jscherb; Aug 14, 2016 at 03:31 AM.
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 37
From: Elmira, NY
Installation in progress...
The upper jambs get installed first. These bolt into the same places that the soft top door surrounds do.
The side panels go on next. These bolt the to same holes in the tub that the hardtop does, plus one bolt at the top into the upper jambs.
Then the rear panel. This bolts to the back of the side panels. There will be two bolts into the tub on each side of the tailgate, those will be needed when running the soft side, but I haven't put those holes in yet.
The barn door upper attaches to the tailgate.
Might as well put the Safari tire cover on now too
.
Finally the roof is lowered into place and bolted to the upper jambs, side panels and rear panel.
I've got a few final things I want to check and a few final tweaks to make, later this afternoon it'll come out of the garage for a test drive. More photos to come.
The upper jambs get installed first. These bolt into the same places that the soft top door surrounds do.
The side panels go on next. These bolt the to same holes in the tub that the hardtop does, plus one bolt at the top into the upper jambs.
Then the rear panel. This bolts to the back of the side panels. There will be two bolts into the tub on each side of the tailgate, those will be needed when running the soft side, but I haven't put those holes in yet.
The barn door upper attaches to the tailgate.
Might as well put the Safari tire cover on now too
.Finally the roof is lowered into place and bolted to the upper jambs, side panels and rear panel.
I've got a few final things I want to check and a few final tweaks to make, later this afternoon it'll come out of the garage for a test drive. More photos to come.
Last edited by jscherb; Aug 15, 2016 at 09:14 AM.
JK Super Freak
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,636
Likes: 7
From: Mentor, OH
You probably already pointed this out, but how does the barn door upper attache to the tailgate? How "solid" is it?
I'm also curious on what you intend to do with this afterwards. I know you mentioned you weren't interested in turning this into a company (at least I though that's what you said). Is the plan to sell the designs and such to someone else to make? - The point being, how would someone else get their hands on one of these once you have worked out all the kinks?
I'm also curious on what you intend to do with this afterwards. I know you mentioned you weren't interested in turning this into a company (at least I though that's what you said). Is the plan to sell the designs and such to someone else to make? - The point being, how would someone else get their hands on one of these once you have worked out all the kinks?
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 37
From: Elmira, NY
Some interior shots. Visibility is much improved from the factory hardtop - there's no wiper motor or third brake light in the rear view, and the Alpine windows add a lot of light to the interior. You can also see the insulated headliner in these views.
Thread Starter
JK Super Freak
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 37
From: Elmira, NY
It's very sturdy, in this video I'm pushing very hard on the upper corner to close it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msT6Vn8GoGA
