Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

This gives me an idea... Could you turn this fold down tray area into a sink? Not a permanent sink but one that could somehow be removed when not needed. You could use the Road Shower solar powered shower which is pressurized through a co2 canister.

...

For someone like me (6'6"), the height is fine, but some said it would be too high for a table so maybe it would be too high for a sink for many people?

But if the height is ok, instead of an actual sink, since I'm guessing it wouldn't be used enough to require a drain and you'd use the Road Shower as the faucet, what about just placing a plastic tub on the open surface?

 

[jscherb]

I'm back from my trip, part of which was about meeting with window manufacturers, and now it's time to try out some of these windows in the Safari Cab side panels. I've got three new things to experiment with - sliders, cargo hatches, and I also picked up a bonded-glass style crank-out window.

The bonded window will look a lot like the factory hardtop windows, except that it cranks out:

These could also be made to hinge at the front and crank out at the back.

The windows are just sitting on the side panels in the photos above; today I'll cut some holes in the panels and test mount the windows.

 

[Jurfie]

These could also be made to hinge at the front and crank out at the back.

Jeep needs to provide this direct from the factory; I find driving with the Freedom Panels off can be unbearable on the highway unless you leave the back window open (at least on my 2-dr, I'd imagine the 4-dr would be better with the just rear passenger windows open)...pop-outs on the side would allow air to escape while driving with the FPs off and front windows open.

 

[jscherb]

Here's an interesting version of a crank-out window they showed me the other day at one of the window companies. This one's a dual pane while a Jeep version of it would only have the crank-out pane, not the fixed pane, but this illustrates the idea. The moveable pane works like any other crank-out - in the left photo it's open. But the difference is that the hinge isn't captive - the moveable pane is actually removable. On the right the pane is removed. A window like this could be sort of like a "Freedom Panel window" - remove it when you want lots of air. Crank it open when you want a little air, and crank it closed for bad weather or security.

 

[Jurfie]

Oh baby.

 

[kojackJKU]

Any bites on anyone making these tops for sale? Oh, and where do I get the Jeep tub trailer kit from? I have a chasis and it would be a great starting point for a overland trailer.

 

[jscherb]

Any bites on anyone making these tops for sale? Oh, and where do I get the Jeep tub trailer kit from? I have a chasis and it would be a great starting point for a overland trailer.

Two companies have contacted me expressing interest in the JK Safari Cab. I haven't pursued conversations with those companies yet, I want to finish all of the molds and get a first prototype top completed before I decide if I want it to go commercial.

Both the fiberglass Jeep-tub and the fiberglass military trailer tub kits are available at www.dinoot.com. If you've got any questions about them I'll be happy to help.

 

[kojackJKU]

Awesome, Thanks. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make the tops available commercially. The LJ around here with your top on it rocks, I need one for my JEEP.

 

[Haf-E]

I think offering the hatch kit which could be put in either way in the existing window opening of a standard jeep hardtop would be best - offer an option gas strut kit for when its installed as a top opening hatch to keep it open and a cable/strap kit for when its used as a table. Also offering the crank out window with the removable glass would be nice as well.

I think someone could make a decent little business out of offering these kits to upgrade the rear windows in the JKU tops - lots of people would love these options for traveling with dogs or gear etc. in the back.

 

[jscherb]

I think offering the hatch kit which could be put in either way in the existing window opening of a standard jeep hardtop would be best - offer an option gas strut kit for when its installed as a top opening hatch to keep it open and a cable/strap kit for when its used as a table. Also offering the crank out window with the removable glass would be nice as well.

I think someone could make a decent little business out of offering these kits to upgrade the rear windows in the JKU tops - lots of people would love these options for traveling with dogs or gear etc. in the back.

Agreed on a gas strut and cable/strap kit; I've been thinking about those but haven't messed with them yet because it's not a critical path item for what I'm doing.

Today I finished doing a test install of the hatch and the various windows in Safari Cab side panels (I'll try to get photos posted this evening). Everything's easy to install in those side panels because I when I designed the panels I made the window mounting surface flat. Over the next few days I'll install the windows on a curved mounting surface to test my window retrofit kit. My preliminary work on the retrofit kit looks like it's going to work just fine, which means that any of these options could be installed in a factory hardtop.

If someone/some company is interested in offering any of these options for sale, I'd be happy to talk to them about it.

 

[kojackJKU]

I am wondering if a fiberglass boating outfit could produce these items. esp. the roof!

 

[jscherb]

I am wondering if a fiberglass boating outfit could produce these items. esp. the roof!

There's nothing especially complicated about molding these parts, after all I do it in my home garage .

On my LJ, the hardtop, hood, front fenders and cowl panel were all molded in my garage in molds I also made in my garage; the parts were also painted in my garage. If an amateur like me can get acceptable quality at home, any professional place capable of basic fiberglass molding could do a fine job.

 

[rubicon91]

Jeff how did the meeting go on Tuesday? Hope you guys are staying warm up there!

 

[jscherb]

Jeff how did the meeting go on Tuesday? Hope you guys are staying warm up there!

Hey Donny,
I had multiple meetings on Tuesday - on the subject of this thread the meetings were with window companies and they went better than I expected; on the subject of the cargo slide project (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/137700-The-ultimate-cargo-slide-tray), the meeting I had with the company that makes the RV slides went very well. I probably should get around to doing an update on that topic in that thread.

 

[jscherb]

Various windows installed.

Slider:

Crank-out:

Cranked open:

And my original Toyota-based Kick-out vent window: