Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

I finished the factory modular hardtop conversion today but didn't get a chance to bolt it together and take pictures, except for this one picture of the completed parts ready for assembly.

You can see some of the bolt flanges I added to the roof and the rear panel, the flanges on the side panels don't really show in this photo.

I'll get it assembled and photographed tomorrow.


Update on the JK Safari Cab: Yesterday I heard from the glass place - the glass for the JK Safari Cab is cut and was sent out yesterday morning to be tempered. They say it'll come back either Monday or Thursday next week.

 

[jscherb]

This morning I photographed the completed factory hardtop modular conversion. Unfortunately I don't have a 2dr JK to test it on, so we'll have to make do with driveway photos...

Fully assembled. If I didn't tell you it was the finished modular conversion you would probably think it's just any old factory top - the conversion doesn't really affect the outside looks:

Side panels removed. Now you can tell it's the modular conversion :

Since I don't have a 2dr JK to show it on, here's a sides-off concept:

A view from the inside - you can see where everything bolts together. The roll bars would block the view of most of the flanges when it's installed.

Disassembled:

All of the step-by-step instructions are written and photographed, as soon as I edit/check them one more time I'll post everything.

 

[crusaderJK]

All of the step-by-step instructions are written and photographed, as soon as I edit/check them one more time I'll post everything.

That's awesome. Thanks Jeff!!

 

[wanabxtrm]

This morning I photographed the completed factory hardtop modular conversion. Unfortunately I don't have a 2dr JK to test it on, so we'll have to make do with driveway photos...

Fully assembled. If I didn't tell you it was the finished modular conversion you would probably think it's just any old factory top - the conversion doesn't really affect the outside looks:

Side panels removed. Now you can tell it's the modular conversion :

Since I don't have a 2dr JK to show it on, here's a sides-off concept:

A view from the inside - you can see where everything bolts together. The roll bars would block the view of most of the flanges when it's installed.

Disassembled:

All of the step-by-step instructions are written and photographed, as soon as I edit/check them one more time I'll post everything.

Perfect timing for a early fall project!

 

[jscherb]

And speaking of glass...

This morning I heard from the RV window company that'll be manufacturing the slider windows for the factory hardtop retrofit kit. Today's email included the final pricing for manufacturing the windows, and the price is almost 20% better than I had estimated it would be.

I'm still waiting on manufacturing pricing for the retrofit kit to install the windows in the factory hardtop; the company that will be making them has finished their engineering from my prototype, so I'm just waiting on their pricing people. When that price comes I'll probably have them make a few retrofit kits for testing, and once that's done the company that I did the project for can place the orders for the first production run and decide on the final retail pricing for the kit.

Update on the slider window retrofit kit for factory hardtops - the hardware company got back to me with the manufacturing pricing on the retrofit kit. The combination of windows + retrofit kit is slightly less than I was expecting, so the kit will be able to be priced very affordably - probably under $400 for the complete JKU kit with 2 slider windows, two retrofit kits and all the necessary hardware, weatherstrip, etc. I'm waiting on pre-production prototype retrofit kits to test to make sure the manufacturing company got it right, they tell me that should be early next week. Once I verify that they are correct, the kit can go to production.

And now that I've finished the modular work on the 2dr hardtop, I'll be using it for work on the 2dr retrofit kit, the first prototype will be for cargo hatches.

 

[jscherb]

I posted the step-by-step instructions for the factory modular hardtop conversion here: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/160775-Converting-a-factory-JK-JKU-hardtop-to-modular

 

[jscherb]

This morning I'm working on the prototype retrofit kit for slider windows/windoors/cargo hatches on the 2dr factory hardtops. Here's a look at the work in progress; this one's for a "no trim" cargo hatch, meaning the window opening doesn't have to be trimmed to install this. With trimming, the hatch could be made a bit larger.

 

[Yuke]

No cutting option for the 4 door as well?

 

[jscherb]

No cutting option for the 4 door as well?

If you're asking about cargo hatches, I don't know if the company I'm doing the window project for will decide to produce hatches. The first thing they plan to produce will be a slider window kit for the late model JKU, and that does require a little trimming of the window opening.

Either no-trim or trim options could be produced, but the majority of the input they've received so far on the slider window kit is that people prefer the slightly larger windows, which require trimming, so that's what the slider kit will be.

I agree with the majority opinion on the slider windows - the larger windows look much better than the smaller no-trim version windows. I think the slightly smaller hatches look fine though, so if they decide to do hatches my recommendation to them will be to do the slightly smaller no-trim version.

 

[Gonzzo]

Once more, Great work sir!.

By definition, the cargo hatches do not have glass correct?, do you think there will be a glass option (slide, no slide, no matter to me)?....

This would be for a 2011 2dr jk.

Thanks for the hard work!....

 

[jscherb]

Once more, Great work sir!.

By definition, the cargo hatches do not have glass correct?, do you think there will be a glass option (slide, no slide, no matter to me)?....

This would be for a 2011 2dr jk.

Thanks for the hard work!....

Correct, cargo hatches do no have glass.

There are probably three possibilities:

1. Slider window. The slider for the late model JKU is about ready to go into production.

2. Cargo hatches, I've shown prototypes of both JKU and 2dr versions of these. No windows, they're solid panels.

3. "Windoors" (photo below). These are pretty common in pickup caps, and combine features of sliders and cargo hatches.

I don't know what the company will decide about the 2-door. For the JKU they've decided that a slider window should be the first option released. Whether they also decide to do either cargo hatches or windoors for the JKU, or whether they would do sliders, hatches or windoors for the 2dr would be up to them, I don't know what they might decide, but I'll do the engineering and sourcing on whatever they ask me to.

Current status: The hardware manufacturing company told me on Wednesday that preproduction JKU retrofit kits are ready to test and will be shipped to me in the next few days. Assuming everything is correct when I receive and do a test install, I'll tell the company that the JKU retrofit kit and JKU slider window are ready for them to place production orders. As for the 2-door, I've done a prototype retrofit kit for the late model 2-door, I showed photos of it with a cargo hatch. I probably won't do anything more with that until I hear from the company that they want to bring one or more of the 2dr options to market.


Edit: I should probably add that I am not an employee of either the company that is planning to bring the window retrofit kits to market, or the hardware manufacturing company or the RV window company, in fact I'm not an employee of any company at all. I'm just a Jeep hobbyist that sometimes gets asked by companies to do design work for Jeep accessories. That's why I can't really say what will make it to market, I don't make any of those decisions, I'm just the designer.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Hi Jeff,
OK, the suspense is killing me...

When do you get the glass for the Safari Top?
Really looking forward to seeing it all together. :beer:

 

[Comanche Scott]

Correct, cargo hatches do no have glass.

There are probably three possibilities:

1. Slider window. The slider for the late model JKU is about ready to go into production.

2. Cargo hatches, I've shown prototypes of both JKU and 2dr versions of these. No windows, they're solid panels.

3. "Windoors" (photo below). These are pretty common in pickup caps, and combine features of sliders and cargo hatches.

I don't know what the company will decide about the 2-door. For the JKU they've decided that a slider window should be the first option released. Whether they also decide to do either cargo hatches or windoors for the JKU, or whether they would do sliders, hatches or windoors for the 2dr would be up to them, I don't know what they might decide, but I'll do the engineering and sourcing on whatever they ask me to.

Current status: The hardware manufacturing company told me on Wednesday that preproduction JKU retrofit kits are ready to test and will be shipped to me in the next few days. Assuming everything is correct when I receive and do a test install, I'll tell the company that the JKU retrofit kit and JKU slider window are ready for them to place production orders. As for the 2-door, I've done a prototype retrofit kit for the late model 2-door, I showed photos of it with a cargo hatch. I probably won't do anything more with that until I hear from the company that they want to bring one or more of the 2dr options to market.


Edit: I should probably add that I am not an employee of either the company that is planning to bring the window retrofit kits to market, or the hardware manufacturing company or the RV window company, in fact I'm not an employee of any company at all. I'm just a Jeep hobbyist that sometimes gets asked by companies to do design work for Jeep accessories. That's why I can't really say what will make it to market, I don't make any of those decisions, I'm just the designer.

Saying you're "just the designer", is like Mozart saying he's just a piano player... :elkgrin:
Great work amigo! :beer:

 

[jscherb]

Hi Jeff,
OK, the suspense is killing me...

When do you get the glass for the Safari Top?
Really looking forward to seeing it all together. :beer:

The windows were supposed to be in my hands sometime last week, but I got a call on Friday from the glass place saying the glass hadn't yet come back from the place that does the tempering. He said he expected them now this week.

Unfortunately I won't be able to pick the glass up or install it until at least August 8, I'm writing this response from Colorado - I just arrived here for 11 days of off-road exploring and won't get back home until the end of next week.

So we'll all be left hanging for at least two more weeks - along with the roof, which is also hanging - in the garage waiting for me to drive the JK under it and drop it on...

 

[jscherb]

Saying you're "just the designer", is like Mozart saying he's just a piano player... :elkgrin:
Great work amigo! :beer:

Thank you very much, that's much too kind. And I never knew Mozart also designed Jeep accessories!?