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Soft top

If you have any boat shops or upholsetry shops local, I would try that first.
 
94XJ4x4 said:
Im thinking about taking the sawzall out and making a my cherokee a soft top. Does anyone know a web site where you can order the material cheap?
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If you need any help give me a holler. I have experience chopping tops. (I used a skill saw to chop the top off a friends blazer)
 
The top is not going to be the problem, the hardware is. Look at a few YJ's and TJ's first and see how those tops are done. I've given it some thought and it is doable but involves using two YJ frames depending on the XJ being a 2 or 4 door and the placement of the structural roll cage once you get the top off.
 
You will also need to do bracing or a cage or else your rig will fold in half.
 
A boat shop is a great idea. I didnt even think of that. I dont think i will need a cage because Im not choping the entire top off. Im just going to chop the sheet metal off of the top and cut the stock braces out. Im going to leave the front brace just behind the top of the windshield and then make 3 or four 4 braces and weld them in in place of the stock 2. Its all still very much in the designing stages. But when I'm done Ill be sure to post some pictures up. If anyone has any thoughts on this I'd like someone elses opinion. Should I add more bracing, where, how should I secure the top... that kind of stuff. And if anyone knows any web sites that sell material for this let me know. Thanks

-Tim
 
if you were just to cut a section in the roof you might be able to use something like a tonneau cover
 
If you are just talking about a L-O-N-G sunroof thats pretty easy. I did one a 58 VW bug, used chrome channel from a ford 66 mustang that was normally used to hold the toneau cover on the soft top once it was folded down into the boot then took a piece of canvas, sewed a 1" seam around the edges and used the same L shaped stuff that the toneau cover used to go into the channel. Worked well and I did add snaps from the same mustang channel which already had the male side of the snaps on there.
If you want a real long one start looking at VW buses, they had a 4ft or so long sliding soft top, you might want longer or shorter but the tracking system could be modified and a top built for pretty cheap. It would only require sewing around the edges but otherwise would only be a rectangle.
 
BrettM said:
I chopped the top of my MJ and built a cage and top with boat materials. Do you think my cage has enough triagulation? :laugh3:

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Do you have any current pics with the new top?
 
Brett, is that canvas or vinyl? Stainless poles or aluminum? I heard the bimini tops from West Marine hold up better than the ones from Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas.

Do you always wheel in flip-flops?
 
He's young yet and hasn't realized his mortality.
 
robz95xj said:
What ever happend to safety first? Or are skipping a few steps?
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I prefer welding in flip-flops because I'd rather have a million sparks bounce off my foot than one 1 good piece of red-hot slag find it's way into my shoe. It's happened before and it sucks jumping around trying to get your shoe off. As for wrenching... if I'm dealing with real heavy stuff I'll often throw on some boots.
 
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