• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Plans for a 'removable' roof

S

SeeJeepGo

NAXJA Forum User
Location
NY
I always wanted to cut the roof off my 90 2dr. Love the way they look with just a cage, kinda MJ, but different.

Anyone can cut a top off, but my idea is to make it a removable hardtop that can be put back on when wanted, and remove for open wheeling. And interior roll bar system will tie the truck together and keep it from flexing, and the top will fit over it.

Anyway, here is a quick photshop pic i rendered up, still working on the roll bar images.

no-top-photcut-35-rollcage.jpg
 
Removable top huh? Kind of along the lines of the early K5's.

The original hatch is already fiberglass. You could do a one pc of cut up two of them and make the back open more along the lines of a traditional tailgate and hatch.

As far as making the roof section I'd scrap the portion you cut off, save the glass. Find yourself another two door and cut the rain gutters off. The rear windows are left in place. These areas will require a plywood form that would attach to the glass and provide the finish opening size to allow the glass and weather stripping to be re-used later on. Apply a release agent (duh) to the roof and build up your resin and cloth to ~ 1/4". The surface created will be your finished exterior.

Pull the shell, brace and flip it over. Now you will need to create reinforcement ribs to the now exposed undersize. These can be created with rigid foam or even Styrofoam. Once the fiberglass has been built up the foam will have provided the necessary voids to create structural beams. The required attachment profiles should also be shaped and built up in a similar manner. At the sides below the windows and across the top at the hatch area the foam would be substituted with wood. White Oak would work best; these areas will need to hold hinge screws and mounting hardware.

By laying up first over the original roof and then building the remainder from what is to become the interior, the top will be slightly oversized and allow for a lip to overlap the sheet metal at the sides and above the wind screen.



By the way, what was the question again?



:gag:

TIM

 
Wow that sounds like alot of work. I've done some fiberglass work, but I don't know about creating an entire roof. I think I can make the steel roof re-useable If I plan the cut right and make a good join area where they will attach back together. I'm not affraid of the sawzall. :) I'd prob remove the side glass windows and replace them with a polycarbonate lexan so its lighter and not gonna break.

Cutting the fiberglass hatch and making it into two parts was my original plan. the bottom would swing open like an old station wagon and the top would flip up like normal, just shorter. Maybe lexan on that too. That way, when the top is off I still have the lower tailgate portion.
 
Search for pics of Rev Den's rig.

It looks very similar to your picture, with nicer looking flares.

Custom soft top and all.

HTH
 
While a cool idea, I wonder how they stiffen the chassis with the roof removed. I bet for $400 they don't bother. You get what you pay for.
 
Yeah already looked into that - thanks. It's actually listed wrong cause the 'kit' will only work on a comanchee. It's a pickup truck thing, not an SUV body thing. I'm gonna buy just the roof part for the windshield and fab the rest. A little less $$ too.
 
The original factory roof when removed from the body is:

Heavier than you think
Has NO strength
Is hard to handle

The fiberglass hatch also wieghs a TON.

IMHO...I like the fiberglass idea metioned by Bent, but my vote is for a soft top.

Rev
 
Dan, do you run a soft top on your rig. Down the road I would like to do the same chop as yours but leave the roof over the front. I was thinking of attaching a soft top using the same method as the TJs. I just dont like the look of snaps.
 
thecozmo65 said:
Dan, do you run a soft top on your rig. Down the road I would like to do the same chop as yours but leave the roof over the front. I was thinking of attaching a soft top using the same method as the TJs. I just dont like the look of snaps.
Click to expand...

Who is Dan???

If you are refering to me, yes...I run a soft top. If you don't like snaps find someone to build a top that does not use them...simple.

Rev
 
Hmm...

Resurecting a dead thread. I'm really thinking about doing this to my 2door this year. Has anybody put any more thought into it since this post died? I believe Rev about the top having no strength alone, I've been working out a reinforcement idea in my head for that. Heavy isn't a real big problem either as I really only intend on keeping the hard top for winter time and using a real basic soft-top for the summer. I can build a lift frame for the top to get it on and off in my garage. Can probably store the top on the ceiling as well.

If I get the go-ahead I might be starting on this in the next month or two. If the removable top idea proves not worthwhile I'll just get a good semi-soft top made and deal, but I really think it can be done...

Wish me luck :D
 
Lots of luck to ya. Im in Pittsburgh, but I'd take the lil road trip up to help out if u need. Cuz I really want to do the same to mine and would love to get a lil hands on/ seeing it be done. Problem is, I have a 4 door? Does that mean I can't do this? Could I atleast do a removeable softtop if I can't make a replaceable hardtop out of the factory one? Thanks for the answers...soon as it gets a lil warmer I want to start on my cage...but I wanna wait for a lil more educating first.

Rev you have any leftover diagrams with numbers or anything I could look at? Im still a young dumby...but not afraid to do stuff myself. One thing on my side is, Im a lean mean welding machine. I want to make everything myself...but Im just not positive where to start with alot of my projects. Thanks alot and again, good luck chicksdigwagons
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

V
Suspension advice
Replies
18
Views
2K
Evan03
E
E
Steering Redo.... Questions before I dive in.
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
B
Quick question regarding OTK steering and a PSA regarding Rough Country
Replies
15
Views
6K
XJEEPER
XJEEPER
I
Bought Son 2000 XJ, Need Help with RC Lift
2 3
Replies
45
Views
7K
Tim_MN
Tim_MN
M
A few comments on RC 4.5" long arm setup
Replies
2
Views
3K
maxbraketorque
M
Back
Top