87 K5 Build...Hmmm, whats that Ryoken up to? stay tuned...

[BUDDY]

I thought you had the softopper. You might take a look at some jeeps with soft tops for ideas. They have a separate bar that mounts on either side of the tailgate so you can keep the Window shut, but still open the tailgate. Of course, the tailgate on a jeep is about half as wide, but it might give you some fabricating ideas.

I've heard you are pretty good with a welder or some fiberglass.

Later,
Buddy

 

[ryoken]

I'm gonna look at it tomorrow and see what I think the best route is...

actually, iirc, when I was running with it before I seem to remember the window section hanging lower than those 2 side corner sections.. and thinking I should have it shortened up by one of my canvas guys... i'll double check that tomorrow..

the other thing is, the damn back window has been rolled up for a couple yrs and the isenglass needs to "relax" a bit... it's a good softtop, but not "perfect" in it's design/execution... the flaps on the sides don't stay perfect, it has something of a wrinkle to the side top you can't get out..

but worst of all is the fact you can't zip out the back window, like you can the 2 sides... only roll up... that's very, very annoying, and something I was gonna have my canvas guys change/address at some point too...

i'll update tomorrow...

 

[BUDDY]

Back when I had my tj, there was a company from Canada that had a REALLY awesome softop setup and the didn't have the option of unzipping the windows from the top either. What they did was lay over another layer of sunbrella fabric over the entire top of the top which velcro'ed around the halo of the top. In between the two layers of canvas they had felt sewn in at the top edge also that would protect the sides when you flipped them up onto the top between the two layers of canvas. This made the top store within itself and you could then run it with all the sides up, or the back up separately.

It's hard to explain, but it was an awesome concept. Unfortunately, the invetor/owner was a super ultra douce and went out of business within a year or two.

More to think about.

Later,
Buddy

 

[ryoken]

thanks...

I'm certain my guys could make it removable and shorten it.. the shortening would be simple... removable would be a new zipper and a bit more work, but certainly doable...

I just don't know why they didn't make it like the sides and be removable... like they got lazy or something... i'll take a bunch of pics tomorrow..

 

[BUDDY]

http://www.stu-offroad.com/body/vikingtop/vikingtop-1.htm

This is the improvement on the "californitops.com" version that was so hard to deal with customer service wise. Viking isn't making them anymore, but there are a bunch good ideas there.

 

[NorCalKid]

Looks awesome ryoken! One day I will learn to paint with more then a rattle can.

Chief Brody you need all the hardware from a similar year pickup but the k5 tub has all the holes you need to bolt it up. Its a pretty significant weight reduction

 

[ryoken]

thanks for the input and props guys..

I may leave putting the Al's down till I mess with this again, depending on how much stuff I get done this weekend... wanna get some Lab cleaning and tool organizing done before I go back to work Monday... also wanna get the bender reanchored to the floor for the upcoming Mutt fiasco...

 

[ryoken]

after messing with it, I now remember what the top issue was in the back... those flaps that come around the corner, don't have the plastic "hook" sections in them to hook under the alum rail on the tailgate...

you hook the window portion in, but those 8" or so sections on the left and right, just kinda hang.. it's like they forgot to put em in at the factory... I had planned to have my guys add them when I got it worked on... not exactly sure where i'll get em..

i'll post some pics in a bit...

 

[ryoken]

alrighty, here ya go.... it's ALL coming back to me now!




pics...







rail installed.... shoulda taken a pic of these before.. super cruddy dull... 15 minutes on the Wheel O' Bling, and mrror-like now... love that thing!

here is a short piece of the black plastic style clip that is missing, albeit blurry..

that should be sewn in here

here it is done... I have it at it's "medium" height for now.. once the isenglass smooths out a bit, I'll switch the adjustment to the tighter position..


you can obviously see how much nicer it would be if the 2 corners could clip under the rail...

obviously this isn't something critical... once I get the rig drivable, I'll show it to my canvas guys and see what they think they can do with all the little issues.. fix the corners, removable back window.... I'd like a felt-lined bag to keep the windows in when not on the rig...



I just wanted to get the rig closed up better.... just need a windshield now...

 

[Slapperbar]

Check here for a storage bag, the roll inside is a 4 "page" felt blanket. It works well, I have one for my wife's Jeep.
http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Tops-Jeep-Top-Accessories/Window-Roll-and-Storage-Bag.aspx?t_c=75&t_s=461&t_pt=7460&t_pn=CLO10ST9100

 

[ryoken]

thanks...

i'll just have my guys make one up to fit my actual windows.. I don't want to roll em, I want them to lay flat...


I should be able to get all this canvas-y work done for virtually nothing... we send these guys MASSIVE amounts of work...

 

[ryoken]

btw... on a somewhat, but not really, related note....

ya ever wanna make bank? or even a great one for someone's better 1/2 to do out of the house (always pushed my ex to learn upholstery work)..

learn and do marine canvas! them guys make a friggin fortune! boat enclosures are mucho dinero!

definitely some tricks to that trade tho... I've watched em layout, measure, clamp on their patterns, fit the snaps, etc.... but everytime I see a nicely done canvas job, I'm amazed... getting panels to curve, etc...

some guys are kinda hack-ish, but some guys are true artists when it comes to that stuff...

 

[cyclic]

If your going to do some changes anyway................
Why not make the rear window bigger so that it spans the entire tail gate? Once you open the window you could then lower the tailgate without unclipping the sides. The sides would remain clipped to the body only. You could even run without the rear window and open the gate to your heats content without messing with the sides each time.

 

[Avery4jc]

Tailgate looks good.

 

[Chief Brody]

man, I love the Wheel-O-Bling...

 

[ryoken]

If your going to do some changes anyway................
Why not make the rear window bigger so that it spans the entire tail gate? Once you open the window you could then lower the tailgate without unclipping the sides. The sides would remain clipped to the body only. You could even run without the rear window and open the gate to your heats content without messing with the sides each time.

that's a pretty cool idea.... obviously i'll have to see what the canvas guy (coughhisbillcough) says about it all.....

 

[ryoken]

Tailgate looks good.

thanks bud, more than you know... good to see ya around, hope all is good!

 

[Avery4jc]

thanks bud, more than you know... good to see ya around, hope all is good!

I'll always be around here. Just been busy living life lately and my truck is "done" so I haven't been posting as much lately.

 

[ryoken]

man, I love the Wheel-O-Bling...

it comes in handy.. I think the blast cab is more invaluable... but with the monster wire wheel on the one side too, it proves quite useful...

in the old days I would have to figure out a securing method and run the standard handheld buffer over it... a recipe for flung parts across the Lab...

 

[Stein]

yeah, I had 38 on the brain...

how have you liked them?

I liked the look of the tread pattern more than the GY's, a bit more aggressive...

I like mine. I grooved them, though. Looks better, conforms to rocks better.