What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

New Soft Tops for 1st Gen.

what the heck

I'm in. I need a top and was gonna go have one built before fall comes. If a cool a$$ kicking softtop becomes available, yes I would be interested.
 
Good to have another 1st gen guy in So Cal, welcome aboard. With few exceptions, this being one of them, this forum is usually pretty laid back and newb friendly.

I think the problem comes from asking people who is interested before anyone really knows anything about you or the product. Give it some time.

As mentioned, if the company can come up with a great product at a good price, there will be plenty of people interested. As you have probably figured out, everyone is going to be quite leery of this soft top project and you.

Keep us posted as the project develops, especially if any of Greg's product features come to fruition.
 
Chefbear,

Great to hear you are interested and I will count on your insight and support.

Mr.Blasto,

I am not the manufacturer nor am I a salesman for Softopper, I am just another 1st Gen owner without a soft top option. I encourage you to go to
http://www.softopper.com
and review there products and post your comments here or to my email address or directly to Softopper. I am not trying to make a soft top, I would like a group of people to chime in and produce something every owner will appreciate.
 
I would buy one for sure if it was available, but I think it is more likely that I will be able to fab my own before anyone brings a suitable product to market. If they can beat me to the sewing machine, Softopper can have my business. That said they have plenty of time as I am in no hurry to get behind the sewing machine (I prefer the welder)
 
Just a quick update, I received an email this morning from Larry at Softopper and here it is.

Hi Michael,

The fellow with the 3rd. generation K5 dropped it off on Monday morning and we had the frame designed within 4 hours. We are almost finished with the canopy and rear window design. It will be compleated today.
Our local metal fabricator is making some special parts for the attachment to the rear of the cab and we should have them in customers hands in about than a month. They will be very similar to our 4-runner softopper. www.softopper.com/4runner.aspx This is a design that we do well.
We will be using Omnova Fabric wich is the exact same fabric found on the new Jeep Wranglers as it is available in a 65 inch wide roll. This Blazer is a wide one. We will probably only be producing it in Black.

Oh ya, Good news, I found a 72 K5 and the fellow is ready to bring it by anytime. He says he has a shredded bestop on it. I was supposed to get it in this week but we want to knock out this other one first.

That's the update.

Thanks,

Larry
 
Does he have any idea as to pricing? I'll be needing one for my '70 as my bestop is also shredded and not holding tight anymore
 
well it looks like the 4runner tops are 649 plus shippin so i would have to guess it would be alittle more than that
 
In one of the two conversations with Softopper, Larry said he didn't think it would be any different than any of the other tops they produce, but there is more materials so I think it will be a few bucks more than anything they sell.

It was great getting the email yesterday and seeing his efforts and interest to produce this top again.

I encourage everyone to email ([email protected]) Larry stating their concerns with the design and interest of purchasing a 1st Gen soft top.
 
I sent the folks of Softopper a email expressing my interest in them developing a product for the 1st gen K5. Hopefully he will see that there are bunches of us ready to pull the trigger on a nice top.
 
1971 GMC Jimmy said:
In one of the two conversations with Softopper, Larry said he didn't think it would be any different than any of the other tops they produce, but there is more materials so I think it will be a few bucks more than anything they sell.

It was great getting the email yesterday and seeing his efforts and interest to produce this top again.

I encourage everyone to email ([email protected]) Larry stating their concerns with the design and interest of purchasing a 1st Gen soft top.
Click to expand...
it does look like they produce a great product. the mesh rear screen option is pretty cool. :waytogo: if the pricing remains similar to the 4runner one, under a grand, i bet it would be a very successful product.
 
They posted pics of the 3rd Gen Top.
http://www.softopper.com/PhotoGallery.aspx
I think the windows should be larger, but overall seems very nice. Glad to see someone bring back these tops, unlike so many others who couldn't. Unfortunately we will still have to wait a little longer for the 1st Gen to be completed.
 
agreed! Those windows are WAY too small, and the side-curtain windows are certainly too short. Should come within 3 or 4" of the back, I think.

Too bad the Blazer it's on is so ugly - that might have something to do with it... put some new beautiful soft top on a beat up rig and it's bound to look out of place I guess. It also looks funny being black with the white cab-cap. Obviously, these are issues on the buyer's end - not construction/design issues.

looks very well constructed tho. i like that material alot. The roll-up sides are a great feature, as is the single frame-rail bow design. looks real clean. I also like the way the curtain attaches to the tail gate, with a nice clean drop.
 
I don't think the side windows are much smaller in size to the windows in the fiberglass top on my 1st Gen. I believe the sides roll up past the point of the actual side window. I won't be sitting back there anyway so it is enough window area for me when driving but it would look better if they could be bigger. I wonder if having this amount of material around the plastic window keeps excessive noise down a little more.

Just seeing these pictures of the Gen 3 top is very encouraging to me. I'm hoping Larry gets time this week and has the 72-K5 owner available to get started.

These comments need to be emailed to [email protected]

Perhaps one of the elders here should create a thread in the Gen 3 room getting them involved so everyone with that truck will be happy with the production model. Hint hint...
 
1971 GMC Jimmy said:
I don't think the side windows are much smaller in size to the windows in the fiberglass top on my 1st Gen. I believe the sides roll up past the point of the actual side window. I won't be sitting back there anyway so it is enough window area for me when driving but it would look better if they could be bigger. I wonder if having this amount of material around the plastic window keeps excessive noise down a little more.

Just seeing these pictures of the Gen 3 top is very encouraging to me. I'm hoping Larry gets time this week and has the 72-K5 owner available to get started.

These comments need to be emailed to [email protected]

Perhaps one of the elders here should create a thread in the Gen 3 room getting them involved so everyone with that truck will be happy with the production model. Hint hint...
Click to expand...
crappy pic - i don't seem to have any pics of the side of my rig with the top all on. it's a full vert, but i'm really partial to this window size: where nearly the whole curtain is window. really improves visibility over the hard top. perhaps you can make out that the window goes to about 3 or 4 inches from the back corner.

n1122138716_30039901_8674.jpg
 
i dont really like my bestop but it came with the truck so im not complaining, a stc would be nice, but dont have the money to spare, and even if i did, its not like i could find one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom