patially chopping cab for cage/ reinforce?

[emoo99]

so ive done alot of searching about converting to full convertible, chopping the cab out and putting a cage in.. ive decided that it's too much for me to deal with a donor truck for a windshield frame, sagging doors, no rocker boxes, cracking windshields and what not.. so i'm tossing the idea around to keep everything stock.. and hack a big U shape out of the roof of the cab leaving about 4inches of cab around the windshield frame and above the doors, and leaving the cab pillars.. and fully welding the family cage into the remaining cab and behind the pillars.. i tried to find a top view of a k5 online to show what i'm talking about but couldn't find one.. will leaving part of the cab intact, and welding the cage tube to the remaining cab be enough to not have to worry about twisting/sagging? i'm going to go with a custom soft top with snaps all around and that leaves me with the door seal so i can run stock doors in the winter and have a good seal.. and some metal above the windshield to attach the soft top.. any ideas?

 

[blazinzuk]

Main problem will be the limitations of whatever tube bender you are using. The downbars are going to be hard to do.

Sounds cool but IMHO cut the whole thing off attach cage to frame use plexi for a windshield and do a soft top

 

[boz42]

It takes a lot of cage to tie one of these rigs together well enough to prevent frame flex.

It would be hard to seal a soft top to the roof if you cut it out the way you suggested.

The amount of roof you suggest leaving will not help prevent the sagging doors. You would be relying on the cage for that.

 

[63chevyll]

I'm gonna go against the wind and say cut it and cage the sheet outa it. I like the idea and have though of the same thing

 

[emoo99]

im kinda back and forth on the idea.. my wife won't go with me unless it's caged because she's scared of the way i drive.. .. i figure if i'm going through all the work to family cage it.. i might as well chop it and make it a full convertible.. i may just do it and say.. if the windshield cracks then i'll get plexi.. but i want to keep it street legal for now.. i'm not looking for a complete seal of the soft top.. just to keep out the majority of rain.. it's completely gutted of carpet now.. just mainly wanna keep the seats dry

 

[63chevyll]

ive been looking and have seen a few cut down burbs latley.

I dont know if it seems like a newer thing or im just noticing them more