an idea for a different kind of soft top?

[Devilmans Hand]

I was looking at the pic in Slow Poke's thread

and was wondering if anyone has ever made a soft top that just replaces the fiberglass portion of the hardtop, kind of like an oldschool hot rod?
You could still get some sunshine and air when its livable outside and quickly put the soft portion on when the weather changes. Wouldn't have to worry about finding soft top bows and this would still maintain the stockish look. Methinks that this would be way cheaper than a full soft top too.
What say you?

 

[TRFCSUX]

?

Does he drive it around like that or was that just a pose for the tire pic ? What would you do about the back with the doors off ?

Are those cepeks 33x12.50 good looking tires

 

[Devilmans Hand]

dunno, i just snatched the pick from his thread. I hadn't seen a hardtop installed before w/o the fiberglass w/ it.

 

[Devilmans Hand]

dunno how strong/rigid the sides would be w/o the fiberglass on it. They could wobble at speed. Could perhaps run some thread rod to connect the seatbelt mounts together and add a bar on the top rear above where the rear doors normally are.
Prob could make the top like the soft tonneau truck bed covers with rigid bars every few inches so it doesn't just flap in the wind and doesn't have to be constantly adjusted to take the slack out.
think i might pick up some extra sides this summer and mess around w/ the idea. I've never been a fan of clear plastic windows on the full soft tops and don't want to invest $1000 in a top that some jacka$$ will ruin with a pocket knife.

 

[cjgoode]

I cannot find it, not sure if on this site or somewhere else but I did see one with hard top sides and soft top top. Should be easy to add metal frame to both make the sides sturdy and support ths soft top.

 

[burnttoastburgos]

i saw a guy with the same set-up as you speak of with a vinyl or canvas top...dont really see the need for it although to each own preference.DO IT and show us the results

 

[Devilmans Hand]

cool, I'll try and find some pics on the interwebs

 

[Devilmans Hand]

yea, I'm not sure how practical it would be, just an idea. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Alternate solutions are always welcome...

 

[GarageRat]

That's how a Ford B400 worked from the factory.

The "Deucenberg" by Bobby Alloway (not a real B400, a heavily reworked '32)

And how a real one looks with the top off

We've been discussing trying that on one of the FJs we decided to do some different stuff with, it's a giant rust bucket anyway. Our plans involved bows in a channel and significant reworking of the hardtop sides to keep in structure without all the support the rear cross bar (ideally removed) and cap give. The B400 worked as the pieces are non-removable and planned when stamped. We're planning on welding the sides to the body and internally bracing it followed by skinning the inside of the top to keep the work hidden. For the average guy, this is not worth the trouble.

As far as the pictured FJ, if there weren't strong side winds then it'd be okay without the ambi-doors since the air would just flow through. I'd keep an eye out for it parallelagraming over time though.

 

[Devilmans Hand]

I suppose i'm that average guy w/ little to no bodywork skills. I'd like to see some pics when you're finished. Sounds like some real though has been put into this idea.

What other plans do you have for that FJ?

 

[JohnnyC]

just put a sliding ragtop on it 46" X 48" Two Fold Sliding Rag Top ,VW Bus 67-Earlier Curve or Sunroof

 

[Devilmans Hand]

ewww...gross. Think i'll pass on the vw style top. Doesn't look mean enough

 

[GarageRat]

It took me roughly 20 minutes to get a basic idea of how to attempt it, I think the easiest way to support it is to run tubing from the inside of the hardtop panel to the floor and frame it like that since the interior will be getting skinned with upholstered panels. The only area I'm not completely sure of is how to make the soft top weather tight where it meets the hard panels while still being smooth, I'm thinking possibly a rubber weather strip that mates to a flange on the panels.

The wheel wells and floors will be redone completely smooth except for the factory kick up and a smaller trans tunnel with the wheel wells being as unobtrusive as possible while still allowing suspension travel, all seams will be welded and smoothed, and I'm making new quarters from sheet with a relocated wheel arch that fits the extended wheel base. The paint color is a eye blazingly bright green with a very heavy metallic content, it reminds me of a 60's gasser or custom color. I'm not completely sure what else will be done, up until a week and a half ago it was going to be a sedan delivery with a single, side-hinged rear door. This thing was 80% rust and had a bent frame when we started, the purists don't need to worry.

Mine's getting some different stuff done as well though some of it's been done by others on here. Rear quarter wheel arches getting relocated/stretched as necessary, might raise the fenders very slightly if I need for clearance, I'd like to make a Carson top for it just for kicks (always wanted a Carson topped custom), making a one piece tailgate out of the barndoors, making a valved air scoop where the cowl vent used to be so it can be closed for winter to allow warmer intake air, and whatever else I happen to think up while I do the body.

I've done a couple hot rods and muscle cars so it extends into how I build everything, I'm a little eccentric with my stuff . Obviously my pace can be glacial with some of this stuff since I can't stand imperfect work, I work out of a small shop doing customer fabrication and school work as well. Once I'm done with the frames and back to body work I'll take pictures of everything as they're done. The frames don't have anything special going for them so I haven't bothered documenting their progress. I'll start a build thread when I get to the bodies where things go off the beaten path.

 

[KY Longhunter]

just put a sliding ragtop on it 46" X 48" Two Fold Sliding Rag Top ,VW Bus 67-Earlier Curve or Sunroof

I like JohnnyC's idea! Surely this has been done but probably not much less $$$.

The picture of the Dodge Caravan with sliding ragtop is comical!

 

[GarageRat]

One thing I forgot to mention is another potential issue is how to curve the top at the corner in back where it transitions into the top of the vehicle without looking bad or adding anything when the tops down, I'm thinking possibly a small roller that rides the channel with the top that slides up and hits a small stop by being slightly oversized compared to the soft top. That's a rough 1 minute solution, guess I'll have to pick up the pace and get to doing the top.

 

[My71FJ40]

I like it

I cannot find it, not sure if on this site or somewhere else but I did see one with hard top sides and soft top top. Should be easy to add metal frame to both make the sides sturdy and support ths soft top.

Yeah, I agree it should be easy to support it at all door locations and even put one support across side to side about where the roll bar sits up there behind the front seats. And the toneau cover idea could work, then just roll back when desired. My fiberglass needs some work, but if I did something like this I would look for a spare set of sides to play with and just fix my current top. And I also agree with the Tiger soft top being easy to destroy and also looking a bit Heepish. Anyway thanks for bringing up the idea, gets my wheels spinning...

Ps, thanks for letting us use your cruiser pic

 

[Devilmans Hand]

yea, i'm not sure how weathertight it could be, but it'd be better than a bikini top and not much worse than the stock hard top. could use a rubber c-channel type seal sewn/rivited to a canvas/vinal top that could be easily replaced w/ wear.
I'm not sure how i'd still be able to use ambulance doors on w/ this design though w/o having them kept open when the top is off/down. Could use a drop down tailgate...and upward rising rear glass, but this would look funny when the top was down/off.

 

[bikersmurf]

Seen it on a 45

Years ago a co-worker of mine had Just such a top on his 45.

Should work well enough for the summertime with a few bows to support it.

I'm sure any boat shop could easily build it for you for a lot less than a grand.

 

[cjgoode]

I would want some metal support frames, but here is one just like what is discussed here on ebay. They just did snaps it look like.

FJ40 Hard Top Sides with Canvas Roof : eBay Motors (item 180464800839 end time Feb-07-10 16:34:37 PST)

 

[numby]

You'd at least need a bow across the front section to keep it from saggin' and flappin' and slappin'' your noggin. Maybe use the threaded holes in the door bows?