Julie AKA Dirt Road Top - Technical Question about the Magnetic Top (Not about her business)

[231Designs]

Hey all

Thought a new post made sense for this question since all of the other threads that I have read are mostly about her business, the waitlist and all of the other drama surrounding Julie.

So - I guess I was one of the lucky ones that received my ordered top from Julie before things really went downhill for her. While the order process was far from perfect (nearly 18 months wait time) - I did receive my package with soft top and trail cover last summer (2023) - and finally have gotten around to installing and trying to get everything fitting.

I opted for the Magnetic closure since I replaced the quarter panels and rear barn doors I wanted to avoid installing the footman loops if possible. The top has the magnets installed in lower portions of the top to hopefully secure it to the tub. However - in the rear without the back window and side windows on the magnets do nothing to keep the 'corners' to stay down while driving anything over 25mph. Beyond that and it looks like my FJ40 has pigtails.

In the box that she sent me were a couple packages of Sailrite Stayput Shock Cord - and fasteners.

Does anyone out there have this magnetic Soft Top - - or does anyone have any information on how the shock cords are to be installed?

I have reached out to Julie and have never heard back - and considering my issue relative to others I don't think I will hear back.

Any help is much appreciated. If I can't figure this out I might need to take it to a canvas shop and have straps installed and add the footman loops to the tub. Really hoping to avoid that.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[Living in the Past]

Factory tops and replacement Kayline top from the model 1960s to early 1970s used the same twists used along the sides.

 

[Jonny01]

I have one of Julie's tops, and yes took quite some time to get but that was years ago now. Those Sailrite Stayput Shock Cord - and fasteners go along the inside edges of the top near the tub, and then you fasten the loops to the tub. What I did was buy threaded hooks same size as the hardtop mounting holes, cut to length and then screwed into the holes used for the Hardtop Bolts. I can take some pics and send you this evening

 

[Jonny01]

these are the hooks I used

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYM80S4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[231Designs]

these are the hooks I used

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYM80S4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have one of Julie's tops, and yes took quite some time to get but that was years ago now. Those Sailrite Stayput Shock Cord - and fasteners go along the inside edges of the top near the tub, and then you fasten the loops to the tub. What I did was buy threaded hooks same size as the hardtop mounting holes, cut to length and then screwed into the holes used for the Hardtop Bolts. I can take some pics and send you this evening

Jonny - Would love to see some photos of the interior and how the hooks/loops work.

Once you have these installed do you feel the top is secure enough for freeway use? My rear corner seems to be sagging on the top since there is no tension down at the bottom currently - hoping once I figure out this piece of the puzzle I'll be all set. Love the top so far - just wish I'd gotten it all put together sooner.

Thank you!

 

[Jonny01]

Ok, here you go. Apologies in advance as I am not the best with adding pics but, below are pics of the hooks installed (I am currently putting hardtop back on so just out 2 hooks in for illustration), then you can see the tool I used to punch holes in the inside flaps of the top, then the frontside and backside of the installed loops onto the flaps. I had to call Julie way back to figure this out as it was not obvious to me. Hope this helps.

 

[Mightymes]

Does anyone know what fabric/brand she used for the soft tops? I have a soft top and now have some FST doors I'm rebuilding and I'm trying to match the fabric/color she used. Mine is white.