J10 Droptop Idea

[TK421]

Has anyone put a drop top on their J truck? Would it be possible to cut the cab to leave the brow and have a retractable top like baby Jeeps have? Maybe fab up a rollbar that is similar to baby Jeeps as well. It seems like this would be a really interesting mod...any thoughts or examples?

I am not ready to do this, mainly curious...:rolleyes:

[Long&Low]

The easiest would be to use an M715 cab and doors, they came with soft tops. Sure, you'd lose the brow, but then again, the only work is fitting the cab to the truck and finding the cab.

I'd imagine you could if you metal skills are good enough graft the M715 parts onto a Jtruck cab and do it that way.

[TK421]

okay, I need to look at some of those trucks then...I am suprised there weren't a bunch of opinions on this...

[The PIG Smith]

Sure, you'd lose the brow...
What the problem with this is??? HAHAHAHA

M-715 cab is the only way to go with this idea.

[Carleysjeep]

If you use a M715 bow-frame and the canvas top, it could be doable. You might be able to take the canvas top to a good upholstery shop to make it fit the stock windshield frame. I have actually thought about this before as well.

[freeincolorado]

That would be different. I like different.

TK421 why aren't you at your post... Take over we must have a bad transmitter.

[frank_c]

there were Dakota convertibles for a couple years. i don't remember if they had roll bars though.

[Gambler68]

I've been mulling this over for about a year. You could get an M715 windshield frame and the mounts, but you'd have to fab up under it at the dash. m715's have a plate factory covering the curve at the bottom of where the windshield would go. All in all I don't think it'd be overly hard with welding and filler putty/lead. I'd love to try it someday on my 78 J10..maybe when a M715 windshield falls in my lap.

[Carleysjeep]

I'd love to try it someday on my 78 J10..maybe when a M715 windshield falls in my lap.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the M715 windshield and J truck rear window are the same. Anyone have more knowlege on this?

[mdill]

Here you go, somewhere KIA M715 clone cabs are stacked like cord wood, should make an easy swap.

http://www.wagoneers.com/FSJ/rigs/Kia-M715-clone/

Mike D.

[FSJK]

http://bestop.com/images/products/76317-35.jpg
http://bestop.com/images/products/76305-35.jpg
http://bestop.com/images/products/76320-35.jpg

You could always buy one of these, and then bring it to a custom convertible or boat top shop and have it extended.

[Chumley360]

The M conversion is a neat idea, but seems to be lacking something. I'm not sure what, but it just isn't hitting on much with me. If it was me I'd first take a close look at where I wanted to cut the roof from the profile. Maybe Photochop a few ideas and see what I liked best. Then I'd mark and hack the roof there and cut the B-pillars flush with the top of the doors. Cap the B-pillars and build the roll cage in. Make sure that the A-pillar is supported properly as well as where the top half of the B-pillars were. If not the cab will flex so far out of shape that the door gaps will be HUGE (you should see what I've got on my M). Then take the truck into a quality upohlstry shop and have them make a custom canvas top. The only tricky part I think would be getting a good seal in the front. Usually these style tops will roll in just under the top of the windshield frame. But I'm sure with a little thought something could be made to work. Maybe wrap it just under the brow.

[Chris Langdon]

I have been dreaming about this for years. Seems to me Jeep missed the boat when they let Chevy and Ford do just what your thinking about. Except your thinking about a truck. If i did this to my J-10 i could sell my CJ and reduce one parking spot, one tag, one insurance bill.

Fab in a roll cage to support window frame, find a cj bikini top to see if it will fit, or go to a boat shop and have a custom one made like they do for boats.

all that other riga moro with a M715 might work but seems like a butt load of work.
just my 3 cents worth.

So why haven't i done it yet? Well, because i have a list of projects with higher priority at this point in my 42 year old self can handle.

Good luck and go for it.

[TK421]

all these ideas are awesome...I think I am going to explore the heck out of this and photochop some things up...Like everyone else I have a budget and a few higher priority things that need done. My cousin in Charleston is a wizard with metal so i'll have to have a couple beers with him and see what he thinks as well. Thanks for the opinions everyone.

[TK421]

Here you go, somewhere KIA M715 clone cabs are stacked like cord wood, should make an easy swap.

http://www.wagoneers.com/FSJ/rigs/Kia-M715-clone/

Mike D.

you weren't kidding about being stacked like cord wood, jeez. Any place like that in the states would be FSJ fodder picked clean!;)

[bigun]

Here you go, somewhere KIA M715 clone cabs are stacked like cord wood, should make an easy swap.

http://www.wagoneers.com/FSJ/rigs/Kia-M715-clone/

Mike D.
Sweet

[Gambler68]

Or..leave the roof on, chop out the windshield pillars, and rake back an M715 windshield, chop front of roof square and add some square tube to meet the top of the m715 windshield. I think that'd rock :D PLus you could keep the stock doors that way.

[FSJK]

came across this searching for something else...so a friendly bump just to see if anyone has been bold enough to try this.

[jaber]

Havent got to a project like this, yet.

My thoughts on the soft top- The CJ's use a c channel and the top has a strip of plastic sewn into the front edge. Start on one side and feed the plastic through the channel sideways and then theres a snap on either end. The framework for the soft tops is made out of what resembles electrical conduit. It would be easy to fab up a couple of bows and add snaps around the base of the cab for attaching. Around the doors would be the hard part.

[tazjeeper]

would not be hard to do as long as you put a trus in behind the seats in the inside corners of the cab.. that stops the cab from wanting to fold in... also you have to cap the top where you took the roof off and make a down word lip to hold the bake of the soft top on or just put snaps..
only problem with snaps in the rear is they are hard to get at becasue of the box.

as for around the doors as mentioned above theirs where it gets a bit tricky... but not that bad... most soft tops just wrap around a top bar that goes to the windshild frame... and the door seal on it... they are never a true seal.. the tjs are a real nice fit as they have a plastic panle that the door sits on when closed...
I have done them on s10s and rangers years ago..
as far as the Brow if you wnat to keep it you can. you just have to fab a lip on the inside so the soft top seals to stop water from comming in..
My brother has an upsolstry shop and he has made tops for all kinds of trucks for me...
earyler this summer I was thinking of doing this with the 76 j10 plow truck but never got the time...

[frank_c]

the tjs are a real nice fit as they have a plastic panle that the door sits on when closed...


on the factory top, yeah. the Supertop is a bit different but it seals okay. i don't get any water in while driving.

[austinaubinoe]

saw one of these in person about a year ago, it was pretty awesome.

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac23/austinaubinoe/16.jpg

[suzq044]

maybe do some studies into the drop-top Dakota..

http://fancytuning.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/img_0042-1024x768.jpg

It was like this stock, from the factory. Rare little truck.


Edit: lol @ my inability to read today.

[Elliott]

If you cut it like Elbastardo it would make a great basis for a removable top and still leave all your body lines and brow in tact:


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp142/jeepenstein64/8-1.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp142/jeepenstein64/P6184681-1.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp142/jeepenstein64/9-1.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp142/jeepenstein64/1.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp142/jeepenstein64/11.jpg

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp142/jeepenstein64/3-1.jpg

[jaber]

I have been working in a shop that does a lot of VWs and have been wondering about doing one of these...

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh14/jeffaber/Others%20Jeeps/dsc01721m.jpg

And STILL want to know what this looks like with the top up...

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh14/jeffaber/Others%20Jeeps/convertiblefsj2.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh14/jeffaber/Others%20Jeeps/convertiblefsj1.jpg

[men in black]

I have been working in a shop that does a lot of VWs and have been wondering about doing one of these...
Did you see this web site?

http://www.slidingragtops.com/28.html

Here's my idea of a convertible (its PS)


http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n192/pixelhound/photoshopped/orangelowerdTTsmgtrims.jpg

[mike12]

some one has to much time on ther hands:lol: :alc: