My project

[paddywagon]

So I have the Jeep almost at a point that could be considered some what finished. I am currently waiting for the front end parts, radiator, and wheels to come in and it will be ready to roll. After that everything is cosmetic (interior, audio, and lastly paint)...not counting the bill for labor that I got stiffed on and the money to transfer the title and registration we have about $3500 into it and pretty much everything has been changed. We've done the motor, all new brake components, new axle bearings and seals, pcm, alternator, fuel pump, gas tank, all new front end components, I got rid of the 35x15x15's and went to a 17" wheel with a 315/70/17, went with more of an all terrain kind of tire. still need to get a top for it and decide how I want to do the interior...but being able to drive it has lessened the wife's anger at my keeping it rather than getting rid of it to recoup the lost money. I think she'll be even happier when the front end and wheels are on it and it is manageable on the road.
Will attemt to post pictures when it is all together.

 

[Rednek1280]

If you are still wanting to stay cheaper on your build and looking for a top, you can always go with the new frameless tops they have available now. I just bought a Rampage Frameless top and love it. No more worrying about hardware and it changes to a bikinin top with a storage compartment for your windows so you can take them with you. Mine was $350. All the replacement tops were around $600.

 

[paddywagon]

so here is where we stand, not really sure why there is such a gap on the top over the doors...pretty sure the frame for the soft top is going to need to be replaced sometime soon. Now it seems like its going to be nickle and dime stuff from here on out. All the major work is done.

 

[bugleboy]

looks awesome man, good work

 

[superj]

I like the strep down the side, it's original. That keep is really nice looking, I think you guys did a heck of a job.


Can you adjust that bar that lifts the center up to bring the space down some

 

[paddywagon]

I havent l ooked at it much today, but I dont think I can adjust it...theres a bar that bolts from that to the windshield. I need to get the top off when it stops raining and get a good look at it. Pretty sure that the frame is too jacked up to really be able to do anything with it and I dont have experience with the soft tops because I never had one for my previous jeep. Its a smittybilt top and it seems like a quality product but it just seems like stuff doesnt line up and it seems like it wants to come out of the channels. Maybe when it stretches into shape I'll be a little happier about it...if not I'll do the bikini top and tonneau cover thing.

 

[paddywagon]

thinking about finding a set of full doors for it too...not so sure how comfortable I am with my son in there with the half doors.

 

[JPNinPA]

Your rear windows look stretched the wrong way too. Bestop is a better option. Just be sure to identify the current HW to match the correct top to. Otherwise buy the top and HW togehter.

Like the wheels.

 

[jps4jeep]

You do not have the correct soft top material for your soft top frame.

In the first pic you can clearly see that the frame is an aftermarket bestop system that uses rounded door corners (designed initially to be used with factory hard doors. But in the later photos with the soft top fabric and windows on, that is clearly a factory design soft top fabric with square corner doors. the metal frames between the two are very much dimentionally different.
For example, your 1/2 door uppers are for a stock (style) top with square corner's, but again, I refer to the first pic you can see the rounded corner in the frame. Basically your trying to put a square peg into a triangle hole using a round hammer.

Other than that, it looks like you have a good cruiser there. The shackle angle on the fron looks to be a bit too vertical for my liking. also not a fan of the rims, but that is only my opinion.

 

[69jeepcj]

If dif style upper door will cure your problem, I have a brand new still in the box upper yj half doors, same color. I can look to see if they are the style you need if interested. correction: Maybe not BRAND new, they were on a jeep for a couple months, but look new.

 

[superj]

Is that your wife's pt in the back ground? If so, that funny because I have a black yj and the wife has an electric blue pt too

 

[jps4jeep]

It looks like the fabric on teh actual top is also designed for the factory style hardware and not the aftermarket, it might seal better, and fit somewhat better, but will not solve the issue.

It also looks like the rear bows are not extended. I think with a best top and a YJ it is the second hole from the bottom for the rear bows.

 

[paddywagon]

as it turns out the hardware is not only broken, its the wrong style for the top as stated in previous posts, so I guess I'll look for some new hardware sooner than later.

 

[jps4jeep]

How is it broken, looks to be in good shape in the picture?

 

[paddywagon]

the tabs where the back bow is supposed to lock into the front piece are broken off so you have to keep it up with bungee cords, and the drivers side is missing the bar that goes to the windshield. When the jeep came to me there was no top with it so I just assumed that it was o.e style hardware. The vin tag on the half doors matches the vehicle vin so I dont know why the frame around the door would be for a soft top for factory hard doors, I'm pretty sure this came from the factory with the soft top. There were alot of things that really made me scratch my head along the way with this project, but given the way the jeep was treated before I got it, I guess I shouldnt really suprise me that I find things that dont make sense.

 

[paddywagon]

As for the shakles, I think they were done to get a little extra height in order to clear the ridiculously wide tires that were on it when it came to me. It really makes no diufference to me either way, and I dont really feel like messing with the suspension just yes...I'd like to get all the bugs worked out of it first.

Yes superj that is my wife's pt in the back...she loves that little car. The turbo has been a little problematic, but they're cheap enough to rebuild and not that big a job...more of a pain to try to fit my arms in there than anything else.

 

[paddywagon]

As for the shakles, I think they were done to get a little extra height in order to clear the ridiculously wide tires that were on it when it came to me. It really makes no diufference to me either way, and I dont really feel like messing with the suspension just yes...I'd like to get all the bugs worked out of it first.

Yes superj that is my wife's pt in the back...she loves that little car. The turbo has been a little problematic, but they're cheap enough to rebuild and not that big a job...more of a pain to try to fit my arms in there than anything else.

:roll:

 

[jps4jeep]

That is a common problem on those tops, my fix is to use a 1/4-20x1/2 bolt, I stick it inot the hole below the part with the tab and let the piece rest on the bolt shoulder. the threads won't allow for the bolt to slide out. Mines been like this for 10+ years and it has never failed on me. If you need me to clearify that, I can try to snap some photo's, my jeep is in storage right now.

 

[paddywagon]

I think Im just going to buy the correct frame for the top. Now that I'm this far into it I figure I might as well do it right. It runs and drives safely now so I can take my time and not have to rig things up.