ChargerFan,

I was in the junkyard over the weekend, and they had a top with the glass already removed. I almost bought it, cause I had an idea similar to yours. I wasn't going to cut the entire top down, just have the windows out and cut out the roof. I didn't buy it cause I didn't have anyone to help me carry it out, now I wish I had bought it! If you proceed with your idea, I'd really like to see how it comes out. I think I'm going to try my idea as well. It won't really be "topless", but I want to see how it would look. They want $40 for them at the junkyard here.

 

One of my many projects that I haven't been able to get to.

Once I have my rollbar installed in my Bronco, then I'll be able to proceed with exact measurements to make my cover. I took a look at how the CJ's have their soft-tops attached. Not a feasible idea for a Bronco, because our rigs our so much larger and need a wider space to cover.
So far, this is what I've come up with.
Marine grade vinyl, which you can buy from almost any fabric store in many colors. Also comes in clear for the back window. Once I have cut out, pieced and sewn together the cover, I'll attach weather stripping all around the outside (top) edge of the whole cover, with adhesive. Then I'll use aluminum metal strips, like the kind you use to hold down the edge of carpet, and rivet these onto the inside of the cover. I haven't decided how many pieces of the metal I'll use yet. This is crucial to being able to fold the cover when not in use. If I can work it out, I'll just use three long ones, one for the top front, and one on each side. These will be mounted using the same mounting holes for the hard cover. As for the tailgate part. I'm going to use one of those pickup tailgate caps, and attach the edge of the cover with heavy duty velcro.

Do you guys think this will work?

 

I stopped by Home Depot on a hunch (don't know why, just had something in my gut that told me to go there in the 5 spare minutes I had before work). Asked if they had tarps and the guy took me back to the paint section... I'm looking around, not what I need... not what I need... what's this? A tan (almost the same colour as my hard top) tarp for covering stuff in the back of a truck, could it be more perfect? $40... and I found some nifty gadgets crammed onto the shelf that I'm going to try, we'll see if they can hold the tarp as advertised. If they can, I just found a great, simple, cheap (though not necessarily pretty) way to hold the cover on.

 

Look back through the threads..someone has given what they paid for a top from a local canvas / boat cover place...

 

Had to put in my 2 cents worth. I use to do upholstery work professionally and still do a bit on the side. I have to warn you about using the vinyl. It won't hold up for that type of application. Go to an upholstery shop that makes boat tops and buy the fabric that they use. They probably would make you a top if you wanted one.

Also, similiar to your carpet strip idea, if you don't want to drill holes into your truck, you can bolt 1" angle iron/aluminum or 1" box tubing where the top bolts to and attach your snaps to that.

 

Plan B. I just talked to a top maker here locally and I had gone and seen him and then called back to see if he had an idea of cost. He had an idea alright. $200.00-$300.00. If I wanted to spend that kinda money I'd just go buy one from Jeffs Bronco Graveyard. So I think I'll check with a different place or just get the materials myself, take my time and make it the way I want. I should have it done by Christmas. I'll keep ya'll posted.

 

I wanted to keep this thread fresh so I thought I would let anyone who cares know that my top is still basically in a holding pattern. The first frame I made from another stock top had been wrecked and was "bondo'd" on the pass. rear corner. I spotted another top on Sat. and asked the guy if he needed it. he didn't. I got that one for $20.00. So I'm kinda back to square one again. I've got it cut down but not finished enough to paint or mount up. I'm still actually using the first one. But I can say this. I have dropped the idea of using metal plating along the "rails" to mount snaps/velcro to. I'm just going to glue/epoxy/rivet the velcro down, drill a few holes and also do the snaps. Just for extra insurance of the top not coming off in high wind/freeway speeds scenarios. Another idea is to run some kind of wiring through the top and along the rails for an alarm system. If one snap comes off and the alarm is activated, then it is triggered and I run out my door "guns a'blazin'". Anyway, I'm still workin' on it. In my head at least. I did manage to get my bass tubes mounted to the floor. My top is off now and I didn't want anyone "walking" off with them. Any other updates out there? At this point I think the best/smartest thing for me to do is get the top material, finish the frame, get the window material , the velcro, the snaps, and just pay an upholstery shop to fit and make it look proffesional. If I don't spend all the money at once I feel better about plunking down $100.00 or so to someone to get it done right. And custom. The idea in my head is pretty cool I think. Once I get it done I can get pics and let everyone in on the details.

 

Im still interested in you "project" ChargerFan....keep us well informed.

 

I like the idea of cutting down a junk yard top. What if you leave the back section intact, like a tall wing, and fasten aluminum rods bracing it at the top edges (front to back). That way you could fashion a bikini top between the front and back with roll up sides or using zippers take the sides off and still be able to roll the window up when parked. I just wouldn't drive with the window up the wing will most likely flex in the wind and break the window. Also for the post '92 crowd we could still have the 3rd brake light.

 

Wow, I had big idea's a couple of years ago didn't I? Well, I finally have my soft top together. It's not exactly what I wanted, but I found an old used one for $100.00 and used the frame I made from the other top. The rear window needs to be replaced with a tinted version and the sides where the snaps are have seen better days. It does mount right up to the frame though except for the back corners. I need to study that section a bit before I break out the grinder and get to work. One thing that might not seem important but I think really is, is that anyone wanting the fas-back look, you really need to have some sort of crossbar where the bed turns up to the cab and have the top snapped to it to make sure it holds it's shape and doesn't "balloon" out when driving. There is a fair amount of pressure being applied to the top from the wind. Especially if the windows are down. So far, so good. I'll try to get hooked up with some pics ASAP.

 

all sound pretty mickey mouse to me.! go to the classifieds keyword soft top if u want the real mc coy @ a good price. excellent cond, i'd rather go naked! oops mean topless

 

Chargerfan, have you thought of taking the top that you would cut down and then cuting that into three sections. I was thinking that if you did this, there would be no risk of bending or breaking the U shaped frame. Might make it last longer.

 

96eddie, I have considered it, but at this point, I'm not removing the frame very often. It's been on since mid April and so there isn't any stress currently on it. I do think though that if at the end of the year, when I go back to the hard top, I might just do that. I have enough mounting bolts to make sure the seperate pieces don't move around at all, and it would make storing it a bit easier. It's been in the shed since two summers ago and through moving it around a few times, it does want to bend and there is a small crack that has formed on the section that mounts to the cab. If I can find another top that I can do some more work with, I may have to update / upgrade the design a little. Overall, I am very happy about having it on. It might seem kinda "mickey mouse" to HUCKSTER, but compared to spending hundreds on the "real" thing, and not having the option to do anything personal or custom, I feel this is the best way on a very limited budget. And I mean limited. There's a reason it's taken years to do.

 

chargerfan, i,m new here, i dont even hang out on the computer here, i haul cars for a living with a 03peterbuilt sho trk an its usually ***** to the wall for me. taken some time off, cruzd the net found this cool well put together website,signd up,placed ad to get rid of my softtop i have on my bogger,then seen your thread here & read about 20 different ways to piece one together. i think its great to see other peoples ideas and watchn them make it happen. i do it every day in my kinda of work fabn this and fabn that. thats y this country is so great its called american ingenuity,its the best thing out there. i just realized u have 2 yrs into this top and it still not the way you want it. sometimes its just easier and cheaper in the long run to just go out and buy the real deal. i do like towmanjbo's idea though i have acouple tops layn around goin to have to get a marker and jig saw out now! ps nice trk i also hv a 83&79bogger pics soon.

 

Huckster, it's not that I have two solid years into it, I work on it in my head and when something comes along I make a little progress. It has never been on the top of the priority list so it waits for opprotunity arise. I didn't mean to sound angry about the "mickey mouse" comment, but we do the best with what we have. Like I said, I'm on a limited budget for "toys" for my rig so I take what I can get for the fewest dollars spent. I consider my time and energy spent working on it free. So all told, I'm into my top for less than $150.00 dollars and it is the style I want and can be repaired to the point of getting another, maybe, ten years out of it. Or I can use the top as is as a pattern and start back at the beginning and build a top that I will be very happy with. Right now, I think it is somewhat cool that I only know of two Bronco's running around my area with soft tops and mine is one of them. And there are a ton of Bronco's around here. And I guess I need to clarify mine is the "tonneou" style. I guess the "fastback" is the type that goes from the cab straight back to the tailgate. But it for sure a "soft" top.
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