Ghetto Soft-Top
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Ghetto Soft-Top
Here's my ghetto soft top so far... tell me what you think.
http://webpages.charter.net/lrrouth/pics/softop/
I'm thinking I'm going to JBWeld snaps on top of bolts (to match stock bolts) so I can take the hard top off, put those bolts back in, then just snap the soft top on if I need it.
The front of the top has a molded piece of 1" PVC to fit the contours and is held in place with the stock bolts.
So far it's cost me $45 for the tarp and the PVC was just lying around, but it's under $5 if you have to buy it. I think it's turning out quite well considering it's less than 10% the cost of pre-made soft tops...
http://webpages.charter.net/lrrouth/pics/softop/
I'm thinking I'm going to JBWeld snaps on top of bolts (to match stock bolts) so I can take the hard top off, put those bolts back in, then just snap the soft top on if I need it.
The front of the top has a molded piece of 1" PVC to fit the contours and is held in place with the stock bolts.
So far it's cost me $45 for the tarp and the PVC was just lying around, but it's under $5 if you have to buy it. I think it's turning out quite well considering it's less than 10% the cost of pre-made soft tops...
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1. I'm going to sew a window in once I have it fitted and all that jazz. BUT, I don't see why not having a rear window would be any different from having a truck filled with junk above the window (killing the same viewing area)... but I do want the rear window, so I will be sewing one in.
2. The tarp came with that seam, oddly enough, but it's not so noticable on the other side, so I'm going to flip it over...
3. The camera and lighting make it look more yellow than it really is. It's actually just slightly more yellow than the stock tan hard top.
2. The tarp came with that seam, oddly enough, but it's not so noticable on the other side, so I'm going to flip it over...
3. The camera and lighting make it look more yellow than it really is. It's actually just slightly more yellow than the stock tan hard top.
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It's secured to the top via formed PVC (1" PVC and a heatgun). The tarp is wrapped around the PVC so the excess hangs inside, then it's bolted in (with stock bolts) to the stock holes.
For the bed rails I'm going to be JBWelding snaps to the top of stock bolts, so it will snap on.
You can find kits at:
broncograveyard.com
http://www.thejeep.com/stc/bronco.html
http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/canvas.html (though I'm not sure if those will fit ours)
or google "bronco soft top" without quotes.
I'll definitely have more pics up as I get it done. Thanks for the input!
For the bed rails I'm going to be JBWelding snaps to the top of stock bolts, so it will snap on.
You can find kits at:
broncograveyard.com
http://www.thejeep.com/stc/bronco.html
http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/canvas.html (though I'm not sure if those will fit ours)
or google "bronco soft top" without quotes.
I'll definitely have more pics up as I get it done. Thanks for the input!
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Thanks For The Info. Just Wanted To Get Some Ideas. Looks Good. Looking Forward To See It When Finished.
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The biggest reason I didn't want to go with black was because this is Texas... it gets HOT in the summer... with no kind of relief... so if it rains or I'm going to be in an area where I don't want the top off, and I go back out to drive my truck away later the next day or away from the bad part of town, I don't want it to be 400º ya know?
I actually almost went with silver, but I'm glad I didn't.
I actually almost went with silver, but I'm glad I didn't.
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From: Corinth, TX
hey man, i got a couple suggestions... that formed pvc might be good to go across the "bed" of the truck (in an arch which sticks up only a couple inches), to hold it tighter and make it a little more wind-resistent. also, why not take the back seat out? seems like that would help it fit better.
regardless, you're doing a great job and maybe we should meet up sometime when u get it done so I can drool over it :-)
-Josh
regardless, you're doing a great job and maybe we should meet up sometime when u get it done so I can drool over it :-)
-Josh
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Not sure how well 1" PVC would hold an arch at that length... and I don't really want to go with 2"+ PVC, I think it would look akward, though I might take the idea and arch it horizontally to cover those last couple inches toward the tailgate... Thanks!
I did think about taking the back seat out, or folding it up at least, but the top is mostly going to be an emergency thing (IE, cruising around without the top and there's some storms popping up around me). I'm not sure how water-resistant it will be while moving... So far it fits quite well whether the seat is there or not...
We should meet up, though I doubt you'll be doing any drooling, it's still ghetto
Have you started your top yet?
I did think about taking the back seat out, or folding it up at least, but the top is mostly going to be an emergency thing (IE, cruising around without the top and there's some storms popping up around me). I'm not sure how water-resistant it will be while moving... So far it fits quite well whether the seat is there or not...
We should meet up, though I doubt you'll be doing any drooling, it's still ghetto
Have you started your top yet?
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