Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Hard top to soft top 56K beware, many pics

I decided to cut and fab my own mount from an old hard top for my soft top. I like the way it looks finished a lot better than the aluminum frame work that comes with a soft top.

1st thing to do was figure out the cut line. I wanted to keep enough of the old top to keep the rigidity of the top.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02621.jpg

When I cut the top off the sides had broken the bonding. I'll get this fixed later with some fiberglass mat.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02624.jpg

What I ended up with after cutting. You can see in the center it dips down. The center bolt hole was cracked around it. I'll add some fiberglass to strengthen that up.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02623.jpg

I found a guy on ebay that sells the snaps that I need and also some snaps to go in the top. I ended up buying the installation tool from him as well. I also went to the parts store and got the fiberglass needed to close this top back up.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02679.jpg

So after test fitting the top and getting some snaps in place this is how it is going to look.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02677.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02676.jpg

For the back I am going to use a piece of aluminum angle iron to mount the snaps to.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02675.jpg

Now comes the fun, fiberglass. I'd suggest wearing long sleeves when sanding this stuff as it is pretty itchy.

I wanted to add some fiberglass mat on the inside where the weak joint was after cutting.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02681.jpg

After that I was able to build up in layers the inside.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02691.jpg

In the very center of the top it was cracked. I clamped it back together and added some more mat to the inside area.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02684.jpg

For the center bracket rod supports I am going to fiberglass those to the top so there are no unnecessary screws going into the body. I've also eliminated the window gasket lip on each side with a grinder.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02680.jpg

And this is where it is at now. Some more sanding and it will be ready for a final coat of bondo to finish it up.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02688.jpg

After some more sanding and some bondo spread it is starting to be finished. Now I have to figure out how I am going to finish off the back with some fiberglass to make it look finished.

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02694.jpg

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02700.jpg

So now we have gone from this:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/6...e/dsc02680.jpg

To this:

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02699.jpg

Here is a test fit to see how it looks.

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02702.jpg

At the back I am not liking the big excessive hump there. I am going to cut it at the black line and fiberglass the end closed to give it a neat finished look.

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02704.jpg

I decided to fiberglass the metal brackets to the top so there would be no screws attached to the Bronco and this would be a totally self contained assembly.

1st thing to do is mark off where it goes and cut away some of the top for the pins I will be using for the bars:

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02755.jpg

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02756.jpg

I decided to round the corners off so it wouldn't catch on something later:

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02757.jpg

Next was to precut some fiberglass mat to lay into place:

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02758.jpg

Setting up:

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02759.jpg

I then applied a final coat of fiberglass web to give it a nicer finish coat. This will probably be the final on it as trying to put a coat of bondo and sanding is going to be to much of a hassle.

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02760.jpg

Some final sanding and it should look pretty good and be nice and stable:

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02767.jpg

At the rear I got the cut line down. This will get finished off with some fiberglass as well.

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02754.jpg

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02763.jpg

For the back I picked up some aluminum angle iron. I cut the ends and folded them over for a little structural support at the end where it meets the topper. I had planned on bolting it thru the ends but with the expected fiberglass finish there I would not be able to get the bolt into the angle iron. I changed that around and ran a single bolt thru the end of the top so at any time the aluimnum angle iron can be removed to gain acces into the back of the Bronco. I am going to use some foam insultion tape on the lower part of the angle iron to keep the rain/water out.

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02769.jpg

https://www.supermotors.net/getfile/...e/dsc02768.jpg