Making A White Soft Top

So I started this project because I have a Bestop super top on my CJ and I have never been able to get the doors to fit just right no matter how much bending and adjusting I've done. And theres just a few small things that bug me. For example the flaps that go around the door frames have a tendency to come undone while driving down the highway, so the top above the doors is flapping all over and I have to pull over to re-secure them. And I have no idea why they are just velcroed when they just as easily could have installed a zipper or even snaps. Also no one currently manufactures the vintage looking doors with the lower window sections which I personally think just oozes vintage jeep. So decided to take it upon myself to make a new top and address some of these issues. Part of the reason I decided to make a completely new top versus just fixing those issues is I like the look of a White soft top and they are no longer manufactured. To start I purchased a roll of 10 yards of white marine vinyl off of amazon and 5 yards of 40 gauge clear marine vinyl.


These were the second set of side pieces I made. I was still experimenting with the design I wanted to go with. I was able to weld the windows in on these. The welding process basically involves a heat gun and a roller. I had luck with that on my initial testing but haven't been able to regularly recreate the cleanliness of these seams. I think it may have to do with the quality of the vinyl material?


Here is my lower door frame, I purchased a rod Iron bender from harbor freight and it seems to be doing the trick. My doors will be a two piece design similar to my Supertop. So the tops will be removable leaving you with half doors.


Here was the final result of my first basic top layout. It required too much adjusting for me to make it fit right, so i decided to use it as a template and make another top and learn from my mistakes. Adding material where it needed and trimming some as well.


So here is the second top in its raw form. Much cleaner in my opinion, and a simpler design.


Here is a view from the front. My goal is to keep everything nice and taught.




Here it is with the side window in. I ended up sewing these in. I saw a video of how they make soft tops for VW Things and they sandwich the window between two sheets of the outer vinyl, then staple it together and then sew in the seams and cut out the excess material. Seemed easy enough but in the future I would add the windows in before sewing the two top halves together. Its very difficult making fairly precise seems while trying to push and pull all the excess material.


This has been my work station .


Half door pretty much finished. I still need to trim that lower corner, and seem around where the door handle will be.


Here is a rough view of the unfinished upper door section. I am an extreme amateur when it comes to sewing and measuring out panels so it has been more trial and error for me than anything. Ill have to redo that upper piece and and add about 3" of material to the front portion. Also the top looks a little weird because I pinched a section while sewing my window in, Giving it that fold near the upper door. Im currently working on the rear window. Should have pics of that in a couple days.

I'm completely open to any input or suggestions you all may have so throw them my way Haha

 

Haha thats kind of what I was thinking. I wouldnt mind selling them. But we'll see.

 

Keep it up as soon as work and side work slow down I’m going half cab.

 

Very interested in your endeavor. What machine are you using? Im buying a pair of door frames from a member here in the hopes to make a half top for mine when work slows down. Keep up the good work.

 

Its a REX 607z. Its basically an exact copy of a $900 Sailrite machine. Buts its less than a third of the price off Amazon. Its by no means perfect but its considered an "industrial" sewing machine. I can sew about 6 layers of pretty thick marine vinyl before it starts to struggle.

 

I got the rear window installed. Next time I think I would make the whole window removable. Having zippers on all three sides.


And a view from the top, everything is nice and taught.

 

Looks really nice.

And i like your door frames.

I despise the new ‘handle lock lever’ versions with the butt gouge vs the older 90* lever

 

About as much as a whole Jeep with a new black top.

 

Well I have thought about selling them. And I would be able to sell them for around $550.00 and that would include all the hardware. Obviously they wouldn't be absolutely perfect in the beginning but I would fix any issues that arose. If your serious shoot me a PM

 

Hardware as in bows, doors, handles and snaps?

 

Correct. Everything that normally comes with a top. So bows, snaps, door latches etc. I could also do the more modern design with the plastic inserts on the sides instead of the snaps.

 

I agree at least from a styling standpoint. I've never had a top with the older style handles so I'm not sure of there downsides as of yet

 

this is the inner door latch I went with. Speedway motors sells them, and they seem really well made.

 

That handle/latch design I had on a hardtop on a 1947 CJ2A in the early 1970's. They had a very good latch-up and were long-term dependable.

 

you making the bows yourself? if so what are you using emt?

 

Thats what I was planning to use. But I haven't made my own bows yet. Currently using my Bestop bows

 

Very nice work. years ago I decided to make my own top, I used strong cotton material and transparent vinyl.
To put things together, I used neopren glue as for shoes. Just need od a wide ribbon to have a good glueing.
I made this years ago, it is still in perfect condition. It is not as beautiful as what you do, but effective when not good weather.
This is incredible how new materials are interesting.
I am 70 (top part of members list) and I worked all my life in the Industry, more precisely rubber textiles plastics etc... Customers in phone industry, aircraft, medical... Technology changed so much.
yesterday I fixed a hole in a wall to put air condition, wall of bricks... I fixed the pipe (diam 16cm) inside with expansive foam, external finish with "Murex", a fast cement synthetic, dry in 30 mn and strong like steel! I also used polyester fabric and I'll use polyurethan putty for details combing holes...
I like to work with "old" traditionnal materials to respect the age of the farm, nearly 3 centuries, but new tools and products are perfect.
The only question is : danger for the planet, chemicals must be carefully tested... We know now that we went too far... that was so easy to kill bad weeds!