72-5 Door mounting

I have a 74 CJ with a new fiberglass tub -- didn't have doors on the original rust bucket – at least not since I've had it. I know that for this year the lower hinge is actually a hole in the tub with a piece of "pipe", for lack of a better term, under the tub lip to keep the tub hole from enlarging, etc... But how does the upper hinge work? I haven't been able to find any good pictures. Also, since I can't really add the reinforcing pipe to the fiberglass tub without drilling mounting holes into the side of the tub, does anyone out there with fiberglass have a good way to mount doors? If I go with the 76/up model, I’d have to drill and mount two of those external hinges to the outside of the tub? Obviously I’m not doing a “restoration” but I’d still like to keep the exterior lines clean if possible.

If I went with the 76 and up doors, would the 76/up top work to? Isn’t the distance from the top rear of the windshield to the rear of the tub shorter with the newer windwhield frame? My 74 had a 77 windshield frame on it originally and the distance from the top of the frame to the roll bar seems longer now with the correct model year windshield frame.

I'd like to put on a new bestop to keep out the rain. Maybe my wife will actually join me in the Jeep....

Thanks,

 

If you put on a new Bestop, new hinges will be included that will be placed on the inside lip of the door opening.

 

The '76-up windshield tilts back more and the sides tilt in from bottom to top. So, no, just using the '76-up doors isn't sufficient to use the '76-up top - you must have the right doors, windshield and top for everything to fit.

 

Here's the upper door mounting bracket on the driver's side of my '74. The soft door has a rod that sticks up vertically that slides into that round tube near the center of the picture. This acts as the upper hinge for the door. The tube is bolted to the w/s frame with two bolts. Under that is the aluminum channel that holds the soft top fabric in place against the windshield. The stainless ring near the top of the photo is where a rod hooks through. The rod leads back over the top of the door opening to the rear of the door.

Eric.

 

You can add the pipe and not drill the side of the tub. Decide where the hole should be for the door rod. Drill that hole. Then, take a peice of flat stock and cut it down to fit under the glass lip. Drill to clearence for the door rod and weld a small peice of pipe to the flat stock to line up with the hole. Then, drill a smaller hole on each side of the pipe for the mounting screws that will anchor the "mount" to the tub. This is what I had planned to do on my 75 when santa brings my top down the stove pipe.....hehehehe

I can weld one up for you to see if you like????