making my own canvas top.. cheaply

[nerotxc]

so far this is my price list:

canvas army tent (1 person style) x4 20 bucks
ribs from fiberglass top (3 total) &
zuki factory soft top bracing (2 pieces) 10 bucks


so far im into this 30 bucks. i am doing my own sewing, my own welding, and all my own fab, which helps alot. this is also just a plain jane canvas top, to windows (yet) and i havent bought my snaps yet. i am figuring 40-50 bucks for the "common sense snaps" to make it easy.

pics to follow, i stopped to grab some water and thought id post up about it.

(btw, this isnt show quality, its trail ready)

 

[dirtygoat]

I made a top for mine years ago when it was only a two seater...

I picked up some strap material and some clip together things from Mc Clendons... It worked out really well... Kept the rain, pine needles and spiders off me...

 

[nerotxc]

so i guess 4 tents was way over kill, one covers the whole thing.

i mocked it all up just now. the sami frame is tube and the top ribs are rectangular, which just so happen to fit over the sami tube. Which made this super easy. All i did was use the frame pieces, and since they were too short, i cut lengths of the tube to fit in it and extend the frame piece. then i used the sami factory lower mounts to attach to the back of the bed on the inside of the bed rail. all of this is held with duck tape while i mock it all up, and i will take pics tomorrow before i proceed. To lay the canvas without falling in the voids i used a truck bed spider bungi and went over the whole thing then put the canvas over it.


the pics tomorrow will explain what i mean easier. but im amazed at how simple this is going.

snags i foresee are adding tension straps to the canvas, and getting all the pieces fit together.

 

[zukkev]

Very cool! Get some detailed pics...:awesomework: Lots of folks in the past have asked about pricing on a top for their rigs....might be a really good alternate to spending the big bucks!

 

[KarlVP]

Excellent Idea.

I am always destroying tops on the jeep.

 

[nerotxc]

so i went back and got a ribs from a fullsize truck top. i also went and got "common sense snaps" with extra canvas tabs. i have a crazy idea with those and some 550 cord. ill post a pic later.

so now im into this an extra 75 bucks. i have everything i need for the most part.

 

[nerotxc]

the badass part is the rear mounts swivel back n forth so when im camping i can unpin the roof mounts and have portable shade

pics!!

this is the pattern the "snap" system is going to be in. snap loop loop snap, its gonna be sick (btw thats just shoe lace to give you the idea, im using parachute cord)

also, this is all done with 4 ribs out of a full size camper shell with all hardware as well. i simply undid each mount on the top, 2 screws each side, and paid. the junkyard is my friend