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Thread: Half Tops

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Giddings, Texas
    Posts
    7,729

    Default 26 Days

    You guys that already have bikini tops, did you make them from scratch?, modify a soft top canvas?, modify a M-38a1 bikini top?

    You guys planning on half tops, how are you planning on doing it?
    Remember if you didn't build it you can't call it yours.

    6.2 powered M715, 5 M1009's, M416, 2 M101's, 2 M105's, 3 M35's, M1007 6.5 turbo Suburban project called Cowdog.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCz...HGkBCfhXZ5iuaw

  2. #2

    Default

    My mom made mine. She's a seamstress. She looking into modifying my full top, but the fabric was too thick and I didn't really cotton to the low sides.

    It took her about an hour to sew one up as all she did was fold the fabric at the front to make it thick enough to fit in the windshield rail, then put some nylon web straps on the back. It reaches to the bed eyelets.

    I'm pretty happy with it, but it was her first and as such is a bit narrow (from passenger to driver's side). Gary Topaz got her 2nd attempt and from the test fitting on my rig it was alot nicer.

    The tops flap in the wind at highway speeds, but block the sun and rain. Alot cooler (heat wise) than that heavy canvas top- with doors on or off.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Giddings, Texas
    Posts
    7,729

    Default

    ARe our windshield strips the same as a M-38A1? I was thinking of modifying one of those.
    Remember if you didn't build it you can't call it yours.

    6.2 powered M715, 5 M1009's, M416, 2 M101's, 2 M105's, 3 M35's, M1007 6.5 turbo Suburban project called Cowdog.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCz...HGkBCfhXZ5iuaw

  4. Default

    I just bought a tarp at the Army/Navy store, folded the seam like -B.'s mom did for him, and sewed it up myself. I Attached it to the windshield then put bungee cords on to pull tension, Hand stiched it to the back support. Then I cut the sides a little long,folded the seam and attached snap heads to snap to the frame.This way it covers the sides of the top and works better with the doors closed and windows up. Only the back is open. I got a metal top with the truck,but it blew off during transport to Texas and got trashed. I think in the near future I am going to make a solid half top(metal or Fiberglass?) Members pics have a shot of my truck just before I put the snaps on.
    1969 M715

  5. #5

    Default

    mine is off of a jeep wrangler. my wife bought it at a yard sale for her cj7. didn't fit right so i got to looking at it. put it on the truck, it fit right in the channel on the windshield. the two long straps on the back were alittle short to reach the loops on the cab so i made some extensions out of a surplus sleeping bag carrier. fits pretty decent. and it was cheap. 10.00 .

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Giddings, Texas
    Posts
    7,729

    Default

    When did the cj series switch windshield mount styles? I tried to make one from a cj-5 work. Wrong channel and way to short. It didn't even make it to the seat backs.
    Remember if you didn't build it you can't call it yours.

    6.2 powered M715, 5 M1009's, M416, 2 M101's, 2 M105's, 3 M35's, M1007 6.5 turbo Suburban project called Cowdog.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCz...HGkBCfhXZ5iuaw

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Moosehead Lake, Maine
    Posts
    18

    Default

    I don't know if you would call it a bikini top as the sides come down to the windows but here is mine. I made it out of some sort of vinyl that is tough as nails. You can't even tear a strip of it cut 1/4" wide. I made it with the sides to help keep the rain off me better.

  8. #8

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    the late model wranglers have a roll cage that goes to the back of the jeep. the one i'm using drops down about8 inches from the top of the cab. it fits in the channel just fine.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Giddings, Texas
    Posts
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    Default

    Larry,
    You mean that the Wrangler bikini top goes in your windshield channel, over your stock top bows and then hangs down to withing 8 inches of the back of your cab?

    Here is what I have and what I want to do. Somebody made a hard top out of my canvas top bows. I have seen several in my area like this. I like the hard top for severe hot or cold conditions. I don't want a full canvas top. I just want something for shade in the summer and maybe cut the wind down enough that I can wear my cowboy hat above 43 mph. I build my roll bar between the bed and cab to allow my tool box to waste as little bed space as possible. I want something that will go from my windshield to my roll bar. I don't care about the sides. Around here, it will normally dry out in early June and not rain again until mid to late September. This is what my now painted hard top and roll bar look like. So you can see, I only need a few inches longer than the top of the stock canvas cover.


    Remember if you didn't build it you can't call it yours.

    6.2 powered M715, 5 M1009's, M416, 2 M101's, 2 M105's, 3 M35's, M1007 6.5 turbo Suburban project called Cowdog.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCz...HGkBCfhXZ5iuaw

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Giddings, Texas
    Posts
    7,729

    Default

    I went by a 4Wheel Parts store last week. I had called them about the tops Larry mentioned. The price on the phone was $79.99. I wanted to go by and see and measure what they had. I ended up buying two '76-'86 CJ-7 bikini tops for a total of $40. I bought to with the intent of sewing one onto the other. This is what one looks like.



    As you can see, it is just a little bit short of my roll bar. I think it would be almost perfect for the stock top frame. The top came with a 3/4" flat plastic piece sewn into the front to fit the CJ window frame. I cut the stitches out and sandwiched a 52"x 1/4" rolled steel rod in. It fit in the stock M715 channel perfectly. I still need to sew the rod in. What do you recommend for thread? I have used non waxed dental floss for stuff like this before and always had good results. Any more ideas?
    Remember if you didn't build it you can't call it yours.

    6.2 powered M715, 5 M1009's, M416, 2 M101's, 2 M105's, 3 M35's, M1007 6.5 turbo Suburban project called Cowdog.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCz...HGkBCfhXZ5iuaw

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