Soft Rear Hatch

[dh]

If you really want to get trick, make half doors that accept the actual Jeep uppers and use real deal Jeep hinges. Nerf bars would top it off nicely. Please tell me you are going to put the actual Jeep logo stickers on it and a "trail rated" badge

[dan galvin]

Well not to over think this i see a water problem waiting to happen
i see your doors open from front to back insted of back to front not good
Last weekend coming home from a gathering my door came unlatched
it stayed closed until we stoped for gas then it opened. With the front to back the damage to your tear. NOT GOOD
that is my .02 worth
take it for what it is worth
Dan

[dh]

Well not to over think this i see a water problem waiting to happen
i see your doors open from front to back insted of back to front not good
Last weekend coming home from a gathering my door came unlatched
it stayed closed until we stoped for gas then it opened. With the front to back the damage to your tear. NOT GOOD
that is my .02 worth
take it for what it is worth
Dan

I figured he'd hinge it like a Jeep door, hinges on the front lower half. At least that was my thought.

This tear looks a lot like what I originally planned, but dropped when I considered what the new Jeeps are turning into. I was going to put the false "convertible creases" in the roof like Crysler did in the mid '60s to imitate the roof line. I figure when I wear out my TJ, Jeeps won't be Jeeps anymore, so I'll move on to a small SUV like a Blazer, and a blazer pulling a Jeep teardrop, well...

The "Spare tire that folds out into a table" was also going be in the mix, to really give it that Jeep look from the back.

[Forrest747]

THe doors will be hinged at the front, will be using Jeep door hinges. I have the hinges for the hood and the tie downs at the front that for a long time were going to be for the galley. not sure since it will not give me much headroom. The taillights and the front markers are the same as on a jeep with the fuse panel being from a jeep as well. Jeep cargo nets for all the cabinets. The area inbetween the doors and the front will have the Jeep logo and the trail rated badge, once it actually goes off road. Have a special Forrest Edition logo where in a Jeep the Sahara logo would have gone. Wife was working on a Jeep Logo Afghan for teh bed area, will have to finish that, I can crochet. The tires and rims are the same as on my jeep, SO i think i am about Jeeped out on this thing.

[Ageless]

Bond bulb seal to the canvas; rout a groove in the sidewall (undersize to the bulb) and you have a zip-lock

[dh]

Bond bulb seal to the canvas; rout a groove in the sidewall (undersize to the bulb) and you have a zip-lock

Do you have a picture? Sounds interesting

[dh]

THe doors will be hinged at the front, will be using Jeep door hinges. I have the hinges for the hood and the tie downs at the front that for a long time were going to be for the galley. not sure since it will not give me much headroom. The taillights and the front markers are the same as on a jeep with the fuse panel being from a jeep as well. Jeep cargo nets for all the cabinets. The area inbetween the doors and the front will have the Jeep logo and the trail rated badge, once it actually goes off road. Have a special Forrest Edition logo where in a Jeep the Sahara logo would have gone. Wife was working on a Jeep Logo Afghan for teh bed area, will have to finish that, I can crochet. The tires and rims are the same as on my jeep, SO i think i am about Jeeped out on this thing.

I was going to put the AC in the front, and incorperate a Jeep grille over the vents, but the plans got scraped before I got much deatil into the how.

[Forrest747]

Here are the door hinges and the tail light.

[Dirran]

I actually think it would be very simple and waterproof with a vinyl cover for the 'hatch'.
Two or three bows, as used on ute canopies/torneau covers, with elastic loops and clips or fitted using stainless studs and zippers just like a storm cover on a half-cabin boat.
These storm covers have been used for many years on boats and will remain waterproof for many years.
Obviously would need to be custom made and I reckon it would be an economical exercise.
As for security. How do owners of rag top convertibles, boats, camper trailers etc. cope with this worry?
Padlocks and the like are only to stop honest people. Thieves don't give a rat's wrinkle whether you have canvas, vinyl, timber or metal.
You just might start a trend, and I wish I had thought of that idea myself.
Errol.

[mj1angier]

I think you are on the right track working with boat canvas guys. The canvas on my 23ft w/a works good in just a normal rain. Running 30 mph and it leaks some but it is not made to be water tight... but I think it could.

[firemaniac]

For the attachment of the canvas to the tear, at the top where the "hinge" would be, look at the top of a CJ or YJ (don't know about TJ or JK wasn't a big fan by that time) at top of the windshield frame is the perfect attachment for your application. For the bottom, look at the back of a curtain sided trailer they use a bar that connects to the frame and cams over to provide tension to the canvas. And for the sides, the sides of a soft bed cover from a pickup, the various manufactures have come up with many ways of securing the sides of their product, and the "ziploc" style mentioned earlier sounds promising, perhaps also secured with snaps to the sides to prevent wind from unfastening it.

[dh]

For the attachment of the canvas to the tear, at the top where the "hinge" would be, look at the top of a CJ or YJ (don't know about TJ or JK wasn't a big fan by that time) at top of the windshield frame is the perfect attachment for your application.

TJ and JK use more of a conventional convertable attachment with a frame in the top and latch type attachment. I know it would a real stretch to build something like that in a home shop.

All that CJ hardware is available through Quadrateck. (I'f your a Jeeper, you don't need the link)

[dh]

Hey Forrest747, do you have a built page? I'd love to see more pics of your build.

[Forrest747]

http://family.webshots.com/album/577808 ... ost=family

is where i have the pics of the build.

Once the interior gets on and the roof and front i plan on taking it to the awning company and hash out a plan.