Ok so now that I've got the cage and everything situated i need to start thinking about a top. Most people either go with the soft top or just do some kind of flat metal roof. I need something that almost completely encloses the cab and is also easily removable. I got a quote for a full custom soft top and soft door tops and it would cost alot of money. I'm thinkin maybe I can make my own fully removable aluminum roof (not just the roof but sides too) and have soft door tops made to fit that. I can do all the work myself and the cost of materials would be way less than the price of a soft top. I'm seriously thinking about doing this. Any help with ideas/critism would be great. No comments saying I shouldnt have cut the top off in the first place please :flipoff2:

Thanks
Dillon

If you can do it all in a 1 piece aluminum, that would be great...when I upgraded my D90 soft top to a better top, one of the main reason was the top to door contact, and that will never be 100% with a soft top unless you have a core metal bracket...if you can create a one piece, that will drop down, bolt to the rear quarter panel tops, the top of the screen, and on the base of the B Pillar, you are good...

heres what im thinking...

make the roof portion first, from the windshield to the back off the cage.
then make custom pillars out of aluminum and weld them to the roof part. i'll make the pillars flush with the side of the body and then bend them back in to bolt into the sides. then for where i need the door tops to fit i'll build a lip onto the roof for them to fit into. Heres a rough sketch of how i could make it work...

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/desertrover83/Picture1-3.png

what do you think? should be simple enough

I would build it like a series truck. Use the stock top, and make top sides.

-Jeff

I would build it like a series truck. Use the stock top, and make top sides.

-Jeff

That's a good idea too...the series roofs/sides were modular and fit together with bolts...maybe something you want to do...I believe it would be cool to have a single roof, pillars and all, bolted in 3 locations: windscreen, rear wings (inside, on top, or on the outside even?) & B-pillar...that way, you can take it off in ONE piece, structurally sound, roll down all 4 windows and you are done :).

yea i definitely want to make it a one piece structure.

it want it to be like the classic bronco tops that were removable