Helo needed!!
- Thread starter Srdjan
- Start date
- City
- East Norriton
- State
- PA
I know it has been done. I have seen a few nice, and a few horrible jobs. You would want to use an earlier YJ top(or at least the back top if melding 2 together) with a "T" handle on the hatch like a CJ7 top. Later YJ's use the tailgate to keep the hatch closed.
I'm actually in the process to figure out how to do it, but my initial plan is to cut my 1987 hard top, just in the middle of the side windows, and then build the missing part with the propper plastic and fiberglass. So I'll keep the rear hatch functional.
The hardtop on my Jeep was actually two CJ-7 tops. You could theoretically do with with a couple YJ tops too, but issue is the window top edge is slightly curved, and the two halves won't line up right.
To combine to CJ7 tops, you'd cut one at the back of the window, and cut the other at the front of the window. Then stick the long front and the long backs together with a big fiberglass band-aid. Making sure it has to be enough to get you 24.5" of additional length.
The problem with extending a YJ top is the way the side windows arc. You'd need to do more fiberglass work, basically creating a new window channel at the top, and have custom glass made (you have to do that anyway). Alternatively, you could cut just one top in half, then make a new center section with fiberglass mat to give you the 24.5" extension. You will also need to either make sill extensions from scratch, as well as filling in the window frame gap, or find another YJ top to scavenge from. This is going to result in two joints instead of one though, and will not be as strong.
It might also be possible to cut the YJ top in front of, or behind the side windows, and just fill in the new area with a mat panel. Then the window would either be at the front or rear. Privacy top? Either way you slice it, there's a lot of fiberglass work. If you are not experienced in fiberglass, it's not a project I recommend.
To combine to CJ7 tops, you'd cut one at the back of the window, and cut the other at the front of the window. Then stick the long front and the long backs together with a big fiberglass band-aid. Making sure it has to be enough to get you 24.5" of additional length.
The problem with extending a YJ top is the way the side windows arc. You'd need to do more fiberglass work, basically creating a new window channel at the top, and have custom glass made (you have to do that anyway). Alternatively, you could cut just one top in half, then make a new center section with fiberglass mat to give you the 24.5" extension. You will also need to either make sill extensions from scratch, as well as filling in the window frame gap, or find another YJ top to scavenge from. This is going to result in two joints instead of one though, and will not be as strong.
It might also be possible to cut the YJ top in front of, or behind the side windows, and just fill in the new area with a mat panel. Then the window would either be at the front or rear. Privacy top? Either way you slice it, there's a lot of fiberglass work. If you are not experienced in fiberglass, it's not a project I recommend.
Hello, and thank you very much for your feedback. Actually, what I intend to do is exactly what you suggested as a second option: cutting the YJ hardtop right through the middle of the rear window and—with the help of a specialist—fabricating the missing section. This would allow me to create straighter lines in the area where the side windows are mounted. I plan to replace the side windows with custom-made, high-strength acrylic panels that feature a UV filter on both sides; I chose acrylic because it can be heat-formed to achieve the necessary curvature to fit the window openings. Best regards, and thank you very much from Chile!!...
- City
- Richmond
- State
- TX
Where did that extra long door come from?