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New World Cabs?

Jeff- this just keeps getting better and better!
 
jscherb said:
And those first ones would be the "early adopter test run" of maybe 10-12 tops, not the full production "anyone can order one" tops.
Click to expand...

So...how does one become an "early adopter tester"?:D

Pick me, pick me!:wave:
 
I decided a half-ladder might look better, so I made up a prototype of the half ladder design, here are some photos.

HalfLadder1-1.jpg


HalfLadder2-1.jpg


HalfLadder3-1.jpg


And here are some photos of both ladders side by side. I prefer the look of the half ladder, it looks a lot cleaner to me:

LadderCompare-1.jpg
 
half looks way better. paint it black ;)

how do you think the tub will handle the force from someone climbing up and down the ladder?
 
I'm curious as to how well the half ladder would support the weight of an adult (let's say a healthy adult with a full winter coat) as opposed to the full ladder being supported by the bumper. I like both designs but when I look at the full ladder I feel more confident about climbing up.
 
Bad Karma said:
half looks way better. paint it black ;)
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Yes, black would be good. This is just the prototype, if I make a final ladder it will be painted. not sure I really want a ladder on my Jeep, I'm just building "what if" product ideas, satisfying my curiosity to see how the designs look in actuality, and perhaps the company would be interested in some of these ideas as accessories for the production top.

Bad Karma said:
how do you think the tub will handle the force from someone climbing up and down the ladder?
Click to expand...
Good question - for both ladders, the brackets attach to the tub without drilling any new holes, and there's a sturdy backing plate that goes on the inside of the tub sheet metal that sandwiches the sheet metal between the backing plate and the bracket, and spreads the load, so I don't think there would be any problem.
 
Bugman said:
I'm curious as to how well the half ladder would support the weight of an adult (let's say a healthy adult with a full winter coat) as opposed to the full ladder being supported by the bumper. I like both designs but when I look at the full ladder I feel more confident about climbing up.
Click to expand...
Actually neither one is supported by the frame or bumper. I wanted them supported by the body in case there would be any body/frame flex that would stress the mounts at the top of the ladder in the fiberglass roof.

But see my previous post, the sheet metal is well sandwiched between the brackets, which have a large footprint on the sheet metal, and an inner backing plate, so strength is no problem for either one.
 
jscherb said:
Actually neither one is supported by the frame or bumper. I wanted them supported by the body in case there would be any body/frame flex that would stress the mounts at the top of the ladder in the fiberglass roof.
Click to expand...

That right there sir is why you are so good at this.:bow: The flex issue never entered my mind. Back to more coffee so I don't miss those critical points before I put my :twocents: in. Your idea of having accessories for the tops is going to be a great profit generator for the company. Good on ya Jeff.
 
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Bugman said:
...Your idea of having accessories for the tops is going to be a great profit generator for the company. Good on ya Jeff.
Click to expand...

Mostly it's to satisfy my curiosity, I think up all this stuff then I just have to build it to see what it would look like :)

But I have designed a pretty good range of accessories for the company to choose from, hopefully they'll decide to bring some of them to market. I haven't posted photo of all of these in this forum, but here's a list of many of them:
  • Roof rack
  • Roll-bar roof-rack support brackets, enabling heavy loads on roof racks like roof top tents
  • Hard Bikini hardware kit: enabling running roof only without side panels
  • Alternate styles of windows: swing-up or possibly swing-up/removable
  • Rear wiper
  • Wiring kit with for interior lighting and DC power
  • Soft barn door. For use with the factory soft top, not specifically a Safari Cab option, but it does use the same tailgate brackets as the Safari Cab barn door
  • Hard Bikini roll-up side curtains
  • Soft Windows side panels and snap-in soft windows
  • Roof rack access ladders, full ladder and half ladder
  • Roof top tent (proved weight feasibility)
  • Overhead console for mounting electronics (GPS, CB, etc.)
If anyone wants to see any of these, let me know and I probably could post a photo or two.
 
You sir, are an artist. That is the best looking TJ I think I have ever seen. I was liking the full ladder until you explained that they both were supported by the tub anyway. I would prefer the half ladder. That first step might be a tough one no matter which you went with.

Keep up the great work. I am simply amazed.

:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:
 
lets see the overhead console!

as for the full ladder, I would be worried about catching the bottom part on a tree or something and tearing it off, damaging the tub and the top too! thats why i prefer the half ladder. besides its not that much of a step to teh top of the tail light.
 
Bad Karma said:
as for the full ladder, I would be worried about catching the bottom part on a tree or something and tearing it off, damaging the tub and the top too! thats why i prefer the half ladder. besides its not that much of a step to the top of the tail light.
Click to expand...
The outermost vertical bar on the full ladder is inboard of the license plate holder, the fender flare and the outer end of the bumper, so catching on something would be minimized, but you're right, it is a possibility.

lets see the overhead console!
Click to expand...

Here's a shot of the console area before the headliner went in. I just put a small console in mine, but you can see the mounting rails that go all the way back to the roll bar, so any console that's about 12" or less wide and up to about 30" long could be installed there.

I didn't do any further design on a specific console because when I posted this photo on JeepForum nobody seemed very interested in an overhead console. But I have drawn several designs that could hold a DIN radio, and had panels for accessory switches, etc. It would be easy to make a mold for fiberglass if there's every interest in them.

Console-1.jpg
 
gr8dain said:
You sir, are an artist. That is the best looking TJ I think I have ever seen. I was liking the full ladder until you explained that they both were supported by the tub anyway. I would prefer the half ladder. That first step might be a tough one no matter which you went with.

Keep up the great work. I am simply amazed.

:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:
Click to expand...

Thanks!!!
 
Overhead console...

I think the luke warm reception for an overhead unit is the issues associated with removing it when the top comes off. The trick would be to provide a truly quick disconnect system so that once one does move stuff like a CB, GPS, whatever up there that you can still have power to it but not have to reinvent the wheel to take off the top. Power, antenne, whathave you all would need to be looked at to make it a truly effecient system. Just my thought....looking good sir!
 
I suppose I should show you one of the console designs I came up with... this design is modular, it consists of a series of housings that can be attached to the flat overhead console mounting area. The one closest to the windshield is for a DIN radio, the second one is for switches, etc. I also designed a storage one, not shown in this photo. All would be really easy to knock out in fiberglass.

Console2-1.jpg
 
jeepdreamer said:
I think the luke warm reception for an overhead unit is the issues associated with removing it when the top comes off. The trick would be to provide a truly quick disconnect system so that once one does move stuff like a CB, GPS, whatever up there that you can still have power to it but not have to reinvent the wheel to take off the top. Power, antenne, whathave you all would need to be looked at to make it a truly effecient system. Just my thought....looking good sir!
Click to expand...

Yes, that's probably true. If you ran the top as a hard bikini in the summer, then you wouldn't have that issue.

I thought about making mounting rails for the console that could be used to retain the console when the soft top is in place, but because of the extra height of the Safari Cab roof, the console would have to mount lower when the soft top is in place and then it might be too low.

BikiniDoors2-1.jpg
 
Having pretty much finished up my work on the Safari Cab, I'm working on my next project, which is a Jeep tub trailer - I think I've posted concept drawings of it earlier in this thread. Here's a photo as it sits now - the side panels have been assembled and the factory inner fenders have been removed to eliminate all the wasted space and make for the most interior room. I've also built a custom Jeep logo drop down tailgate for it that uses a Wrangler paddle handle and latches. I haven't cut the new wheel openings in the sides yet:

SidesMockup5-1.jpg


The camper top that is designed to go on this trailer is made from LJ Safari Cab parts, and requires no new molds to be made.

As I was working on the trailer tub, it occurred to me that this tub could just be dropped on a pickup cab TJ/LJ with a lengthened frame. Then you could put the same camper top on the resulting pickup. Here's what both the camper trailer and the longbed pickup/camper would look like:

Longbed-1.jpg


Here's what the longbed pickup would look like without the Safari Cab camper top, next to a Brute for comparison.

Longbed2-1.jpg


Building a truck like this would be pretty straightforward - you could use the Brute cab closeout kit to turn the tub into a pickup cab, and if you used the Brute frame extension kit on an LJ frame you'd end up with a frame at the right wheelbase for this bed tub. You'd already have half of the tub needed to make the bed, all you'd have to do is find a 76-06 CJ/YJ/TJ tub/back half of tub to make the other half of the bed. Throw a Safari Half cab on it, along with some lift and 35's...

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Here's the link to the survey again for those who haven't taken it yet: Safari Cab market survey.

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Questions about the Safari Cab? Try here first: Safari Cab FAQ
 
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Here you go again...

Just wanted to add a strange thought/idea to the mix. What if you could incorporate a mech. to raise the top off the trailer body virtically creating in essance a pop up camper...? It could be soft sided and maybe affixed between the two units and removable? That would basically give one a truly off road capable tag along rv when out fitted. And if it were all modular we...ahem, people...could buy components as funds came available...just a thought.
 
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