Adam F

lol

I'm in the same boat as well.

One thing that has me wondering, is how the canvas will meet up with the cab and create a weatherproof seal. ANyone have pics of how this is accomplished?

I plan on using snaps to snap the canvas to the metal frame.

getitdone

Yea...how does the canvas seal if it just snaps down on the top. Water would just get pushed under it by the wind, right?

I just love how we are all cruzin in this boat, anybody else?

Adam F

And about the conduit to use for the ribs. I found some thin and thick walled conduit at Lowes today. The thick walled stuff was heavy as hell, seemed like an overkill. They had some thin wall stuff that was much lighter and cheaper, yet still seemed rigid enough to support the top. Besides, I'm not going to use it as a roof rack, so it just has to support the canvas top.

Also, last night I found a great source for some outdoor fabrics.

http://www.beaconfabric.com/vindex.html?cat14.htm

These people seem like they really know what they are talking about. I'm going to call them tomorrow for some advice. I was thinking about getting some of this stuff in black and then coating it with some 303 spray

http://www.beaconfabric.com/vindex.html?cat14.htm

And then some of 30 guage clear vinyl for windows

http://www.beaconfabric.com/vindex.html?cat209.htm

shiftless89

Chris, you should check out the channel that 4xjedi uses in his bikini kit the material fold over the channel then the channel presses agains the cab, I bet it would be perfect for you. I'll try to take some pic's of it tonight
Mike

getitdone

Cool, I love pics! I started on the 1X3" rails yesterday.

Going to the junkyard today for misc items including a set of rims. It's took a while because I was trying to be really acurate. Man it's fun to fabricate.

Pics soon.

86runner

hey great site thanx.

can-back uses that sunbrella stuff correct?

scubasteve83

search for sunbrella on e-bay its cheap and comes in tons of ugly colors or black

Adam F

Yes, they use sunbrella, but not plain sunbrella. See, Sunbrella is a woven fabric which is made to be breathable. When they use the sunbrella for soft tops like the can-back, they actually attach a waterproof vinyl fabric to the inside of the sunbrella to make it waterproof.

The stuff you see on ebay is just plain sunbrella, which is not waterproof.

86runner

its water resistant though correct? like if it just drizzles and its not a hard rain it should be ok. because im thinking of just having the canvas on during summer. so actually i dont really need it to be water proof.

Adam F

Yea, its water repellant.

You could spray it with some water proofing spray, like this http://www.303products.com/main.php?...ge=fabricguard

86runner

cool thanx for the info.

getitdone

It doesn't rain in the summer?

shiftless89

Chris, here is a pic of how 4xjedi's kit mounts to the cab, let me know if you want to meet up and check it out




Sorry the pics are not more detailed

86runner

no it doesnt but during the nights and early mournings its foggy and damp. and it could rain during the summer maybe once or twice but not usually that often.

4xJedi

You can bend square tubing, you just need the right die for the tube bender . I made this rack out of 3/4" square tube. The wall thickness has to be .065 or thicker for it not to collapse. For supports you'd be better off using round material. Round is stronger than square. When I fab my full soft top I'll use 3/4" conduit. Plenty strong enough and it can be bent with an inexpensive conduit bender.




All loaded up and ready to head out.

4xJedi

Shiftless,

I found a better pic. Here's how the top should look mounted to the cab. Excuse the crude prototype channel lurking under the bikini, it was my first attempt a couple of years ago .

86runner

hey man that is a sweet rack. i like how it sits in the back like that instead of on top. and you still have space below the rack to store stuff. well done.

4xJedi

Thanks!
My cargo boxes fit under and the soft space-taking stuff goes on top. I made the mounts internally for a cleaner look. I then realized I can even mount the rack there with the hardtop on, if ever needed.

86runner

yeh its sweet. ive never seen that done before.

getitdone

I can dig it.