Did a little research and it seems like there is the Kayline top which is out of production and the Can-Back. Pro's:
Kayline: cheaper
Can-Back: No drilling, holds weight on the top, actually in production

But the can back is like $1000!

That seems like WAY too much for basically a tent with snaps on it! Anyone have experience with these tops, can you give suggestions?

Has anyone tried making one custom?

 

I used to work in a canvas shop in seattle, we mainly did boat canvas, but I thought about making one for my truck. With a decent frame, and the material $1000 is pretty good. I expect you would pay about $1500 for a decent custom top.

 

the kayline is now sold by STC specialty top company. and try close to 1400 for a can back with a 6 month wait!

 

That's insane! Weatherproof tents don't go for that much, do they?

Maybe I'll just have to make one out of a tarp and some duct tape...

 

I'm in the market for one as well, but definitely can't do the $800 - $1000. Thats almost how much my whole truck cost!!! I'm not really sure how I'm gonna do it, but I want to try to make one this summer that I dont have to drill anything to make.

 

yea, its a miracle to come by a Can back for cheap and with relative ease.

 

The patterning is what is expensive on a custom top. And the pattern is makes a good or a bad top. Your not so much paying for the top as you are the experiance and quality. The stuff is really expensive.

 

search on TTORA - there's a couple different ones people are talking about over there- Bestop is making one and there's another company too...Schooler started a similar thread on here lately IIRC

 

Props for the info TC. I went over to TTora, but couldn't find too much in respect to runners. Yes, I used the search function. Most of the info seemed to apply to tacomas... Are the dimensions the same??? I'll give them a call tomorrow to see if they can give me anymore information, and I'll post their reply for all to see. Good to see you drive a '96 Impala, one of the real ones. I regularly drive my dad's '95, and am always convinced its one of the best American cars ever built as people move into the right lane.

 

How would the patterning be that difficult? Wouldn't a rectangular piece fit right over it? Granted, I have not worked in a canvas shop, and since things are usually more complicated than they appear... argh.

Someone should compile these efforts to make afforable soft tops. I know I am going to take a whack at it this summer because $1000 is extortion.

 

I think it will be tough to do, if it's not perfect it will be floppy and proabably loud. I made a YJ bikini top work, but thats a lot simpler. If you get it to work make sure you do a writeup on here.

 

It is actually a lot more difficult that one would think. You have to get it perfect or it will flap, tear, gather water, and plain ol look like it belongs on a Jeep. Espically if you make the rack have radius corners. Then you have to have someone experiances sew it exactly to your pattern, and installing is just as hard. You will need a snap tool, fasteners..etc.

 

Alright, so I'll probably fail...

Who was it on the site here that was getting the old designs from Suntop or something?

 

http://www.specialtytopco.com/

 

I know I mentioned them last night, but for anyone interested:

http://www.wildyoats.com/canvas_army_top.htm

http://www.wildyoats.com/canvas_top_tech.htm


For the record, the STC is cheaper and you can buy a kit from 4crawler to make it use the stock mounting holes rather than drilling 200 holes in your truck.

 

Hi RustBucket,

I'm the one trying to get the patterns for the SunTop. Don't have them yet, still trying.

Intrepid,

The kit that 4Crawler makes does still require drilling to attach the front of the soft top to the cab. It just uses the stock holes for mounting the bottom of the soft top. You also have to drill the tailgate to snap down the back end.

If you want a quality fabric top, I think you will have to pay in the $800 region. The STC/Kayline top is vinyl and requires a fair amount of assembly on your part. That's how they sell it that cheap.

 

Cool, I didn't look too closely at the 4crawler kit, I looked at the price and said to myself, "It is a trail rig, I could drill the whole damn thing full of holes. I talked to STC because I had bought a soft top used for a good price, I now have the parts list, so I have to decide what I need, then submit an order, then I can put my soft top together! BTW, I don't think vinyl is that bad, it is like a tonneau cover really.

 

I agree, I wouldnt get a top made of vinyl, it wont breath and will mold very easily. I would get a top made of SunBrella. Its what I used on boat covers, from12' to 105' It simply is the best. Its waterproff (you will need to coat it), and breathes so it doest mold, or make the inside of the rig nasty.

 

Well, I spent all day during class thinking about how to make one of these, and honestly, I don't think it can be that hard. It is not fancy it would just be a matter of testing out sizes with bedsheets to get the patterns. Also, finding ways to keep good tension across the fabric I think is what will keep it looking nice and quiet. And a frame can't be too hard, just weld some bolt and nut ends on metal tubing so it can screw into the truck and slide onto each other.

The hardest part would be getting brackets with holes in it to mount the snaps and things, but since I work at a machine shop my boss could probably hook me up.

Is the fabric the expensive part? Can SunBrella be bought by the yard?

 

Try to find a local canvas shop and they should sell it to you by the yard. We also use heavy wt 60 or 72" paper. Bed sheets well streach more than the sunbrealla and it wouldnt fit right.