who wants to talk about their buggys soft top and its pros and cons?
after talkin to manx xtc i was wondering how many others have problems with their soft tops and strech and so on?
want to post pics of the design and how its secured?
i am planning on making my own and want to see what problems you's have with yours so i can alter my design to suit..
thanks fellas...
[Edited on 6/6/2005 by ~air fooled~]
Here's my top with a writeup on my website. Click on the link and scroll down to the 18th of december, 2004.
http://www.geocities.com/peterwood736/buggyproject/buggyproject11.html
I recok a couple of things are important. 1, being able to get in and out of the car easily with the top on. 2, lot's visibility so there are a
minimum of blindspots while driving. 3, the ability to tak a few bits out and just have a canopy type thing for hot weather.
I only payed about $600 for mine to be professionally made and it was worth every dollar.
who did you get to make your soft top pete? I need to get one made
check his link man... he gives the dude praises..
Manx hardtop with rear and side curtains attatched to the hard top.
It doesn't streach, it doesn't leak, it doesn't flap around when you are doing 100+ks, and it gives you more head room.
I'd be very interested to see all of your replies, as mine has no top at all....and with the possible / impending / maybe completion of the car (and subsequent rego) coming up, I could do with a roof to have around town.
Are they water proof enough to be driving through a storm? Do they flap much in the wind?
Gotta say, the hard top would be tempting if you got a manx.
Anyway, about mine. Snowy's Auto and Marine trim on Sunnyholt RD @ blacktown. He's picky and does a really good job. He's done lots of chop top
bugs in years gone by too.
As for blowing around. Some parts of it flap against the rollcage with the sidescreens folded down. However, on the freeway with the windows all done
up in winter, like saturday night, the car warms up and it's all fine. It just blows up like a tent that's all. It seems to be good in storms to. I
got pelted on in Feb and the places where the car leaked were body joins that I hadn't sealed properlly. The soft top only let in a few drops.
we sell hard tops for round $550
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Nothing, but mines LWB now, besides I already got a soft top.
Where do you get the hard tops for the J&S? I have a Taipan buggy which is meant to be the same as a J&S as they used a J&S mould to make the Taipan
originally.
How much are they???
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Originally
posted by manx_xtc
Whats wrong with a hard top on a J&S Pete? |
mark,
That is just a manx hard top.
All you do is put a strip of angle on your window and the roof sits in that and then attach the roof to your roll cage.
It works great.
Thanks Manx xtc.
That's on the top of my shopping list now. I'm starting to get sick of getting wet.
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Not sure were mine was made but is very good at keeping the wind and rain out as well letting u get in without the help of a Chiropractor!!!!!
Hooks into the lip of the windscreen, up over a small pole that is hooked to the roll bar (to minimise flapping etc), over the roll bar and onto press
studs all around the back as in pics.
The doors/windows simply hook into the windscreen lip too, then zip on the roof and press stud to the inside of the side of the tub.
The back window also zips and can be rolled up so it can be just like a small top between the windscreen and roll bar.
If u have lots of $$$$ get a hardtop and soft-top with maybe interchangable 'doors' or sides to save money.
Pic 1 with doors on
Pic 2 with them off
Marty
Pic 2 no doors/windows
You can see the support tubing between the windscreen and the roll bar on the angle in Pic 2. It is shaped tubing like a tent pole and the 'female'
end slips onto a 'male' latch (on each side of the roll bar) that is hinged which allows the angle and thus the height and pressure on the roof to
be altered. This is changed by 2 velcro straps that loop around the tubing and the roll bar. It was a good idea (whoever made it - NSW central coast
somewhere) as it gives more headroom and minimised flapping as the roof inevitable stretches a little over time.
The tubing separates into 2 'L' shaped peices that are easily kept behind the drivers seat with the straps on nice days that may turn ugly!!
Hope this gives u some more ideas to make the perfect roof!!!
Martynn[ Edited on 17-7-2005 by marty_08 ]
that is an awesome setup marty!! thanks for the ideas! i reckon i will do something like that!
Glad to have helped!!! I'm sure all the other buggy ppl will agree that a good soft or hard top is very important to get the most out of a buggy in
any weather!!!!!
If ur in Sydney or ever are and u want to have a closer look just let me know and u can come and have a look for yourself. (Goes for anyone else
too)
Marty
Your soft top is a little more usable than mine marty.
Althouh mine is very wind and water resistant the side curtains need to have larger clears.
I have to dip my head under to see whats happening properly.
The roof looks a little streached in the photo because i have taken the roll cage padding off to replace with new stuff.
i haven't got any recent pics with the hard top and the curtains attached, so i will post this one to give you an idea.
The curtains that now attatch to the roof have a slim black belt around the edge and the rest is clear.
This pic is just the roof sitting on the soft top
getting off subject.
Hey Marty, Are you going to join us for the stockton run in November?.
2 Days of awsome dune action and possible drama 
Might be on the card XTC but it will have to depend on what weekend??
Going to Indy at Goldie in late Oct so may be a little low on cash so i may need to work the saturday.
Would love to come up and see some of the other buggies perform!!!! Had my first run up there at easter and was good fun!!! Broke a few things which
is a bit of a worry. May need to do some minor mods/reinforcing here and there before then too!!!!!
Keep me informed with the latest!!!
Marty