That is a great idea! Looking good!

 

I finished up the windshield header so it's ready to be molded. Haven't decided on the header console yet. I've made up 3 different mockups in cardstock. In this photo there's a switch-only console, one that holds a combination of switches and gauges, and a third one that mounts to the windshield trim and not the roof panel (the one with the curved base) - that one could stay in the Jeep with any top - Safari, factory hardtop or soft top.



Here's another view of the one that works with the factory tops. It attaches to the windshield trim panel, so it works with any top (or no top).



I have a couple of weeks to decide which one(s) to mold, I'm in Colorado right now in the LJ Safari doing a week of offroad exploration .

 

I've been in Colorado for the past two weeks, exploring trails in my LJ Safari. I spent a few days in Silverton, where the local Jeep rental/tour place has several old Suburbans with the center of the roof cut out for better mountain views; they've got a snap-on canvas cover for the roof when the vehicle isn't doing a tour. It's not the best tailored piece of canvas ever, but it works...



Something like that is in my plan for the JK Safari Cab, although a bit better tailored. The Safari Cab already has a large opening in the roof and a frame all the way around:



I'm thinking something more like a truck tonneau cover than the canvas on the Suburban above.

 

Silverton is a beautiful little town. While you're there you should ride the Durango-Silverton Steam Locomotive. The views of the Animas river and gorge from the train are amazing. I've been enjoying reading and watching as you perfect your hardtop, thank you. You certainly have a great talent!

 

Thanks for the nice comments on the project.

I have ridden the train, although not on this trip. I've got a long history with Silverton and with the narrow gauge railroads of the rockies... my great uncle was a miner and lived in Silverton most of his life. We visited him in Silverton many years ago just before he died, and last year we went to the county courthouse to see if they knew the location of his mine (they did), so we drove up the mountain and found it. As for railroading, I did an article for a magazine a few years back on exploring old narrow gauge railroad sites in Colorado. Here's a small-scale scan of the article, I managed to get the Jeep in all of the photos but one ...



I did some more railroad site photography on this trip with the thought of doing another article one of these days.

 

Another project I've been working on that's been taking my time away from working on the JK Safari Cab is this cargo slide system. This is the main drawer, there will also be an optional shelf that mounts above the drawer.

 

That slide looks awesome!

 

Thank you. It's a prototype of a design I'm doing for a Jeep accessories company, so it might get to market. That's why it's got a higher priority than working on the Safari Cab right now.

 

I'm sure you're ahead of me, but secure locks (open and closed) and tie-downs would be very useful. I hate to spend $300 on a slide for my ARB50 when I might be able to get an entire drawer for close to that price.

 

The ARB50 is one of the key design benchmarks for this project - the adjustable shelf that goes above the slide tray needs to be able to be set high enough so that an ARB50 can fit in the tray under the shelf. Another design goal is price - I'm doing my bet to hit the price you mentioned, although it could end up being slightly more.