Here's the header just out of the mold, and after a preliminary trim and washing off the mold release. It'll get trimmed a bit more as it's fitted into the roof.



This was the last required piece I needed to mold before final assembly of the JK Safari Cab roof can be done, so as soon as I get some time I'll begin final assembly.

 

Another design I've been testing in the JK is something I call the StoreGate - it's a storage compartment/trail table that mounts on the tailgate. I made up a few prototypes a while back, here's the one in the JK:





When open, the door serves as a trail table.



Thursday I met with a company about it and they've signed up to manufacture it and bring it to market. Probably will take a few months to get into production. I think their plan is to show at least a preproduction version at the SEMA show in the beginning of November.

I've also had one installed in my LJ for quite a while. I don't need a table in the LJ so that one has a cargo net instead of the table. I think the company plans to offer the StoreGate both ways - with a door/table or with a net.

 

That would be outstanding! It kills me I was able to get a full length tuffy drawer for my YJ for $300, but a comparable system in my JK would be $3,000! I was planning to build my own this spring for this very reason, but maybe I'll subscribe here now and watch for your drawer!

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At the end of last week I turned over my prototype cargo/slide system to a company that wants to manufacture and market it, so it should just be a matter of time until it's available.

 

Today I did a quick test of the header I just molded to see how it fits on the windshield. I haven't done a final trim on it yet, but I wanted to see if I got the curves and shapes just right to ensure the roof will seal perfectly to the windshield.

First I laid it on top of the windshield to verify the shape. It's a perfect match, so once it's trimmed and can sit down on top of the weatherstrip it'll seal very well.



Then I checked the fit on the inside.



I've designed the header to accept TJ hardtop latches. In this next photo I'm holding one in place to check how it hooks onto the loop on the windshield. Since the header isn't trimmed yet it's sitting a bit high, once it's trimmed the latch will mount slightly higher on the header.



If you check the first photo you can see the metal plates I embedded in the header to secure the latches - I'll drill and tap holes in the plates for the latches to screw to. I've also put a plate in the center of the header just in case - it lines up with the center loop on the windshield, so if I decide a middle latch is necessary one can be added there later.

It'll be about a week before I have time to do the final trimming and fitting of the header, but I just wanted to verify that all's well since it just came out of the mold yesterday. I really couldn't ask for it to fit any better than it does, I'm very pleased with it.

 

Really beautiful work. Keep the Creative Ideas coming !

 

Thank you very much .

 

A few weeks ago I motorized the rear vent windows for the prototype JK Safari Cab with motors from a Chevy Venture minivan, I posted this video at the time:

http://youtu.be/r_BTZNill98 Since then I've been looking for appropriate switches to control the vents, and yesterday I was in a junkyard and found some in a Land Rover that should be perfect. They're also available in the aftermarket and very affordable, this image is from an aftermarket site that sells them for about $12. Here's an image from an aftermarket site:



The switches are pretty compact, I'm thinking I could even mount them in the header I just molded. I've digitally installed them in this photo:



Installed there, if I go ahead with one of the overhead console designs I've shown, the switches could be moved to the overhead console and the console would cover the holes which were used to mount the switches in the header. Also, the switches wouldn't be needed with the top was off, so mounting them up in the header means they would come off with the top.

I haven't decided on this yet, just thinking about the possibilities with these switches.

 

Keeping the Switches up in the header is excellent, avoids confusion as to what switch is for, keeps the overly crowded "aircraft ****pit " look from happening.

 

This morning I wired up the Land Rover window switch I got the other day to make sure it worked properly with my Chevy Venture window motor attached to my Toyota FJ40 vent window hardware...

http://youtu.be/fQhdPeqqWYA All good. I'll probably order two brand-new switches rather than use junkyard ones since they're less than $10 each.