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Soft Top Identification

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by mayday, May 27, 2017.

  1. mayday

    mayday Sponsor

    IMG_0361.JPG IMG_0360.JPG Hello all,
    Needing some help getting some info on a old soft top, I've read and looked at lots of pictures and can't say what it's for or who made it any help would be great. thanks
     
  2. Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Might be a Whitco.
     
  3. mayday

    mayday Sponsor

    Does it look like a model for cj5?
     
  4. Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    The doors are usually the best tell for what it fits. It doesnt look serviceable at all however with the discolored windows. A top that old would be likely to come undone at the seams and blow away the first time you drove down the road.
     
  5. mayday

    mayday Sponsor

    What do you look for on doors for which jeep it goes on? I know the top is old mostly interested in it for the door frames and the bow's. I planned on using the top as a patern for a new top.
     
  6. Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    The lower angles on the doors don't look right-the angles look too sharp, at least for a CJ5. See if they line up with.your door openings.
    -Donny
     
  7. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Door angles look flat fender to me.
     
    Twin2 likes this.
  8. Dave B

    Dave B Frankenjeep '67

    40 plus years ago, when I made plywood doors for a '47 CJ2A, if I remember correctly, I mitered in a bend--in other words, the door wasn't flat. Maybe you can see a bend in your door frame rods???

    Here's some search info.>>>Newbie Help With Soft Tops and Doors?
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2017
  9. mayday

    mayday Sponsor

    I looked at my door frames didn't see any bends, I think it is a cj2a top. From the bows and grommets on the top.
     
  10. mayday

    mayday Sponsor

    Does any one know if the door frames are the same for original canvas tops? Cj2a and cj5?
     
  11. Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    The CJ2a/CJ3/M38 flat fender Jeeps usually have an angle bent in the lower part of the door frame to account for the angle in the door opening where the body kicks in toward the firewall. The CJ5/6 and M38A-1 have straight sides, so no angle in the door frame either.
    The easiest way to tell a flat-fender top apart from a CJ5 top is to lay the top out flat and see if the forward section tapers to the windshield, or stays parallel. The CJ5 windshield channel is about 56" wide, so the top should be around 58" at the leading edge. A flat-fender top will be noticably narrower at the leading edge.
    Does someone have actual measurements handy?
    -Donny
     
  12. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    I'll try to measure my 3B tomorrow unless someone beats me to the measurement.
     
  13. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    The top appears to be a Kayline Luxair. The skinny side and rear windows are the clue there.
    The standard version doesn't have zippered sides; Luxair does.
    The doors...appear to be CJ5 but better pictures would help.
    The doors are not MB/2A/3A...could be CJ5.....if the flaps were pulled out from the doors we could tell.
    Donny is correct on the bend in the lower door frame for 2A/3A.
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2017
  14. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    I didn't realize they made vinyl CJ5 doors that don't follow the body curve/indentation. I definitely agree on the door frame bend.
     
  15. mayday

    mayday Sponsor

    Thanks all I'll try to get better pictures tommorow. Im away from my cj5 for work, found the top for sale on Craigslist figured even if it's not a cj5 top it might be good trade stock?
     
  16. Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Looking again at your photos of your top, I have a couple questions. I was looking to see if I could tell if it tapered at the windshield end. I can't really determine this because the front isn't laying flat, but I see something along the leading edge, dark spots at a regular interval. Are these snaps? All CJ 5 tops I have seen have a rope sewn in that slides in a channel on the windshield frame.
    Also, along the zipper area on the rear window, I see a rectangular piece near the upper right corner, andmaybe more across the top under the zipper flap. Are these metal fasteners for 1" straps that would fasten to the tailgate?
    Definately features of an early top I am not familiar with, and I am thinking from flat-fendered Jeeps I am not as familiar with.
    -Donny
     
  17. mayday

    mayday Sponsor

    It does have grommets on it. The rear flap has straps but they are have there.
     
  18. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Kayline examples

    Scan_20170531 (3).png

    Scan_20170531 (2).png
     
    Glenn likes this.
  19. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    For windshield width measurements the CJ5 is 59" and the 3B is 52 1/2". These are not precise but are close and there is such a difference that determining what it is should be easy enough.
     
    mayday likes this.
  20. mayday

    mayday Sponsor