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Supertop on my 74

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by MNTrailboss, Jan 29, 2005.

  1. Jan 29, 2005
    MNTrailboss

    MNTrailboss Member

    Minneapolis, MN
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2003
    Messages:
    104
    I have a 74 that I'd like to put on a new top, but I have a front hoop that sits about 1.5" from the back of the windshield and it is about 1" taller than the top of the windshield. I was wondering how the front of the soft top attaches with the top of the window. Would it clear the front hoop?

    THanks,
     
    MNTrailboss, Jan 29, 2005
    #1
  2. Jan 29, 2005
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,585
    It sounds like it may touch the top. The front of the supertop goes into the channel on your frame. You can probably run it, but it will go from windshiled frame then up and over the hoop and then back to the rear of the jeep. After awhile it will probably shape itself to the hoop, but you probably couldnt use it on another jeep. The rear bows of the supertop have a few adjustments on it so it should pull it tight with one of them even with the roll bar factored in. My front hoop is just even with my windshield frame. Possibly look and see if the frame itself is not angled back too far,prop it up forward a bit to just bout 90 degress and see if it makes the height a bit better. You will have to undo the latches to the dash.
     
    DanStew, Jan 29, 2005
    #2
  3. Jan 29, 2005
    MNTrailboss

    MNTrailboss Member

    Minneapolis, MN
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2003
    Messages:
    104
    Cool.

    Sounds like I'll go rob the kiddies piggy bank and place an order!

    Thanks,
     
    MNTrailboss, Jan 29, 2005
    #3
  4. Jan 29, 2005
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    8,360
    I bet it'd fit. I think my top mount wiper motors sit a tad higher than the WS frame, and back a bit... Want me to take a pic???
     
    Patrick, Jan 29, 2005
    #4
  5. Jan 29, 2005
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,197
    I don't think it'll be a problem. SSDutch's new cage is against the top right over the doors and in the middle over the dash. I figure if they were able to get the top back on during the winter it shouldn't ever be a problem.

    I'm hoping it'll actually reduce the top noise...
     
    Boyink, Jan 29, 2005
    #5
  6. Jan 29, 2005
    MNTrailboss

    MNTrailboss Member

    Minneapolis, MN
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2003
    Messages:
    104
    Ya, I was thinking that the top might be a bit tighter having to go over the hoop. I just didn't know if there was some hard plastic assembly or somthing to meet the front windshield like my 2000 TJ has. That would be much harder to get over something like the bar on my roll cage. Plus, I looked at the install guide from Bestop and they say you need 29.5 " from the top rear of the windshield to the top rear edge of the tub. I've got just under 29 right now with the windshield sitting nicely on the top of the tub (it was a real pain getting this set on the fiberglass tub with the positive angle stuff needed to extract the tub from the mold, the windshield plate on the tub has a slight bow to it).

    Anyways. I'll order one and take some final pics. I'll get it on there some how.

    Thanks,
     
    MNTrailboss, Jan 29, 2005
    #6
  7. Jan 29, 2005
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,197
    FWIW - one of the gripes I have about Besttop is they seem to think the early CJ's have a "straight up and down w/s" - reference their ID guide.

    On my CJ5 Supertop I had to shim my w/s to be straighter up to get the doors to fit right.
     
    Boyink, Jan 29, 2005
    #7
  8. Jan 29, 2005
    sternbal

    sternbal Member

    Nashville, TN
    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2004
    Messages:
    104
    Front to back should be fine. Side to side there may be a problem. The place where it may be a problem is over the doors. There will be a flap that will come down from the top and wrap around a support that goes from the middle bow to the windshield frame. Then it connects back to itself with velcro. Its a pretty tight fit to begin with, and having a little extra distance to go may cause the velcro to give, at least in the area of the hoop. The doors never fit that tight anyhow, and there will probably always be a gap in the corner of the windshield until Bestop makes the tops about 2 inches wider at the windshield.
     
    sternbal, Jan 29, 2005
    #8
  9. Jan 29, 2005
    speedbuggy

    speedbuggy Looking for a Jeep now

    Living the Good...
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    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    1,270
    I really like my supertop. I've had it for a month now. My roll cage is high at the rear hoop. It stretches the top a bit, but gave me more headroom ;)
     
    speedbuggy, Jan 29, 2005
    #9
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