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soft top questions

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by m38willys, Oct 24, 2005.

  1. Oct 24, 2005
    m38willys

    m38willys Jeep Vice

    Green Cove...
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2002
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    690
    Anyone ever installed a soft top on their flatty from scratch? I am thinking about it, but my M38 has never had one. Any advice from those who own one? I am thinking about the STC top (kayline) that Herm sells. Looks to be cheaper, and from what I've read, using the coveted search finction, it appears that most prefer it on the flatfender.
    Any thoughts?
     
  2. Oct 24, 2005
    Bill F

    Bill F Finally running

    Hillsboro NH
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    Sep 22, 2002
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    588
    I had a bestop on my cj3a, it worked well, and looked good, went on easy. You could always go stock canvas but it would probably cost more.
     
  3. Oct 24, 2005
    m38willys

    m38willys Jeep Vice

    Green Cove...
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    Sep 30, 2002
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    I know it would cost more. I guess my concerns are about how much bending and beating anyone had to do to make theirs fit. I have seen all the pics in catalogs, as most of them are the same but I wonder what a real world flatty will look like.
     
  4. Oct 24, 2005
    Rondog

    Rondog just hangin' out

    Parker, CO
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    Aug 25, 2005
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    2,918
    You guys like your M38's? I'm still thinking about the one I found up in the mountains, not sure how I'll buy, if it's even for sale. Not really in a place I can just go visit anytime, it's waaaay back in there.

    Just wondering what kind of oddities come with the M38. All I really know about is the 24v electrics. I'd want to take it back to it's original look.
     
  5. Oct 24, 2005
    m38willys

    m38willys Jeep Vice

    Green Cove...
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2002
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    Love mine. Frame mostly boxed, and the extra battery box are the biggest difference. Any parts you need you can get pretty easily.
     
  6. Oct 24, 2005
    Bill F

    Bill F Finally running

    Hillsboro NH
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    588
    I love the m38, they are the best of the flatfenders. Parts are easy to get but prices are getting higher. The 24 volt equipment is shared with the m38a1, m37, and a few other military rigs so those parts are easy to find. the other part of the m38 that is unique is the underwater vent set, with the fording valves and all the lines.

    Back to the top, the one on my 3a went on reall easy and looked like the catolog jeeps. I do kind of miss that jeep but when the m38 is on the road I wont miss it any more
     
  7. Oct 24, 2005
    ljspop

    ljspop Lurking Bronco Dude

    San Diego, CA
    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2003
    Messages:
    394
    I have a Bestop on mine. It goes on and off easy enough. Rattles like crazy though. My dad did the orig. install and don't think he had too many issues. Just make sure to heat the top up good to get it soft before trying to get it on. It's really silly to wait for a nice sunny day to put the full top on, but it sure makes it easier.
     
  8. Oct 24, 2005
    Mojave

    Mojave Member

    California High...
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2005
    Messages:
    134
    I have a Bestop on my CJ3A I installed from scratch about 7-8 years ago. It went on very easy, and everything fit just fine the first time on. Now that it's aged, I have to tug a little at the rear corners to get the back stretched enough to reach the snaps. It's also a chore now to zip down the rear flap - probably because the rear window has recently shrunken and split. Where I live is a very tough environment for a soft top, and I've been very impressed with this one. It's still in good enough shape, that I've been considering replacing the window vinyl, instead of the whole top. I didn't use the aluminum windshield rail that came with the top, because it fits fine using the original built-in windshield channel.
     
  9. Oct 24, 2005
    Rondog

    Rondog just hangin' out

    Parker, CO
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    Aug 25, 2005
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    Hey guys, can you tell if this is a military hard top,or civilian aftermarket?
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Oct 24, 2005
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
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    12,367
    That's the Arctic top, made for the M38. If you can get that Jeep go for it. You'll love it.
     
  11. Oct 24, 2005
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
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    4,275
    Look military to me, the sliding windows and non-opening rear give it away. I'd bet that the windshield frame is dead vertical also. There should be a tag affixed to the driver's side door on the inside sill IIRC that identifies it as a military arctic top, and the inside should be lined with some type of semi-rigid foam. HTH. :)
     
  12. Oct 24, 2005
    Rondog

    Rondog just hangin' out

    Parker, CO
    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2005
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    I'm gonna ask about it the next time I'm in the area, I think about it all the time. It looks to be in decent shape and pretty much all there. Notice what looks to be a roll bar inside? The tires aren't flat and the tag has month/year stickers on it, so it's probably been running in the last few years. I'll certainly tell y'all what I find out.
     
  13. Oct 27, 2005
    skywlkrinc

    skywlkrinc Jeep Nut

    NorCal
    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    7
    My M38 has a Bestop on it. I didn't do the install, that was done by a previous owner. Seems to fit well, except the rear flap won't zip all the way down because of the way the spare is mounted. Here's a pic......[​IMG]
     
  14. Oct 27, 2005
    Rondog

    Rondog just hangin' out

    Parker, CO
    Joined:
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    I see your M38 has the four holes on the right rear for the spare tire bracket like the CJ's have. Do all M38's have those holes? And did they have a use in the military application?
     
  15. Oct 27, 2005
    skywlkrinc

    skywlkrinc Jeep Nut

    NorCal
    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
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    Good question. I don't have any idea if the holes had a military use other than for a spare tire mount. The holes on mine could have also been made after it was sold into the civilian market.......who knows.

    EDIT: Here's a better pic of where the spare tire is mounted on my M38. (We had to tow it down the mountain with my buddy's CJ5 because my transfer case seized)
    [​IMG]
     
  16. Oct 27, 2005
    Rondog

    Rondog just hangin' out

    Parker, CO
    Joined:
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    I ask because the military spare went on the back, surprised to see those holes there. But, now that I look closer at the photo of the M38 I have spotted in the hills, it has them too. Must be a holdover feature from the CJ3A body.
     
  17. Oct 27, 2005
    Grandpa Jeep

    Grandpa Jeep Member

    Peyton, CO
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2003
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    169
    Artic tops used a vertical windsheild rather than the slanted ones that everything else had. Hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like it might be vertical.
     
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