Retractble soft top?

[raymondo24]

Been wondering if its possible to have a soft top that is retractable from the front...obviously the adaptation would have to be custom made, but if the side panels could be zip/velcro removeable and the front anchor taken from another make of vehicle i believe it would be possible. Has anybody done this or heard of it being done? Love the soft top but it's bloody inconvenient to put up when it starts raining...any help would be much appreciated thanks.

oh, it's a 95 Samurai btw

[dan_2k_uk]

If you saying a proper fold down roof then I would say its certainly possible but would be one hell of a job to get the mechanism to clear the roll hoop without looking silly.

Maybe go look at a few old convertables in scrap yards for ideas. Mk1 golf has a very simple mechanism.

Dan

[raymondo24]

Thanks for your input Dan...I was thinking more of using the front anchoring system from another vehicle, but not a full mechanism....I did take into account the roll hoop, so would retain the above door velcro fixings. I am just looking to see if the existing type of top can be adapted.

[ROBBIE]

Have a look at a Jimny roof, they fold front and rear separately

[raymondo24]

Just had a thought, maybe wide of the mark but i will share it... if i took the front mount from a scrap hardtop and attached it to the front of the soft top and mounted the latches in the pre drilled holes at the top of the screen frame, it would enable me to roll the roof back from the front. If this was combined with zip out side panels, I think the roof could be retracted in a couple of minutes.

what do other members think of this idea?