Quick release Fiberglass Half Cab project

[kat]

Ok, I have ordered a Fiberglass Half Cab for my '76 from Bronco Design. Along with a windshield motor lowering bracket. The guy from Bronco Design has been very helpful and he is going to install a 2 inch wide steel plate along the inside of the cab (over the windshield) so I can install 2 of these over the front windshield.

http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/32856072?fromRR=Y

Now my problem I am running into is what kind of clamping system to use on the rear. As you may know (and if not I attatched pictures) there isn't a lot of room to clamp anything. My bulkhead is a straight up and down model and I was wanting to fasten something like this

https://www.zoro.com/value-brand-la...gclid=CJacip6ZgMsCFQcUHwodebQExg&gclsrc=aw.ds

One in the middle of the half cab and one in each corner. The main part of the clamp will be connected to the bulkhead and pulled DOWN to secure.
My question is does anyone see a problem with me doing this?? Will the two clamps up front be enough? Jeeps only use two and since the windshield motor is kinda in the way I figure 2 would be fine, about 8-10 inches from the sides. Or is there a better clamp system out there that I don't know of?
Thanks
Mark

 

[fordwheeler]

that just seems scary to me, if one goes at high speed it could cause an issue....i don't know, i see the worst in everything sometimes ha......what about wing nuts in the front too?

i know jeeps only have 2, but they also have it tucked into the lip with A LOT of tension

 

[cldonley]

I'm thinking two in the front will work if they are pulling the top down onto the windshield frame. There will be some slack going the other direction that will allow the wind to separate the top from the windshield I think...plus the windshield frame isn't rigid enough to stay firmly upright if you put tension on it toward the rear of the truck. Maybe mount the latches vertically on the sides of the windshield frame pulling the top down on to the top of the frame. Does that make sense?

 

[kat]

I'm thinking two in the front will work if they are pulling the top down onto the windshield frame. There will be some slack going the other direction that will allow the wind to separate the top from the windshield I think...plus the windshield frame isn't rigid enough to stay firmly upright if you put tension on it toward the rear of the truck. Maybe mount the latches vertically on the sides of the windshield frame pulling the top down on to the top of the frame. Does that make sense?

Kinda, my idea for the front is having the "handle" part of the clamp mounted to the cab with the little "latch" bolted to the windshield frame.
On the rear of the cab doing the opposite, the "handle" bolted to the bulkhead, and latch on the cab since there isn't a lot of room in the rear

 

[ol gray mare]

If you can find one, look at a 55/57 T Bird. The hard top had 4 attachment points, all latches that were easily operated. no bolts.

 

[AxlesUp]

that looks similar to what my fiat spider and my mazda miata used to hold the soft tops to the windshield frames.

i think the real hard part is going to be getting a latch that is the right length to put the proper amount of tension on the hard top to keep it on yet be easy to use.


Watching This to see how it works out for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kat]

If you can find one, look at a 55/57 T Bird. The hard top had 4 attachment points, all latches that were easily operated. no bolts.

Are you talking about this??

http://www.tbirdhq.com/pc_product_detail.asp?key=AFEE66CE2D7F4197A83B1728B26B35F2

I don't know if it will have enough length in the arm to draw down for the front. I would like to use it for the back of the cab but I don't see how it could "bite" on the cab to hold it.

 

[JGZ]

If you can find one, look at a 55/57 T Bird. The hard top had 4 attachment points, all latches that were easily operated. no bolts.

That's what I was thinking.I'd take pics of mine but forgot to pay my dues.I could text some to you.

 

[KBUCK1]

There will be no way to mount the "latch" on the half cab top at the bulkhead area . The fiberglass is only 3/8 thick maybe. Not enough to hold the screws that would be needed. You can't bolt through because it would be bolted to the bulkhead at that point , preventing you from removing it at that point. You may could cut a notch out of the top lip of the bulkhead to allow a washer and nut to be on the bottom of the fiberglass top

 

[kat]

There will be no way to mount the "latch" on the half cab top at the bulkhead area . The fiberglass is only 3/8 thick maybe. Not enough to hold the screws that would be needed. You can't bolt through because it would be bolted to the bulkhead at that point , preventing you from removing it at that point. You may could cut a notch out of the top lip of the bulkhead to allow a washer and nut to be on the bottom of the fiberglass top

That was my plan KBUCK1, measure out where I would mount the "latch" part on the cab, and drill out a hole in the bulkhead for the bolt to go thru. On the back of the cab the pressure will be pulling down against it and not pulling thru the fiberglass.

Here is a good pic of the front of the cab. As you can tell its flush with the top of the windshield, making the draw more straight

 

[KBUCK1]

The latch will be sitting 90 degrees from the "handle"with a lip in the way. The lip I'm referring to is where the fiberglass sticks out over the bulkhead. It'll be trying to pull the latch towards the front of the truck. I hope you can make it work but with that latch I'm not seeing how. Remember, I have this top. You can probably make it work on the 2 sides on the angled brace between strike post and floor. Other words, not on the bulkhead. But the sides

 

[kat]

I think I just found my solution for the rear of the cab. I think it will put good pressure on it
http://www.thetoggleclampstore.com/101b.html

Using in both rear corners, and then one or MAYBE two on the bulk head, the dimensions seem like it would work good. The only think when the top is off it might be in the way

 

[kat]

Think Im going to go with bolts to hold the back of my cab to the Bulkhead. The clamps aren't long enough....Kind of a bummer....but still want to use clamps for over the windshield...Ill figure something out