Homemade Conquest Hardtop Build Thread

[bluebruin]

worked on it a bit tonight.

installed the first door frame trim. this mounts on the backside of the wall, and sticks out 1/2 into the door opening all the way around to give the door something to close against. I had to trim it a bit to make it fit around the angled tube support in the aluminum top. I took my best guess when I laid it out in cad but tolerances were close. I wanted the doors and windows to be relatively large for a few reasons. Mainly weight and so it would not feel like you were sitting in a cave or tank or something when driving around. that and to maintain good visibility out of the argo for driving.

here is the inside of the wall with the trim pieces laid out around it. I made them in several joining pieces to minimize the amount of plywood needed.



Here is the trim installed and the wall fitted up on the side of the argo.


Here is the door sitting in the opening.

[riotwarrior]

ok my project is back from the dead. .....

Next I test fit my panels. So far so good. Seems like its going to work out.




I plan to prime the wood with Zinsser BIN and then paint with oil based paint. Maybe a coat of epoxy when all done.

Ok on this image I was wondering if maybe a more contoured fit around back of tub might work better?

You could make a like shape that bolts and glues Sikiflex is one of my fav adhesives to the top portion of cab and shape the rear hatch accordingly and it could seal over the outter portion of rear tub....hope I am articulating what I mean?

It woukd be easy to skive some additional panels to the sides and obtain shape as required I suspect.

Just thinking outloud...

Nice work regardless

[riotwarrior]

Very nice thread, trust me when I say, if I lived or had property at that latitude I would have a top, liquid cooled engine and heater, wipers, etc. Nice build. Keep up the good work.

Turbo Diesel all day long!

[Noel Woods]

Very nice thread, trust me when I say, if I lived or had property at that latitude I would have a top, liquid cooled engine and heater, wipers, etc. Nice build. Keep up the good work.

[riotwarrior]

This looks awesome love it.

Maybe one day I will have the 8x8 of my dreams....hello convoluteded design...

Keep up
E great work.

What you going to us3 for windows?

[bluebruin]

more of my wood parts cut waiting for assembly

[bluebruin]

ok my project is back from the dead. finally some time to work on it. I cut the parts on the CNC yesterday.

1st order of business was to remove the back seat in the argo since it interferes with the hardtop. The aluminum top stops where the sides of the argo are no longer straight and start curving around the back... Since my hardtop will basically hug the aluminum frame, I decided to remove the seat back that was bolted to the back hand rail.

Then, I had to remove the old softop mounting hardware and aluminum channel, as well as some eye hooks the previous owner installed for lashing gear to the roof.





Next I test fit my panels. So far so good. Seems like its going to work out.




I plan to prime the wood with Zinsser BIN and then paint with oil based paint. Maybe a coat of epoxy when all done.

[bluebruin]

power issues solved. will start working on hardtop again. After using argo at our cabin a few times, we've realized a few things. It would be nice to design hardtop in easily removable panels so that we can ride open air on nice days. also, the crosswinds on highway 285 on our way to the cabin make a soft top of any type impossible. It will get shredded on the drive to and from. we want an enclosed cab so we can pack our bags etc and put them inside the argo for the trip to the cabin so we don't have to pack the jeep, then transfer everything to the argo once we get to the bottom of the road at the cabin. also, weight is a major factor. in deep powder at the cabin, the argo does noticeably better even with a few hundred pounds less in cargo. The hard top must be light to minimize impact on performance.

[bluebruin]

this project is on hold until I can solve my power issues (ie no HP at 11,000ft). no sense in adding weight until I know I have sufficient power to use the argo.

[bluebruin]

I have most of the plans drawn up for the top. It will be 12mm (1/2") Baltic Birch (high number of ply's, very strong). Its relatively thick plywood, but most of the top is actually cut out since the windows and doors are so large. So, I don't think it will weigh all that much. Unfortunately, that means a lot of wasted plywood as you can see here in my drawing. But, by making it from continuous pieces of plywood, it should remain strong. This plywood is very strong. The 4x8 sheets use "exterior" glue, as opposed to the common 5x5 sheets that use interior rated glue.



Next I will program it into partworks for our 5x8 shopbot cnc router. Hope it works out, you only get one shot before you waste a ton of nice plywood.

[bluebruin]

thanks! that's a very generous offer! but, I know it will cost $1k or more, and honestly I just don't have the budget. Also, I think a hardtop might standup to being outside better, as well as being trailered. I can get most the materials I need for my hardtop cheap through work, so I am going to give it a shot. I think it will cost be about $200-300.

great info. thanks for sharing. no experience with Paul's but i know how much soft tops run, and I can't imagine a custom one costing any less. Coosa sounds like cools stuff. I am cutting this on my CNC router at work, so I have to go with plastic or wood. Everything is so expensive though. I can get exterior grade plywood through work for a decent price and then I will coat it with some type of oil based paint. I have considered foam core PVC as its less expensive that some plastics, but its a bit too flexible and doesn't take paint well, and you would still have to paint it since its not UV stable. thermo-lite board sounds cool too, bet that's not cheap.

funny you should mention the welding, I just noticed yesterday that one of the angle supports on the hardtop is cracked at the weld. if you can dig up the guys contact info, I'd like to talk to him about getting it fixed next time I am out that way.

I am building in an operable window in the front doors, and an operable tailgate glass, so hopefully I can ventilate if it gets too hot.

[JohnF]

... I love the top and my top is sealed/enclosed in aluminum ...

Way back when I chatted with Ed about how the top was made. Only the first few has the roof built upside down and then they switched and put the roof sheet on top. Yours looks like one of the later roofs.

By the way, if the guy in Grand Junction that welded those up is still in business he will re-weld broken welds for free. I don't know who he is, I got a hold of him through Ed. I had him fix mine once. I re-welded once and then the third time I did the roof reconfigure. Mine lives outside in my driveway.

... but, I know it will cost $1k or more, ...

have some experience with Paul's? (Actually, they did a travel cover for my boat last year and it wasn't too bad for this area.)

But I think the shop Ed used to use would do one for $650 or so.

It will be interesting to see your hard top. I was thinking of building one myself someday out of 1/4 coosa or thermo-lite board. Strong, light, waterproof. I do like the soft top though as it makes it easy to run with everything open. It gets pretty warm in there sometimes.

[bluebruin]

I have the very same top and the problem with it as designed is that water will collect in the trough and then is supposed to drain through holes drilled in the corner through the upright tubes. Well, in the winter that water will freeze and bust the welds in the corners and split the tubes.

I welded mine back up, welded the split tubes (they are still bulged), welded 2 inch square tubes cross members in the roof, pop riveted the ceiling up to the new framework (ice warps it), and used 3m5200 to glue a sheet of aluminum on top.

Ed (from Argo Outdoor Sports in Grand Junction - no longer there) hooked me up with a new soft side. If you are interested in a soft side solution we could probably meet up at Pauls Custom Canvas shop and I'll show them what I have so they could make a copy.

thanks! that's a very generous offer! but, I know it will cost $1k or more, and honestly I just don't have the budget. Also, I think a hardtop might standup to being outside better, as well as being trailered. I can get most the materials I need for my hardtop cheap through work, so I am going to give it a shot. I think it will cost be about $200-300.

[JohnF]

I have the very same top and the problem with it as designed is that water will collect in the trough and then is supposed to drain through holes drilled in the corner through the upright tubes. Well, in the winter that water will freeze and bust the welds in the corners and split the tubes.

I welded mine back up, welded the split tubes (they are still bulged), welded 2 inch square tubes cross members in the roof, pop riveted the ceiling up to the new framework (ice warps it), and used 3m5200 to glue a sheet of aluminum on top.

Ed (from Argo Outdoor Sports in Grand Junction - no longer there) hooked me up with a new soft side. If you are interested in a soft side solution we could probably meet up at Pauls Custom Canvas shop and I'll show them what I have so they could make a copy.

[bluebruin]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13132[/ATTACH]I am interested in seeing this transform. I live in Utah, but I bought my Conquest in Colorado and it appears I have the same top with soft sides, but I want to see how the hard sides turn out. I love the top and my top is sealed/enclosed in aluminum and has not had the leakage (knock on wood). Those tracks must do well in the deep snow. Did you have the soft sides on the hard top?

it has the clips and channel to hold the soft top, but the previous owner said the top was shredded and thrown out years back. this argo came from Grand Junction, so it does not surprise me yours probably came from same dealer.