[manasm]

Thanks Vinay - you are welcome to see it anytime.

Will be installing the first complete one later this week or on the weekend, depending on how fast we can get it done and done correctly.

Originally Posted by vnambiar

AWESome, good to see this almost done. Must say, satisfying tom watch the HT develop, grows on you. Invite once paint done

[Fortuner71]

Way to go Manasam .The Jeep looks handsome now .This hard top looks far better than the 1st one . The black mean monster.

[vj_k2001]

Very well done Manas...it looks so different from the pics you posted the other day!

[manasm]

Thanks Vijay - been working hard at it!

You will see it in the flesh soon! Hopefully on your Thar!

Originally Posted by vj_k2001

Very well done Manas...it looks so different from the pics you posted the other day!

[4x4addict]

Hi Manas,

With this top, will you be able to use the side facing rear seats with backrests? Will the sloped rear portion foul with the seat back rest?

If you are planning to go commercial with this top, I would strongly suggest to replace the side glass with the third row glass from the Mahindra Marshal/MAX Festera. This is the extra wide Marshal/Max that does duty as corporate taxis/airport vehicles etc..

You will need to modify the mould, but in the long run it will be well worth it and help it sales of the product. Please think if this can be done for future models. Other than that, I feel it is a fantastic job and you have given hope to many Thar owners and possibly helped mahindra increase the sales of Thar to some extend...

See attached picture.

[gthang]

Hi Manasm,

Good Job!! Admire the perseverance shown by you in the Hard Top work. You've come a long way since your original plans, and the outcome looks very promising.

Some point/observation/suggestions:

1. I feel in my humble opinion that you might have gone a little overboard on the reinforcement ridges. The front top, removable, as you mentioned, should not have had any ridges. Dont think that it will be required, and also the alignment of the ridges between the front and rear sections seems a little awkward. The front should be as lightweight as possible, and easy to remove since not much flex will be there, I feel.

2. You mentioned in a previous post about rear hatch lifting gas shocks. Have you found a suitable one for the load/travel? You might already know this, but, instead of trial and error with what is available in the market, if you contact any gas spring companies as listed below with the weight of your top and desired travel length, they will give a suitable one.
Gas Springs, Gas Spring, Gas Filled Springs, Bus and Coach Gas Springs, Gas Spring Manufacturers, Ideal Lifts, Ideal Block, Bus and Coach Gas Struts, india
Manufacturer Exporter Of Gas Springs in Mumbai India | GASOLIFT Gas Springs | GASOHITE Gas Springs | GASOBLOCK Gas Springs
Gas Spring India,Gas Spring UnLockable,Gas Spring Lockable,Gas Spring Manufacturers,Gas Springs suppliers

3. See about using thin strips of polyurethane screwed on (with recessed screws) on both mating surfaces to achieve perfect seal. You might have to shave of few mm from the bottomside to compensate.

Wish you all the best in your project.

Cheers.

[manasm]

Thanks gthang! Appreciate the support. The top has indeed come a long way from what we had initially planned.

I will address you points below:

1. I felt that too...but we checked out the front section of the top and it does need the re-inforcement. The front section is light and easy to handle by one person even with the ridges. It has 2 handles on the inside to be able to lift it off easily. The ridges do line up - it just seems wonky in the pictures.

2. I did not know this. Thanks a bunch for the leads. We tested a number of shocks and found the right ones in the end. I will however get in touch with a couple of manufacturers and ask them for help/advice.

3. We will be using rubber beading to seal all the parts. We have tested this and it works really well. Apart from being available in the market, this means that anyone can go and pick it up locally anytime they need/want to replace the beading.

Please do ask more questions as it helps us re-look at things we have done and make corrections.

Thanks,
Manas

Originally Posted by gthang

Hi Manasm,

Good Job!! Admire the perseverance shown by you in the Hard Top work. You've come a long way since your original plans, and the outcome looks very promising.

Some point/observation/suggestions:

1. I feel in my humble opinion that you might have gone a little overboard on the reinforcement ridges. The front top, removable, as you mentioned, should not have had any ridges. Dont think that it will be required, and also the alignment of the ridges between the front and rear sections seems a little awkward. The front should be as lightweight as possible, and easy to remove since not much flex will be there, I feel.

2. You mentioned in a previous post about rear hatch lifting gas shocks. Have you found a suitable one for the load/travel? You might already know this, but, instead of trial and error with what is available in the market, if you contact any gas spring companies as listed below with the weight of your top and desired travel length, they will give a suitable one.
Gas Springs, Gas Spring, Gas Filled Springs, Bus and Coach Gas Springs, Gas Spring Manufacturers, Ideal Lifts, Ideal Block, Bus and Coach Gas Struts, india
Manufacturer Exporter Of Gas Springs in Mumbai India | GASOLIFT Gas Springs | GASOHITE Gas Springs | GASOBLOCK Gas Springs
Gas Spring India,Gas Spring UnLockable,Gas Spring Lockable,Gas Spring Manufacturers,Gas Springs suppliers

3. See about using thin strips of polyurethane screwed on (with recessed screws) on both mating surfaces to achieve perfect seal. You might have to shave of few mm from the bottomside to compensate.

Wish you all the best in your project.

Cheers.

[manasm]

Hi 4x4addict,

Thanks for the feedback.

I am actually not sure about the side facing seats fouling with the sloped rear. Everyone I know who has a Thar has already removed their seats and replaced them with forward facing seats and/or benches.

Right now we have spent too much time, energy and especially money to even think of even a small modification to the mold. It will just give us too much more of an already big headache in getting this top done. We may look at it in future once we have some money coming in and have broken even on this design, but since we are not planning on huge margins, that will take some time it looks like (maybe even a couple of years).

If you have any other suggestions on how we can improve, please do send!

Thanks,
Manas

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Hi Manas,

With this top, will you be able to use the side facing rear seats with backrests? Will the sloped rear portion foul with the seat back rest?

If you are planning to go commercial with this top, I would strongly suggest to replace the side glass with the third row glass from the Mahindra Marshal/MAX Festera. This is the extra wide Marshal/Max that does duty as corporate taxis/airport vehicles etc..

You will need to modify the mould, but in the long run it will be well worth it and help it sales of the product. Please think if this can be done for future models. Other than that, I feel it is a fantastic job and you have given hope to many Thar owners and possibly helped mahindra increase the sales of Thar to some extend...

See attached picture.

[headers]

Originally Posted by manasm

Right now we have spent too much time, energy and especially money to even think of even a small modification to the mold. It will just give us too much more of an already big headache in getting this top done. We may look at it in future once we have some money coming in and have broken even on this design, but since we are not planning on huge margins, that will take some time it looks like (maybe even a couple of years).

If you have any other suggestions on how we can improve, please do send!

Thanks,
Manas

@Manas: No offense to you, but, I find your statement a little difficult to understand.

What is the point in giving suggestions when there is already too much time energy, money, headache wasted on the project?

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Manas - please evaluate the product from wind shear noise point of view. The front side top should stay in position @ 140 kmph+ speeds.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[manasm]

Headers,

None taken.

With all the suggestions/feedback coming in - there might be some that are possible to do quickly without a great deal of delay or effort, while some are not possible without a lot of work going into it!

There are some issues that might be glaringly obvious to experts out there (like yourself), but I being a novice with vehicles might have missed. These could be points for improvement - which is great or they could be essentials to fix - which has to be done no matter the delay, cost or effort.

I want to make sure what we create is safe! And easy to use as well! For me and anyone else who might want one. So any suggestions are always welcome to hear. All may not be implementable with our limited resources - but some would be - like gthangs suggestions. Ideally, I would like to get the big side glass as well - but right now, it is not going to happen. Like I said, that particular thing will just take too much to do right now.

I just want to make a wishlist (if thats a good word for it) which will have all the things people are saying and hopefully start ticking them off as and when possible.

Hope this clears things up. And please do keep suggesting/advising!

Thanks,
Manas

P.S. the headache part is actually true - hanging around and ingesting the fumes of the fibre, putty, surfaces and paint for so many months have given me a constant headache! But once it is complete and I can start driving my Thar around with the hard top, it will be all worth it!

Originally Posted by headers

@Manas: No offense to you, but, I find your statement a little difficult to understand.

What is the point in giving suggestions when there is already too much time energy, money, headache wasted on the project?

[manasm]

Mr. Behram,

We have done 100 to 110 with it on and no problems with the top staying on or noise inside the cabin. I never felt too comfortable doing more than that in the Thar even with the soft top on, so will have to get someone else to try it.

The dynamics of the Thar (or any jeep-like shape) is not that conducive to speed methinks!

Did a quick trip to Hosur from Bangalore with no problems. The latches we are using are a double locking latch with 2 on either side and 2 in front behind the sun shades. Locks well and does not rattle or vibrate (we have rubber beading all along the top for the contact points with the body).

Will try to find someone who would be willing to do 140 in the Thar - I think I just might know 2 people...

Thanks,
Manas

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Manas - please evaluate the product from wind shear noise point of view. The front side top should stay in position @ 140 kmph+ speeds.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[wbd8779]

Headers.

I think he is referring to modify the Mould by fitting the single piece side window as suggested by 4*4Addict. I think it is sensible to keep it the same way if it keeps costs low and helps Thar MDI/CRDE owners to have a secure and weather resistant cabin

[manasm]

Thanks wbd - just reread my earlier response to 4x4addict and realized that my post was quite ambiguous!

You are right - I was referring to the side window changes in the mold.

Sorry for the confusion Headers!

Regards,
Manas

Originally Posted by wbd8779

Headers.

I think he is referring to modify the Mould by fitting the single piece side window as suggested by 4*4Addict. I think it is sensible to keep it the same way if it keeps costs low and helps Thar MDI/CRDE owners to have a secure and weather resistant cabin

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by manasm

Right now we have spent too much time, energy and especially money to even think of even a small modification to the mold.

@manas

Once the AC version of the Thar is out, I will chip in financially to change the mould .