[Monster_BHP]

Now that we have a few contenders for the Hard top, there is however no consensuses on how these hard tops fare or which one to go for. This thread is to determine which is the best looking and yet most particle hard top for the Thar.

Keep in mind that the Thar is a 3 door and has no front foldable seat entrance like the Gurkha if we add new seats, So the back seems to be blocked and becomes impractical without major alteration for people and particularly families to use. So the best option still is the inline seating, which requires head room. So i feel the Bimbra offers best of everything but does not look that great. Your views are all welcome.

Please vote on.

[mallumowgli]

This could also make the cut

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...ml#post2932495

[Monster_BHP]

Everyone has seen all the pics of the above mentioned Hard tops.. So why bother with Pics! If anyone want they could add it here.

However i dont get how the Performance Hard top is good? I know it looks good but i heard it leaks and also the back becomes useless with that top. In other words its impractical.

[Thar4x4]

@Monster_BHP, thanks for this thread, I was thinking of this for long however its all depend on your personal choice and fisibility.

Now for me, I like Italian however it is way costly, then I like Performance Auto however waiting for details and it is 1.5K kms away from me so if something happens its hard to go back for maintance however still working on the options.

For me Hyd HT is best deal as it is just 600 kms from my place so I can visit them anytime, second is this HT is bolt on so other work.

Have a look on the comparison pictures below (Performance Auto HT pictures are not in comparison because I got them yesterday).

Hyd HT













Performance Auto HT




Bimbra HT




For more pictures of Bimbra HT see here

I am more toward not breaking authentic jeep look so comparing my stock Thar with the red one which is posted on Hyd HT thread picture.

Note:
The pictures of Performance Auto HT Thar are taken from Mahindra Adventure group on FB and credit goes to Nitin Yadav the amazing photographer.

The pictures of Bimbra HT are taken from their FB group.

All other pictures are from TBHP.

Thanks,
Vishal

[Thar4x4]

For Armadillo hard top

Raised Hyd HT Detail review

Italian HT clean view

BTW It will be good if Noida based TBHPian visit the Performance Auto and share some details. I got Raj Kapoor's number today and going to call him on weekends.

I am voting for Hyderabad short top because:

1. It is compact and maintain the soft top look.
2. It has 2 open to sky windows which will be used for fresh air without opening whole HT.
3. This HT has outer as well as inner finish so looks nice without carpeting etc.
4. Contain MS plate between 2 layers so secured.
5. It has heat absorbent between 2 layers.
6. Most important is, this HT is bolt on so one can revert back to soft top without and back without damaging vehicle. (Warranty will be intact)

The only drawback it its very straight from rear, it would have been nice if there is bit tilt like Wrangler HT.

Thanks,
Vishal

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Monster BHP and all- the name of this thread should have been "Most practical and best looking Thar" and not "Thar hardtop". Then all of you know which vehicle I would choose!

Maybe we should start a different thread on the vehicle if this one is for the hard top.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[iMASKARAN]

I would add to BD's title "Most Practical, Functional and best looking Thar". But this is a good thread, atleast for Thar owners who want to have a functional Hardtop on their jeeps and are looking for options. Saying that I give my 2 Cents to Bimbra's Hardtop. One because of the sturdy build and secondly for the practicality. It does not require any cutting/damage to the Thar's body. I am using one and with insulation/upholstery on the roof, it is a wonderful addition. Reduces, heat/cold and sound quite a bit. Yes I agree, there is Scope for Improvement in Fit/Finish, which, I had also bounced with Taran. The PA Hardtop looks sleek however, i am not in favor of cutting/tampering with the bodyline.

[GTO]

Mod Note : As requested, additional poll options have been added! If you need anymore, please report this post, and a Team-BHP Moderator will take care of it.

Thanks!

[slalom]

Voted for the Hyderabad Short.
It looks great ,not too happy with the rear , but livable .
The finish is great and the polyurethane foam insulation is superb .
Lack of headroom is a negative .
The rear glass has no lock , hence we might have to use one hand to hold the glass while opening the rear door.
Expensive too.

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by Monster_BHP

Now that we have a few contenders for the Hard top, there is however no consensuses on how these hard tops fare or which one to go for. This thread is to determine which is the best looking and yet most particle hard top for the Thar.

Keep in mind that the Thar is a 3 door and has no front foldable seat entrance like the Gurkha if we add new seats, So the back seems to be blocked and becomes impractical without major alteration for people and particularly families to use. So the best option still is the inline seating, which requires head room. So i feel the Bimbra offers best of everything but does not look that great. Your views are all welcome.

Please vote on.

Monster_BHP,

A nice thread and innovative idea for prospective HT owners, who can compare in one thread than jump from one to the other.

Rightly pointed out by you about the inconvenience of getting in with a front facing rear seat. The primary reason for designing two tops (Hyderabad, Tall and Short) to suit the two requirements, namely front facing and side facing seats.

The front facing seat does not require head room as much as the stock side facing seats do, for this the short one was designed. It gives the buyer a choice of a low inline with 'B' pillar height, thus not raising the height more than the stock vehicle.

The stock side facing seats require about 4" additional head room, for this was designed the tall HT.

The top most features in both the tall and short Hyderabad HT are,

It is double layered which sandwiches a injection PUF fill, that ensures and keeps out an unbelievable amount of (outside) sound and equally important keeps the heat from getting in making an a/c more effective or an non a/c Thar, less hotter from within.

The unique top opening panels were thought about as, Thar would be used as an out door, weekend vehicle too. One does not need to go through the rigors of removing the whole HT every weekend.

Should one need to remove the whole HT, it is a simple bolt-on concept. No extra holes drilled, no alterations in the stock vehicle.

It comes in four options:
Front and rear roof opening panels.
Front roof opening panel.
Rear roof opening panel.
Fully sealed roof (non opening).

It can be flat shipped to you anywhere in India with all the required fasteners, silicone tube, gun and a simple step by step DIY CD.

The idea in this design did not stop just at looks but its practicality and comfort, backed by prompt service and response.
Regards,

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by slalom

Lack of headroom is a negative .
The rear glass has no lock , hence we might have to use one hand to hold the glass while opening the rear door.
Expensive too.

Slalom,

Hyderabad HT, Tall and Short (same manufacturer) have gone through intensive R&D, prototypes and scraps before they finally made it to the retail.

As I have pointed out in my previous post, the short was designed for the front facing, rear seat passenger. There is about 5" of headroom above the rear passenger.

Since side facing seats sit on the tyre wells, there is no way one can reduce their height lower than the stock position, hence the Taller version HT was introduced for this very purpose, so that the rear, side seat facing passenger need not sit in a slouched position but also his head should not hit the roof on rough roads, 4" headroom here.

Which top to go for, depends on your seating arrangement and your choice of external aesthetics.

The rear glass is lockable from inside, and can be opened from out side too, through the (open) tailgate. Why?

Since there is a lock on the tailgate there was no point in adding another lock from the outside, when anyways you need to open the tailgate first, to open the rear glass or it touches the spare wheel, just like on all HT's (with a spare wheel).

You don't need to hold the glass while opening the tailgate as the tailgate opens first and also the glass slowly (jerk free motion) swings up and supports itself by a pair of telescopic shocks.

As for the price, It is value for money, but due to bulk manufacture the price has reduced and the margins now are being passed on to the customer.

The top end model (3 opening roof panels, as on the Orange Thar), selling at Rs. 80,000+14.5% (tax)+Rs. 7,500 (Packing & shipping) was totaling to Rs. 99,100.

Now, (on a bulk order of 5 numbers or plus).

1. Top end model: Rs.68,000+14.5% (tax)+Rs.7,500 (Packing & shipping), now totals to Rs. 85,360.
(If 'C' form' is provided by the buyer, a tax of 2% can be calculated instead of 14.5%) and the accumulative cost that can be arrived at for the top end model, would be Rs. 76, 860.
2. Front opening roof panel: Rs. 63,000*

3. Rear opening roof panel: Rs.63,000*

4. Fully closed (without any roof opening panels): Rs. 58,000*.

*Applicable taxes+packing & shipping.
Regards,

[slalom]

Fazal sir, thanks for the detailed clarification .
I was under the impression that the rear glass has no lock at all , so unless you unlock the rear glass it's not going to pop up when the tailgate is opened.
I spoke to Prabhu at the initial stage and was waiting for the HT to evolve, Great to know that about the new prices .

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by slalom

Fazal sir, thanks for the detailed clarification .
I was under the impression that the rear glass has no lock at all , so unless you unlock the rear glass it's not going to pop up when the tailgate is opened.

Slalom,

There is a clarification that I need to make here, I was under the impression that a proposed change was done on the final product, but due to some technical deliberation, simplicity in design and maintenance, following is the set up regarding the rear glass locking mechanism.

Since the tailgate needs to be opened first due to the spare wheel obstructing the lift up glass, there are two ridges (marked in red) moulded in the lift up glass frame, which locks up with the tailgate, thus eliminating one extra lock. So, if you need to lift the tailgate glass, the tailgate needs to be opened first and the glass pops up about an inch or two upwards and has to be assisted from there further on to complete open position.

There is a rubberized beading in between the ridges and the tailgate to avoid noise caused by vibrations.
note: telescopic shocks not fitted yet when the below pic. was taken.

You were correct, my apologies for the incorrect information.
Regards,

[slalom]

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

There is a clarification that I need to make here, I was under the impression that a proposed change was done on the final product, but due to some technical deliberation, simplicity in design and maintenance, following is the set up regarding the rear glass locking mechanism.

Fazal sir ,
Thanks for the info , it's cumbersome to fix a locking mechanism for the tail glass, as long as the glass does not spring up when you open the tailgate ,it's a win win situation .

cheers !

[Monster_BHP]

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

A nice thread and innovative idea for prospective HT owners, who can compare in one thread than jump from one to the other.

Hi fazal,

Is there any way to fix roof rails for either of the HTs?

Also when I spoke to Prabu the prices where diffrent, however i will check again.

Thanks.