[starter]

Originally Posted by cpbopanna

On another note, the 'Italian' removable hard-top is on its way! If all goes well, my Jeep will be hard-'topped' by the next week-end!

That is great to know Bopanna.
Do update us on how tough was it to procure it - shipping, customs, et.al.
And how much did the top set you back by (full final landing cost)
Must've beaten the big one, am guessing.
Cheers,
Deepak

[cpbopanna]

Thar front seats: An update

I had mentioned earlier that I found the front seats rather uncomfortable on long drives (lack of upper-back support). I took the week-end off and finally replaced the front seats with that of a Honda City. Since the Honda City seats are much wider than the Thar seats, the frame holding the seats were appropriately modified to fit the new seats. At the same time, I ensured that the seat is centered to the steering wheel to the extent possible.
The result? One literally sinks into the seat, the seats are lower than the original seats by 1", MUCH wider, adequate lower back & upper back support, the gear shift lever and hand-brake levers are with-in easy reach and the feeling is more car-like rather than sitting perched up on a tall vehicle!

However, all is not well! The wider front seats foul with the seat belt mechanism (near the B-pillar/targa band)! Since I have installed the South-African roll-over cage (though incomplete) which has seat belt mounting points, I mounted the seat belts on to the roll-over cage. Further, the seat-belt fastening-points (by the side of the seats) also foul with the wider seats. I have therefore shifted the seat-belt fastening points to the rear (there are two pre-existing holes with nuts already welded in to take the fastening points...2" behind the existing fastening points).
I would therefore advise anyone contemplating the replacement of the stock seats with wider seats to go in for the South-African roll-over cage before attempting a seat replacement! Also, please note that the Jeep becomes a four-seater thereafter!!

After designing and fabricating two separate frames, I have mounted the two stock-seats at the rear (front facing) by fastening the frames to the floor. However, I need to provide additional bracing (attaching the seat frames to the rear-mud guards) since the floor support per se does not provide sufficient rigidity to the two individual seats.

I shall post detailed pictures once the bracing work is complete

Originally Posted by starter

That is great to know Bopanna.
Do update us on how tough was it to procure it - shipping, customs, et.al.
And how much did the top set you back by (full final landing cost)
Must've beaten the big one, am guessing.
Cheers,
Deepak

Deepak

Procuring the 'Italian Hardtop' is not tough, doling out the green-bucks is!
The CIF (cost-insurance-freight) cost to Chennai itself is INR 1.53 Lakhs.
To this I need to add the following:
1. Customs duty @ 30% of the FOB value
2. Clearing & handling expenses at port. freight to Bangalore
3. Installation

My rough estimate for these three is around INR 47 k, making the total landed cost INR 2 Lakhs.

[cosmopolitan]

What was the reason for not going for the Hyderadad hard top or the Bimbras ?
Considering the price its almost 2 and half times expensive than hyderadad hard top and the Bimbra.
I am also hunting for a hardtop for my friend's thar.

Could you please tell me the pros and cons

[starter]

Originally Posted by cpbopanna

My rough estimate for these three is around INR 47 k, making the total landed cost INR 2 Lakhs.

Holy smokes!! That's a lot of dough you coughin up for that hard top Bopanna.
I really hope you find value in that hard-top.
Will be all ears to hear from you if that Italian hardtop was worth its price-tag.
Cheers,
Deepak

[cpbopanna]

Originally Posted by cosmopolitan

What was the reason for not going for the Hyderadad hard top or the Bimbras ?
Considering the price its almost 2 and half times expensive than hyderadad hard top and the Bimbra.
I am also hunting for a hardtop for my friend's thar.

Could you please tell me the pros and cons

Anand

I am indeed in awe of the Hyderabad Hard top. It is the best alternate to a OE soft top, same shape, with all the advantages of a hard top - security, et el.

However, my childhood dream has been an open Jeep. I once bought and modified a CJ-340 to resemble a military CJ-3B, I could remove the hood (soft-top) in 10 minutes flat, I do not want to over-emphasize on the pleasures of open top motoring! However, I had to sell that Jeep when I moved to Bangalore. I have written the details in a different thread (4x4 pictures?)

Now with the Thar, I want to replicate the same feeling, drive (almost) top-less when I want to, otherwise have a secure hard-top, with my music system playing good music (I love good heart-thumping music). In my humble opinion, the Italian Hard-top (though expensive to the core) gives me this option.

The Bimbras hard top is too squarish (bread-box like??), but inexpensive (INR 50k), it is modelled after the Italian hard-top. I find the Italian hard-top gives the Thar a Wrangler-like look, especially from the rear, which the Bimbra's Hard-top sadly lacks. The Bimbras hard top appears taller that a stock Thar!

I love the look of the Italian Hard Top!

Originally Posted by starter

Holy smokes!! That's a lot of dough you coughin up for that hard top Bopanna.
I really hope you find value in that hard-top.
Will be all ears to hear from you if that Italian hardtop was worth its price-tag.
Cheers,
Deepak

Deepak

I DO hope I find value in the Italian Hard-top!!


Regards

Bopanna

[navpreet318]

So is the Italian hardtop easy to remove and reinstall while keeping it leak free?

[cpbopanna]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

So is the Italian hardtop easy to remove and reinstall while keeping it leak free?

Still waiting for it

Will keep you posted, once installed!

[cpbopanna]

At last received the 'missing link' of the South-african roll-over cage from Mahindra/India Garage. The Jeep feels more rigid after its installation. Fastened the 'infamous' targa band at three points to the South-african roll-over bar.

Increased the rigidity of the (front) bucket seats fitted at the rear by bracing the seat frames to the mud-guards, no more 'shaking' of the individual buckets, the whole set-up is quite comfortable. A drive in the 4-seater Thar is to be experienced, quite a nice feeling! Completed the installation at 8 pm, too late for pictures!

On another note, while transporting the Honda City front seats to the mechanic for fitment, my driver inadvertantly left behind the neck-restraints (head rests) in an auto rickshaw. I have searched high and low for the past 2 weeks to find replacements for the neck restraints, they are not available anywhere. In any case, no one is willing to sell neck restraints without the seats!

I request any forum member with access to neck restraints of a Honda City ZX (both left and right) to kindly help me out, I do not mind paying a reasonable amount for them, I shall be very grateful!!

[slalom]

Nice to know that the "Targa band" is fixed , hope it has stopped the door rattling , or you might have to venture out to Coorg to find that .

So finally your Thar is getting there , now the hard top has to be fixed and you will be a happy man I believe .

Does the stock seats have any gap in between to gain access from the rear ?

Sorry to hear about the neck restraints hope you find a set soon .

[cpbopanna]

Picture updates: South-african roll-over bar, Front bucket seats fitted at the rear, Honda city seats fitted in the front

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by cpbopanna

On another note, while transporting the Honda City front seats to the mechanic for fitment, my driver inadvertantly left behind the neck-restraints (head rests) in an auto rickshaw. I have searched high and low for the past 2 weeks to find replacements for the neck restraints, they are not available anywhere. In any case, no one is willing to sell neck restraints without the seats![/i][/b]

3 options and I do not know if you ve tried them already:
1. Go to Shivaji Nagar and try to get them, if not from the City, then some other car.
2. Order them officially from a Honda ASC.

3. Purchase head rests which have inbuilt DVD screens in them. They are available and you will have some entertainment for your passengers.

Where is your hardtop?

[cpbopanna]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

3 options and I do not know if you ve tried them already:
1. Go to Shivaji Nagar and try to get them, if not from the City, then some other car.
2. Order them officially from a Honda ASC.

3. Purchase head rests which have inbuilt DVD screens in them. They are available and you will have some entertainment for your passengers.

Where is your hardtop?

Devdath, thanks for the suggestions

1) Tried at Shivajinagar, first of all the City ZX seats are not in stock & no one is willing to sell the neck-restraints without the seats
2) Tried from a Honda ASC, they will not sell without the details of a vehicle (which can be managed somehow), more importantly, a pair of neck-restraints cost Rs. 4k
I paid Rs. 5k for the pair of seats!
3) I have an existing audio system awaiting installation, does not include video support!

The hard top is 20 days away!

Regards,

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by cpbopanna

3) I have an existing audio system awaiting installation, does not include video support!

The hard top is 20 days away!

Regards,

Well, in that case, the best option remains the DVD player built headrests since they can play DVDs directly from a USB stick plugged into them.

Also, you could try getting head rests from any old car and getting a seat maker to slightly modify them to look like seats.

[Thilak29]

Now that you are considering hard top, is rollover cage addition safety measure?

[cpbopanna]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Now that you are considering hard top, is rollover cage addition safety measure?

Yes Thilak, it would.

Please check the attached picture, with the removable portion of the hard-top removed, it is evident that the Italian hard-top and the South-african roll-over bar have been designed in tandem!