front hardtop

[rivervoog]

I have seen pinz fiberglass and plastic front tops on other pinzies and have been unable to find any for sale. Does anyone know where to find one? I would like to take my soft top off for the summer,the phoenix sun is brutal on vinyl. Kevin

[andy]

If I remember rght Patrick at Cold War in Littleton, CO had some. Have you tried Scott at EI?

Andy

[Erik712m]

patrick tops were metal. There was I guy in AZ vacum molding one and Sav used to carry the tecno top but nolonger to bad they were nice.

[undysworld]

IIRC, Phil Kalamaros from Michigan used to make some. They looked nice. The purple Pinz, Barney, had one on it. I don't recall where Barney went to. Phil is occasionally on the Yahoo board still, I think. He is an atty. Perhaps you could search for him through some ABA route.

Otherwise, there was a guy a mile or less from Linden Engineering. I can't remember his name, although I should. I've got one of his cab tops on my truck! Anyway, he makes/made plastic injection molded ones with a removable 'sunroof'. Mine's been on for 4 yrs. or so, no real complaints. Call Dennis, I'm sure he'll remember the guy.

Good hunting.

[Erik712m]

http://www.sdp-pinzgauer.org/pinz-archi ... horey.html

[Thomas-E]

I have posted some pix of my hardtop on the Yahoo Pinzgauer Group site under "Toms 712m", my top was patterned after Phil Kalamaros design. I gave my local welder a set of pictures of Phils hardtop as they came out of the boxes. He took those and made some minor modifications, two square tubes supports for the top and used heavy 14 gauge sheet.

It is very sturdy and I was able to provide and overhead "console" using the square tubes.

Total price came to $1300 which included the rear slider window.

I like the steel, it was easy to install insulation and it doesn't rattle or squeek and doesn't FLAP AT ALL


Thomas E.
712M
Sonora, CA

[rivervoog]

I appreciate all the input, I had checked with phil kalamoros a few months back but he had lent his molds out and lost track of them. Recieved a pm suggesting the use of aluminum, thinking that might be the way to go. Removed the rear top showing some sign of sun damage will give it a good coating of 303 and store it for the summer Whatever I come up with plan on making it removable so I can switch back to the softop for our beautiful phoenix winters. Once again thanks for the ideas. kevin voog

[WolfgangK]

I made the front part of my roof of 2mm metal (it's the german Pinz forum, but I am sure you get the point with the pictures):

http://pinzforum.kiruna.de/viewtopic.php?t=1981

It's not that much heavier than an equivalent aluminium part (around 30kg in total, minus the removed canvas parts), but easy to weld and manufacture. I only used existing fixing points.

The rear is made of aluminium on a steel frame:

http://pinzforum.kiruna.de/viewtopic.php?t=2098

And with windows and the interior installed it looks like this:

http://pinzforum.kiruna.de/viewtopic.php?t=2583

Regards Wolfgang

[Anthony]

Hi again Wolfgang,

As I said on Robi's Pinzgauer, your conversion is wonderfully simple and well executed! I see you have finished it now since I last looked, it is very practical and clean and very well done. I hope that your enjoying the benefits.

This just goes to show that one need not buy exotic ready made hard tops. This is a very simply made conversion that should be within the scope of most people and is cost effective. Of course Wolfgang's finishing and attention to detail is top class but the essence of the primary construction is simplicity and using the origonal structure as a frame.

Great stuff!