alright here's the sitiation.......i have my old black soft top in my shed in the box that my new top came in. it's just sitting there doing nothing, so i thought i'd put it to good use-maybe. it is just the top and two rear-side windows(left and right). i was wondering if it would be possible to make my own bikini top out of the top portion. i know i'd have to cut it and sew it, but would it even be possible? would it be worth it too? it just seems like it's too easy, considering it has the piece that goes in the windshield channel already attatched. thanks for any input! -Brad

If you have the means to do it I think it would be easy. I have thought about the same thing with my old top, but around here you can get the low end bikinis for around 15 bones so I wouldn't be saving any money, just the cool factor of having done it myself. I can't see where it would be very difficult if you can sew through the canvas and add a little velcro in. You can get the strap at wally world to tie in to the footman loop on the windshield, it's like 4 bucks. Don't know about the thread to use, I haven't been able to find any durable stuff around here.

Been there, done that. I cut it off a couple of inches aft of the rollbar, had The Boss sew a dart in each side to make it fit over the curve in the rollbar and sew a strap and buckle (from the rear straps off the top) to each rear corner to attach it to the rear footman loops. Works fine.

Seems like more work than it's worth since there as cheap as they are. But if you deceide to try it I would use "fireline" or "spiderwire" fishing line to sew it with. I know that stuff works well for the task at hand because I've used it for repairs on tops before. It will be the strongest part.

yeah i thought that woven fishing line would definetly be the strongest since i'll be doing it myself and don't have access to like say, kevlar thread or something. as for the design part, i was thinking about seweing it about 8" back from the roll bar then wrapping it around the roll-bar and inserting it through itself somehow. it's hard to explain but it's in my head. as for the footman loop on the windshield, i wouldn't need it since it has the retainer part would i? i never used the footman loop with my soft top before. well that's my idea for now. let me know. thanks! -Brad

On bikini tops, a strap connects from the back of the bikini top to the footman loop. This is make the top tight. It stops the top from flapping in the wind. You soft top doesn't have it because it uses the rear bow to make it tight. I would definetly put a strap in there. Without the strap, your first rain will fill the top and possible stretch it out of shape. Ask me how I know lol.

I replaced the straps on my old bikini top and sewed it up using Gorilla Braid (tm) fishing line. It worked great except that over time the line isn't breaking, the original fabric is pulling and tearing at the stitching. That stuff is tough but it can pull through the fabric if your not careful. Double that tab over before you stitch it... its hard to push a needle through but it'll hold a lot longer!

my $0.02

A very good thread to use on soft-top repair/fabrication is just plain ol' dental floss. It's great stuff, simple is good.

Use mint if you want the Jeep to smell better!

I sewed vinyl into a very small bikini top.

But my wife wouldn't wear it, she said it's too "stiff."

So now when wheeling she goes topless.

But the "stiff" is still there.

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But the "stiff" is still there.

[/ QUOTE ]

You've got some strange vinyl. [img]images/graemlins/censor.gif[/img]

Mine only gets stiff when it's cold. It shrinks in the cold, too. [img]images/graemlins/violin.gif[/img]