[Tassierra]

Hey all,

As part of my polymer processing apprenticeship (fiberglass and other plastics) my teacher has set me a challenge of designing a mold and making a part off it. Ive decided to make a hardtop for my swb vitara. Ive had a look on the net and i cant find any for sale in Australia, only in America on rallytops.com.

Ive decided to go for this sort of look, maybe with different shaped windows....



and maybe something different like this down the track....



If any of you like the finished product, id be happy to make a hardtop for your zook. who knows i might even be able to make some $ out of it

Im going to post some pics up on here as i go through the mold making process up until i have the hardtop fixed to the car.

Cheers.

[Chop]

Thats good, but the top one is a swb grand vitara and you won't have much of a market to sell them because noone owns them!

[Tassierra]

sorry, i forgot to add that its going to be going on a 1997 vitara not a grand vitara like in the pics, i just used the grand vitara as an example to show what sort of hardtop i wanted to end up with.

[1DYX]

How about a Rally-top?
www.rallytops.com/‎

[Tassierra]

1DYX wrote:

How about a Rally-top?
http://www.rallytops.com/‎

i like the look of them aswell. I think they would be easier to mold to. Depending how long it takes, ill make a mold of both and see which looks better

Im going to make a quick template tomorrow. Ill post some pictures up tomorrow night to show progress

[jonfromhamilton]

make some maruti backs cab backs for sierras, money

[Tassierra]

jonfromhamilton wrote:

make some maruti backs cab backs for sierras, money

Would like to do that but i would have to find a sierra owner close to home that is willing to let me take measurements and make up a template to fit first so i knew what i was working with... there would be a free hardtop in it for them though

[jonno_racing]

I would let ya

[1DYX]

Pick me!

[Tassierra]

jonno_racing wrote:

I would let ya

Where abouts in tassie do you live johno ?

1DYX wrote:

Pick me!

i think WA is a bit to far away from me to get some measurements sorry

[1DYX]

I got a long tape....

[Tassierra]

1DYX wrote:

I got a long tape....

Lol i might get you to pm me some pictures and measurements to help me with the design once i get started. I'll let you know though

Ive just finished making a quick canopy for my swb vitara. Pics will be up soon.....

[Tassierra]

Heres a few pictures of my canopy that i made today out of some left over fibreglass and scrap plywood i had leftover from my project boat. I only made it quickly so it doesnt fit perfect but im happy with how it turned out. Its not going to stay on there permanently it was only to give me a rough idea of how one would look on it. I would change a few things on it like the shape of the windows and a few of the angles so it looked more "natural" on the car....









would like to hear any ideas you guys have to make it better

[whincup]

i wouldn't pick window shape/size based on what you think looks good, i'd do it to match a window out of a common car so the glass would be cheap and readily available, instead of custom and expensive. something from a falcon/commodore wagon rear or something. i'd say they'd be too big but its something to consider anyway.

[Tassierra]

whincup wrote:

i wouldn't pick window shape/size based on what you think looks good, i'd do it to match a window out of a common car so the glass would be cheap and readily available, instead of custom and expensive. something from a falcon/commodore wagon rear or something. i'd say they'd be too big but its something to consider anyway.

Thanks mate, thats a good idea

I was going to use some 4.5mm perspex that i had laying around in the shed. Would that work well ? Or does it shatter or crack easy ?

[jonno_racing]

I'm in hobart mate.

[Tassierra]

jonno_racing wrote:

I'm in hobart mate.

OK, well if your keen ill make the mold using your zook. Ill pm you later and get you to send through some photos of what you want with some rough measurements so i can make a quick mold. Then ill bring it down to your place and see how it fits on your car then modify it so its a sweet fit.... thats if your keen ?

[jonno_racing]

Tassierra wrote:

jonno_racing wrote:

I'm in hobart mate.

OK, well if your keen ill make the mold using your zook. Ill pm you later and get you to send through some photos of what you want with some rough measurements so i can make a quick mold. Then ill bring it down to your place and see how it fits on your car then modify it so its a sweet fit.... thats if your keen ?

Yeah mate. I actually want mine changed a bit...
Can you inbox me your phone number? I will call you.

[Tassierra]

Inboxed it to you...

[missmyljdaze]

Tassierra wrote:

I was going to use some 4.5mm perspex that i had laying around in the shed. Would that work well ? Or does it shatter or crack easy ?

Perspex might be ok for a temporary job- but it never lasts, gets scratched real easy- and goes crazed and hazy from sunlight.
Replacing means custom work- and insurance companies hate that sort of stuff.[if you ever need to do a claim]

I vote for whincup's idea- something "off the shelf" or from the wreckers is much better.

Go for a stroll through a carpark with a tape measure, camera and sketch pad [that should wake up the security blokes]

stephen

[azzas15]

Glass is a better option IMO as noted above you might have issues with Perspex.

[jonno_racing]

i used some other type of plastic in the window of my last zook..
it was quite flexible and fairly cheep. was told it didnt scratch easily and didn't go milky in the sun! some type of polly carbonate

[Tassierra]

missmyljdaze wrote:

Tassierra wrote:

I was going to use some 4.5mm perspex that i had laying around in the shed. Would that work well ? Or does it shatter or crack easy ?

Perspex might be ok for a temporary job- but it never lasts, gets scratched real easy- and goes crazed and hazy from sunlight.
Replacing means custom work- and insurance companies hate that sort of stuff.[if you ever need to do a claim]


I vote for whincup's idea- something "off the shelf" or from the wreckers is much better.

Go for a stroll through a carpark with a tape measure, camera and sketch pad [that should wake up the security blokes]

stephen

that wouldnt look suss at all....

Thanks for the info fellas! ill have a chat to the guy in the local auto glass shop and see what he reckons. He sells all sorts of glass and plastic type materials so he will know whats best.

[jonno_racing]

so i here zac has a martui cab he is copying

[Tassierra]

jonno_racing wrote:

so i here zac has a martui cab he is copying

working on the mold at the moment actually, will upload some pics when the first mold is finished tomorrow night.... hopefully.

Thanks for the cab to copy phil, youve been a big help!

Anyone looking for a martui cab, watch this space. If all goes well ill be making one out of my mold in just over two weeks after i finish customising phils

[Tassierra]

Pulled my martui cab mold of phils cab today. very happy with how it turned out. no bad looking spots on the mold at all and nothing to repair on it

heres a picture of my mold, the black part, next to phils original cab......



its not the best photo cause i just snapped it quickly as i left the shed tonight, but it shows the mold which is all that matters

i got started on the roof section tonight which phil also lent me the part to make the mold off. will hopefully have that pulled off the part early saturday.

Cheers.

[azzas15]

Looks great mate!!

[biff10]

Keen as

[kenny.G345]

Prices?

[jonno_racing]

Thort maruti cabs wernt good kenny haha.
Can't wait to see how you go with modding my cab mate!
Btw that roof is a genuine suzuki one.