which truck hood?

[Gringo]

The soft top on our '05 D-90 has completely fallen apart in the tropical sun. Actually, the straps rotted first, followed by the thread used to sew it together. In any case, it's basically shot:

You can see that the straps inside even rotted away, although they are never exposed to UV.

Since we just bought a 110, I no longer need the 90 to be any kind of passenger vehicle. I am planning to convert it to the truck style hood. I am finding two types on the internet, the "standard" truck cab hood that uses one hood stick and runs down behind the seats, and then there is an 'extended' truck cab hood that uses two hood sticks in the two sets of holes there, about six inches or so apart.

I am curious as to whether any of you guys have any thoughts on which way to go? Is there any kind of advantage of one type over the other? I am thinking that if I add a roll bar later, the standard, short type of truck cab hood might be better even though it is less interior volume for the passengers.

I am also concerned how to keep the spare tire attached to the bulkhead with a truck cab hood. I might have to fabricate some kind of spacer.

This is the "extended" style:

and this is the "standard", that only uses one hood stick.

I am thinking that adding the military style roll bar later, it would look better if it was outside the hood rather than being inside it with the little bracing arms sticking out through it.

Anyone have any experiences with any of these?

[muddy]

I have a standard one on my 90, and my freind has the extended one on his.

Extended is much better

The standard one nicks your headroom at the back especialy if you have non standard seats, also my freinds is from exmoor trim and has poppy press studdy jobbys and a zip up back and is generaly much nicer than my agricultural thing.

I would get an extended one and fabricate a sturdy seat belt mounting either inside the hood replacing some hoodsticks or to fit behind.

I you would like any pictures just let me know.

Will.

[martinspragg]

When I got my military Defender it came with the original green canvas top and it was disgusting. I contacted All Wheel Trim (www.allwheeltrim.co.uk) and got the short truck style hood. My partner picked it up from them and brought it back in her luggage and we even got the VAT off! It fitted perfectly and was easy to install.

I find if you drive in with the back down it gets a bit warm and stuffy so we drive everywhere with it up unless it is raining. Also the sun sometimes comes in through this open back which can be a bit of a nuisance on rare occassions but the "bimini" top style that they offer would eliminate that.

[Gringo]

Well, I see you live in Belize, so we have somewhat similar climates. My problem is not so much rain, as it is this very corrosive dust. It blows inside and coats everything. It ruins electronics, has destroyed two radios in two years. It's too hot to keep it closed up all the time, so I am looking for something I can open up easily and close up easily. I had planned to buy the roll bar with seat belt mounts from Allwheel trim, but their shipping charges is actually more than the cost of the goods. This is because the major part of the roll bar is one piece. Makes for a big box.

I am thinking now of fabricating a real roll bar here. Lets face it, a real one would bolt through the floor to the frame. Not be suspended by aluminum body parts. That way I can do it outside the hood, and put some good offroad driving lights on the top of it.

Thanks for the input, I am thinking I will order either the Exmoor or the Allwheel trim one, and go for the extended version.

I did consider the bikini styles, and like the look, but the truth is that I need to be able to close up the interior from this damned dust and the open bikini type just wouldnt do that. Plus I think those straps would get annoying after a while.

Muddy, where is your spare tire mounted? Do you have photos?

[muddy]

Erm the standard one is on my off road 90 wich doesnt even have a rear floor never mind a spare, and the extended one is on a 90 with a full roll cage, there is just enough room to get the the hood behind the crossbars of the cage. If you extended the centre bar of the spare wheel carrier and and fitted some kind of spacers to the rear bulkhead to move the spare back about 3-4" i think that would be sufficient.

Will.

[reads90]

I have a Mohair one on my 90 and that is fine after 4 years in the Australian Sun Here in Brisbane . Very very pleased with it . Has been on the car for 7 years now and has not shrunk and looks good as new . This the soft top only a few months ago and still looks good

As for dust i have always found that shut up the soft top and open the vents at the front and no dust get in. Belive me it works as there is alot of dust on the tracks around Aus and even worse when you hit the Bull dust . Which they say can get in a sealed can of backed beans

[martinspragg]

Yeah Gringo I was thinking we must share a similar climate, we also plenty of dust in the dry season but it isn't a problem form because we have no hitech stuff in the cab of the truck.

We have no SVA (whatever that is) and the "MOT" consists of making sure a few of the essentials work and so if you are in a similar situation I would think it would be easy to make a roll bar that suited your needs. But you will need to know a few dimensions (height etc ) of the top to make sure it all fitted together well.

My spare tyre currently sits in the bed at the back, I have yet to find anywhere else to put it.

[Gringo]

Oh, I have no problems at all passing what passes for vehicle regulations here. Basically, if all the lights and the horn works here, it's good to go.

I have been thinking of designing up a double roll bar setup, with the tops higher than the canvass and shaped to strap our tandem kayak to them with room for driving light tabs spaced so the kayak fits between them.

And I have settled on the Exmoor Trim EX5187 Truck Cab hood, if I can find someone who will sell me one. Seems to be a problem.

[suggs]

if you like the look of the bikini roof then there is the us style bikini cab from all wheel trim etc, its a bikini roof with a roll down back so also closes up same as a truck cab.

http://www.allwheeltrim.co.uk/big-110-Biki...-Ext-Bikini-Cab

[Mauricio]

Talking about soft tops? I need a Full Soft Top for my old S2 88, How much does it cost to buy one in North America and where? I want a not too expensive one?