Canvas Top Project - Land Rovers Only

happytrails · 07-12-2007, 12:45 PM

i am considering cutting the roof off of my range rover classic and making it a canvas top...kind of resembling a defender

. i want the top to be removable and able to still go back on in case of bad weather and winter time.

anyone have any pictures of this done? or even heard of this being done?

i am basically asking you guys to give me your $0.02 on how this can be done. shoot me some ideas and potential problems i may be overlooking. i want this planned before i go out there with a "sawZall" and dismember my landy!

thanks...i hope this is going to work out because i really want it done!!

-justin

mensley · 07-13-2007, 04:35 PM

you can unscrew/unbolt it, y\you shouldn't have to cut. It is clear once you remove the headliner. You may need to have a bar welded in across the b & c pillars for strength.

-Mason

Badger1 · 07-13-2007, 04:55 PM

SCSL did a chop on his D2. Search in the Disco section for the thread, also check over on Discoweb too. Might at least give you some ideas as to what direction you want to take.

Hey did you at least lift that thing and put some tires under it yet????

roverX · 07-14-2007, 10:40 AM

Are you talking just the roof or the sides too? The roof is held on by rivets. You can punch out those rivets and use screws to put it back into place when you want. If you are talking about cutting the sides too, have a roll cage built for safety and then make a bikini top that snaps to the roll cage. As far as putting the top and sides back on during inclement weather... good luck with that and let me know what you come up with.

Paul Grant · 07-14-2007, 05:01 PM

I've taken off about a dozen roofs, SWB's, LWB's, w/sunroof, w/o sunroof, NAS, non-NAS and none of the roofs were secured with rivets. They all had roughly forty screws/bolts securing the roof.

Basically, if you have a weekend to kill and a friend to help, you could easily remove the roof from your Range Rover to see how you like it. It would also be a great time to redo the headliner if yours is sagging.

Naturally, if you want a really clean look you'll need to remove the B and C pillars between the windows along with the rear pillar. At that point some sort of roll bar would be useful not just for safety but I would imagine it would help with body rigidity.

There was someone on Dweb who removed the top on his RRC. He did a nice job and even sealed off the rear doors making it a two door with side facing rear seats. Go on over there and do a search, it wasn't that long ago.

roverandom · 07-15-2007, 10:54 PM

If the roof is going then you need a roll cage of some sort. Safty Devices makes cages for RRCs. For a custom top a good place to try are Marine upholstery/Hot Rod/Custom car specialist shops in your area. Any of these types of shops can make up a hood for your Rover any way you want it, as long as you have the dough! Is the truck going to be a poser or a off roader? The reason I ask is if you are going for off road capability and removing the roof anyway you may want to look into giving your Rover a bobtail while you have the sawzall out! Whatever you do be sure to take a few pic's and show us the results.

happytrails · 07-19-2007, 12:56 PM

no...no lift yet

but i have some a/t's! its a start lol.

its looking like i'm going to have to get the cage for my idea to be effective...and make the most sense. i'll keep you guys updated...some other things need to be knocked out before i start on that.

THANKS A TON FOR THE INPUT!!!!

-justin

07-12-2007, 12:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
happytrails Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: louisville Posts: 30 Gallery: 0	Canvas Top Project i am considering cutting the roof off of my range rover classic and making it a canvas top...kind of resembling a defender . i want the top to be removable and able to still go back on in case of bad weather and winter time. anyone have any pictures of this done? or even heard of this being done? i am basically asking you guys to give me your $0.02 on how this can be done. shoot me some ideas and potential problems i may be overlooking. i want this planned before i go out there with a "sawZall" and dismember my landy! thanks...i hope this is going to work out because i really want it done!! -justin

07-13-2007, 04:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Badger1 Forward! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Loo-eee-ville, KY Posts: 2,153 Gallery: 1	SCSL did a chop on his D2. Search in the Disco section for the thread, also check over on Discoweb too. Might at least give you some ideas as to what direction you want to take. Hey did you at least lift that thing and put some tires under it yet???? __________________ 1997 Disco 1 2000 Disco 2 1989 RR(gone but not forgotten ) Miami Valley Land Rover Society www.mvlrs.com ON WISCONSIN

07-14-2007, 05:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Paul Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CT Posts: 886 Gallery: 0	I've taken off about a dozen roofs, SWB's, LWB's, w/sunroof, w/o sunroof, NAS, non-NAS and none of the roofs were secured with rivets. They all had roughly forty screws/bolts securing the roof. Basically, if you have a weekend to kill and a friend to help, you could easily remove the roof from your Range Rover to see how you like it. It would also be a great time to redo the headliner if yours is sagging. Naturally, if you want a really clean look you'll need to remove the B and C pillars between the windows along with the rear pillar. At that point some sort of roll bar would be useful not just for safety but I would imagine it would help with body rigidity. There was someone on Dweb who removed the top on his RRC. He did a nice job and even sealed off the rear doors making it a two door with side facing rear seats. Go on over there and do a search, it wasn't that long ago. __________________ Paul Grant paulgrant@mac.com http://stores.ebay.com/Classic-Rovers 203-770-1699

07-15-2007, 10:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
roverandom Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada. Posts: 386 Gallery: 0	If the roof is going then you need a roll cage of some sort. Safty Devices makes cages for RRCs. For a custom top a good place to try are Marine upholstery/Hot Rod/Custom car specialist shops in your area. Any of these types of shops can make up a hood for your Rover any way you want it, as long as you have the dough! Is the truck going to be a poser or a off roader? The reason I ask is if you are going for off road capability and removing the roof anyway you may want to look into giving your Rover a bobtail while you have the sawzall out! Whatever you do be sure to take a few pic's and show us the results. __________________ "Your only supposed to blow the BLOODY DOORS OFF" The Italian job 1969.

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07-13-2007, 04:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
mensley M. Hensley Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 42 Gallery: 0	you can unscrew/unbolt it, y\you shouldn't have to cut. It is clear once you remove the headliner. You may need to have a bar welded in across the b & c pillars for strength. -Mason

07-14-2007, 10:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
roverX Elephantitis penisitis Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 5,439 Gallery: 0	Are you talking just the roof or the sides too? The roof is held on by rivets. You can punch out those rivets and use screws to put it back into place when you want. If you are talking about cutting the sides too, have a roll cage built for safety and then make a bikini top that snaps to the roll cage. As far as putting the top and sides back on during inclement weather... good luck with that and let me know what you come up with.

07-19-2007, 12:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
happytrails Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: louisville Posts: 30 Gallery: 0	no...no lift yet but i have some a/t's! its a start lol. its looking like i'm going to have to get the cage for my idea to be effective...and make the most sense. i'll keep you guys updated...some other things need to be knocked out before i start on that. THANKS A TON FOR THE INPUT!!!! -justin

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