Kayline soft top ??

I’ve been the fortunate recipient of a couple of Kayline Soft Tops recently. (Thank you Hillbilly21 and Ragin38). I’ve managed to locate and purchase some great used hardware courtesy of BW in Nor’eastern Colorado. (A hat tip to you, sir.) Today the OAT was 71 F, so I fired up Blue and rolled her outside. As of now, I’ve just about finished installing one of these tops on the her. Had to make minor design changes to the bracket mounting setup in order to make the top drape correctly. Mounted on the top of the outer wall was too high. Mounted down on the wheel well was too low. I added a 3/4” spacer (A piece of 1 X 4, PT pine) under the main bracket and mounted this setup to the wheel well. Perfectamente! A near-perfect drape. I’ll tidy up tomorrow. 

Thank you, Bob. Extremely helpful. When you need to get the doors on please shoot a pic of the top of the door and how it fits in with the top. As long as the weather is cooperating for you don’t do anything special. Unless you get bored.  Thanks again.

Sorry I didn’t notice that detail. I need a shot of the top of the door closed. I wish to see how the door fits to the top when in traveling mode. Thanks buddy.

                                         

I’m pleased to report that no, it is not an original tub, it’s not the original motor either. When it came to me it had two tail lights and turn signals. The turn signals are gone. It looks like swiss cheese from all the holes that have been drilled in it by PO’s . It had a Solex and an Airtex . Those are banished in favor of an AC mechanical pump I rebuilt  a Carter 636SA I rebuilt   and a Carter Ceramic filter I refurbished . I replaced the later model Donaldson for a correct Oakley. Its got an alternator . It is 12V . I will put a generator in it and be proper . The windshield wiper is NOS vacuum . There will be a single manual one on the pax side. The spotlight that is in it is a 1950 model . I was able fill one of the numerous dashboard holes with a period-correct cigarette lighter receptacle . I ditched the cheapo plastic parking light lenses for glass of the correct shape . It has a newly refurbished hydraulic 9” shoed brake system . Its got NDT’s. It’s not the prettiest Jeep around, but it is the closest I can make it to a ’47-48. When the ’46 is finished it will have a replitub, but everything else that counts will be either refurbished or NOS. 

Over forty years ago Kayline began selling soft tops to CJ2A owners. Unfortunately, Kayline was bought out by STC and now both are kaput. Best Top is a relative newcomer. I wish I could afford the $700.00+ for a classic Beachwood canvas. Then again, there is always the Lottery .

Edited by scoutpilot - 12 Nov. 2012 at 10:57am

The top on my CJ2A was installed in 1974 at the Kayline factory here in Denver. It has been stored most of it's life so it is still in pretty nice condition. I had the windows replaced by a shop three years ago. The windows in the doors are original. It's a Kayline Standard top. They were phasing this model out when my Dad had it installed....he probably got a sweet deal on it.

Lemield,