Blazer retractable convertible top

[zammer]

I want to run an idea by the blazer crowd that have looked at top options for soft tops.
What i want to do is make my own retractable soft top that would be like a conventional convertible top on most cars which collapes into the rear of the back seats. I was looking at making a small bed cover for the back 2 1/2 to 3 feet behind the rear seat which would open up and house the frame and top when the top is down...
I found a nice 1964 Pontiac Parisienne convertible frame near me that is 58" wide and would almost fit on the blazer which is 60" wide. The length on it may need some mod to extend as it is 6 1/2 feet from the front top edge to when the back of the back window is... i may need about a foot more in length... I think it would be cool to have top like this on the 71 2wd blazer so the top is always ready to go, i live in a cooler climate so something like this would be worth doing, but i have realized that it is a project on its own..

The main thing i'm unsure about is in the back where I want the frame when collapsed to be able to go lower then the top I fab for it... I think the only way i can do this is by adding more linkages to lift the frame off the bed maybe to where it can then be brought out and extended towards the windshield..
Any thoughts of if I have an idea here that will be a pain in the ass or will it be pretty cool to pull it off?

Here's a couple pics of the frame





Or i was going to do a top using a boat bimini top on just custom make one that way like these ones a guy did::

[brian26]

[brian26]

I wanted a power top to begin with, obviously cloth (I thought) was more flexible. Turned out steel was the way to go even though it is rather heavy. But no serious issues since it's been on since 2003.

Right now I have no way to build the 'perfect top', so this is where I got stopped at.

[cvalcore]

it would be sweet to have a full retractable top i wonder what it would look like it would have to have some good looking line's to. i would like to run a soft top but i dont like the look of anything that is out there for a 2wd. i would pay some good $$$$ for it if it looked right.

[zammer]

Brian,
Thats exactly what i would like to do.... even the way you have the cover open is what i was thinking.. I would like to try and make one to be long enough to open behind the rear seat...

That looks pretty sweet!

One other cool thing I was thinking is since I will be running bags maybe a guy could use air cylinders to open & close it... I would be happy with a manual top though..

Cvalcore - my thought are the same as yours, I don't like the way most soft tops look but if we could custom make one like this it would we pretty sweet but of course it will be a bit harder on the bank $$ ... thats no shock to me anymore...

[robs71k5]

Now that is sweet ! I am am at that point aswell with the hard top being to heavy to on and off quickly and anywere.I have had some thoughts about doing "T" top and canvass the rest of the way .
I have molded a fibreglass piece using the same seal as the hard top for the top of winshield to bolt down the same way the hard top does. Now I just need to build from there back .
I would like to keep it as versatile as possible to meet the challenges that I might face on a road trip keeping in mind the room I have to work with when I''m loaded down .I will post some pics .

[zammer]

I'm going to try and do a rough design of how this frame I am looking at will tuck in behind the rear seats and hopefully try it out... The guy wants $450.00 for the frame with obviously needs a blast and paint after but it is something to start with.. I would like to use a soft cover over whatever it becomes..

[cvalcore]

i think i would like mine to go all the way back it would look a lot cleaner. but thats how i would like mine to look you can make your's look any way you wont it to.

[zammer]

Where would it tuck down? Are you saying have it go all the way back but it would still sit above the top of the bed... I'll see if i can make the rough drawings and then see what you think.... i want to go all the way back but have it so when it is retracted to go under a cover, i don't want it sticking out above the bed like the car tops do.

[chevyblazer]

awesome men is that your blazer

[cvalcore]

Originally Posted by zammer

Where would it tuck down? Are you saying have it go all the way back but it would still sit above the top of the bed... I'll see if i can make the rough drawings and then see what you think.... i want to go all the way back but have it so when it is retracted to go under a cover, i don't want it sticking out above the bed like the car tops do.

i see what your saying it wouldent look good haveing it site on top of the bed rails but i think it would also just not look right if it did not go all the way back im not shure how it could be done hell i would be happy if it was completly removable and fold up so it can be stored in the back it would be nice if some one could make a removable top like the other's but just look a whole lot cleaner and slecker i have a extra top and i was think about chopping it up but its still going to be very heavy and it would be nice to just pull over and take the top of or down and be on your way.

[robs71k5]

Hey Yes now thats what I'm talking about ! Now Draw me a Picture

[PHAT TONY]

To disappear it would have to be inside the box top width; maybe a manual pivot/lock at the tailgate on the sides and swing it down so it stores verticaly? What about an aluminium frame work? I'm very interested in ideas thrown around about this as I'm not a fan of the millitary look of the soft tops out now.

[Dusty71blazer]

There is a company out there that makes a power retractable top for Jeep Wranglers, may be a good place to get ideas... from what I remember the top looked kinda big & bulky.

[zammer]

O.K....
I went a picked up the top from the 1964 pontiac ...
Its the closest fit.... 58 " wide and the blazer windshield is just under 60"..
Anyways I decided to give this mod a try... got the frame for $350 and of course it will be blasted once I'm done chopping it up..
Now, I am just in limbo with how I want to do the back...
I think i would like to have the rear go from the flat top straight down to the upper bed where the rear window will be... To make sense of what I'm talking about it will be a simular look to that of say a s10 4x4 crew cab with the small rear box or the Ford sport trac i think its called... here's what the top looks like stock on the 64' pontiac or impala..

Attachment 593572

Attachment 593573

Here's what i semi placed last night after i got home around 1030 Pm after getting the frame to get a rough idea of what I need to do:

[zammer]

As most of you guys can see from the previous post that I leaned the windshield back 2 1/2" also ....
AND... I managed to keep the stock door windows so they will roll up when I put the top on.. I leaned back the door braces at he windshield and cut the small window brace to fit, it looks like stock... The only thing that will be mainly different is the triangle window will be cut to fit without being able to open it ( i don't want to open it )

[zammer]

I found a pic of a ford sport trac ( for idea purpose only ) lol..

The thing i want to do close to this is have the small rear box where the retractible top will fit under and the rear window will maybe have a small slope from the top to the bed top..
Is that gunna look o.k.. ? hard to tell by the pics but i think i will look sweet, I could go all the way back to the tailgate with the rear of the top too i guess but more work and I'm not sure the frame will pivot properly that way

kris

[Hart_Rod]

Sweet concept! I can't wait to see how it comes out.

[Effeckt]

I'm loving this! I really want to do this to mine. I will be following this to watch the outcome unveil.

[zammer]

I just finished doing a bunch of fitting... I started to make brackets for the pivot points and where the air rams will go..
Here is some pics of it collapsed in the rear trunk lets call it

Once i have my brackets in place on the one side and prepped for the other side I will cut the frame down the middle and section it to make it wide enough for the blazer, looks like around 2 inches more needed... And it will give me a small enough section of frame that I can fit it in the blaster

[72gmcshorty]

looking good. Not sure if someone already mentioned but what about a track that a garage door uses...Arms could roll inside that...

[zammer]

I've thought about the track idea but I'm not sure it would work if i do the power top.. maybe if I left it manual i could , but otherwise it would be pretty complex to have a couple more rams to roll the top up the track and then 2 more to extend it out..

Right now with the amount they stick out I was just going to cover that up with a cover..
I plan on raising up the bedsides 2" to match up to the top of the doors so that will help hide the frame also

[cvalcore]

awsome i cant wait to see how this turns out have you made rendering of it yet.

[zammer]

I wish i could put the rendering i have in my head on paper... I am not the greatest artist but i should try to make at least a quick sketch..

So far tonight i tacked the drivers side rear pivot on, and I was looking at the front arms that attach to the front bow and it looks like I ll need at least another foot or so in length, so i need to find some arms I can mod so they look the same when i extend them to reach the windshield

[cvalcore]

just a quike drawing would do it doesent need to be perfect. it would be sweet if you could find another top cheap to chop up for the peices you need how is the fit to the windsheild going to be.