fabbing up a removable top for my B2

[RednekBroncoII]

i am tryin to figure out a way to combine the usability of the B2's size w/the ease of a full size bronco removable top. Any ideas?? I have one but its kind of a long shot. I plan on tryin to take the tailgate off of a ranger and putting it on the B2. Any ideas???

[59Bisquik]

Nobody has come up with a functional removable hardtop for a B2 yet. It would be great if you figured it out! And yes, do a search and a few have used Ranger tailgates on thier choptop B2's.

[Blue coyote]

Based on your username, I'll toss my own home-brewed solution on the table...

When I ran Broncenstein, I did the Ranger tailgate swap.  Then I added the side rails from a Ranger.  

Take a fiberglass Ranger canopy and shorten it to fit for length (I cut it across from side to side and sleeved it over itself, then rivetted the layers together).  

Use a piece of 1x2 on each rail, drop the canopy into place, and bolt it down the way you would on a Ranger (you need the 1x2 to compensate for the slightly taller roofline of the BII vrs. the Ranger) and all that's left is to add a couple of clamps to the top edge so it is held tight to the cab, and call it a hardtop.

It didn't keep 100% of the water out, but then again, I live in a temperate rainforest.  I once had a Police officer tell me he thought it was ingenious (while I was talking my way out of an environmental fine...blew the bypass hose and dumped antifreeze in a parking lot.  Someone thought I was willfully dumping antifreeze in a stormdrain)

[wil_wil2]

Based on your username, I'll toss my own home-brewed solution on the table...

When I ran Broncenstein, I did the Ranger tailgate swap.  Then I added the side rails from a Ranger.  

Take a fiberglass Ranger canopy and shorten it to fit for length (I cut it across from side to side and sleeved it over itself, then rivetted the layers together).  

Use a piece of 1x2 on each rail, drop the canopy into place, and bolt it down the way you would on a Ranger (you need the 1x2 to compensate for the slightly taller roofline of the BII vrs. the Ranger) and all that's left is to add a couple of clamps to the top edge so it is held tight to the cab, and call it a hardtop.

It didn't keep 100% of the water out, but then again, I live in a temperate rainforest.  I once had a Police officer tell me he thought it was ingenious (while I was talking my way out of an environmental fine...blew the bypass hose and dumped antifreeze in a parking lot.  Someone thought I was willfully dumping antifreeze in a stormdrain)

Blue, do you have any pics of your old B2?

[Blue coyote]

I can't remember if any of the pics show the hardtop, but the old Homestead page I had is still around at http://broncenstein.homestead.com/untitled1.html and, ironically, I  think I'm still listed in the BII gallery over at TRS 

[motaaa]

i was thinking about making one also, i know a guy that does composite work (fiberglass/carbonfiber/plastics) and i want him to make a hardtop for mine. if you guys were interested i could look in to getting a couple made. mine of course would have to go all the way to the windshield, but we could probably make one for a half chop.
the only problem is that everyone chops theirs differnent so we'd have to come up with some kind of template so that the chop is in the right spot so the top fits snug. you'd also need ranger bedrails or some type of cap at the same height.
what do you guys think?

[RednekBroncoII]

thank you for ur imput guys that helps alot    my dad and i are looking into ideas at this point in time 

[59Bisquik]

Looking forward to seeing it! I have always wanted a removable top...just not sure how to do it...I will be waiting for pics! 

[philyc43]

has any om considerd usin the roll bar that goes in a rangers bed putting it backwards so the roof hight baris in the rear, than find a canvas top that will fit it or have a boat top maker make one

[P.L.A.N. - A.]

When you say "roll bar" do you actually mean a functional roll bar or those 3" show bars that are made out of exhaust pipe?  If you cut the top off your B2, I wouldn't want to rely on that for protection. 

[RednekBroncoII]

i will be starting to work on a hard top for the B2 project Ice Blue lol i now have a different B2. It has the fenders cut already and the top has been cut off. So i am looking for some new fenders lol. Will the fenders off a ranger inner change w/the B2??

[59Bisquik]

Yup...ranger fenders will work.

If the top is already cut off...what hardtop are you going to use?