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Vehicle Soft Tops With Clear Window Portions


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JeepRightTopDownM151.jpg

Any thoughts on how to reproduce those quarter panels, just behind the doors? If it were just solid canvas (or some other ripstop fabric material) it would be much simpler, but the clear plastic window material makes it a special challenge. If I attempted it, I'd really only try it (this time around) with the quarter panels behind the driver, and then do garrison-improvised plywood doors next to the front seats.

Right now, my thinking is to make the panels out of thin clear plastic. Possibly wrinkle them by heating them over a flame, and then shaping them somehow (?). Or, make them out of solid plastic by heating and wrinkling thin sheet plastic, and then cut out the panel shape outside, and window shape inside. Then, install clear plastic from a plastic bag. Either way seems really difficult, because clear plastic will quickly haze over if mistreated much, and it will be a challenge to shape the sheet plastic in any event.

The ultimate goal is a diorama depicting one of the miserable January REFORGERs (85 or 86).

Edited by Fishwelding
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You are on the right track. I have done similar and used 0.010 sheet styrene for the OD canvas parts and Ziploc bags for the clear parts. Once you have attached the bag material, hit it with a hair dryer to shrink it and tighten it up. It comes out looking pretty convincing when done.

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