Soft Top for Open Air SUV

[SailorDan]

The roll-bars for the open-air SUV look like the perfect framework for a canvas convertible soft-top, like a Wrangler or a Bronco might get.
Nothing is offered or even hinted at by Slate. I wonder how long it would take a third-party vendor like Bestop to come out with one. That's assuming Slate ever makes it to the street in the first place.

 

[clofan]

This is a great idea! Would love to see a soft top for this thing

 

[D'Mick]

I did ask a Slate rep when I went to NYC to see the truck. At that point the soft top was part of the conversation with a third party vendor.

 

[SailorDan]

Excellent! Bestop has a $1600 slant-back top (often $1300 on sale) for the 2-door Bronco that would adapt perfectly for the Open Air Slate SUV.

 

[Nivek]

I am interested in the same thing, I hope a supplier gets on it.

 

[kvermeer]

Bestop and others also have a $100 bimini/bikini top:

https://www.quadratec.com/products/21021_XX_PG.htm

Way simpler - just a flat piece of vinyl-coated canvas, a couple straps, and a windshield channel:

https://www.quadratec.com/products/bestop/windshield-retaining-channel-76-95-cj-yj-51209-01

I don't really want a $1600 soft top with clear vinyl windows, if I wanted that much protection I'd run the solid panels and glass widows from the cargo van/SUV/fastback version.

I had a Jeep CJ-5 for a few years with both the soft top and a bimini top, much preferred the latter - I replaced the former a few times (and took pretty good care of it!) but they got scratched up and hazy really fast. Couldn't afford the expensive fiberglass hard tops at the time. Note that you do need to keep a squeegee in the vehicle just in case of rain if you're going to go without doors and back glass: The wind swirls the droplets around to the inside of the windshield where the wipers don't reach!

 

[SailorDan]

I hear you, brother. I've had British sports cars for at least half of the last fifty years, and short of top down my favorite setup has always been top up, windows down and back window zipped out. A Bimini would have been even better, but hard to fit in such a small interior. At my age I have to take my dermatologist's strong warning: no more direct sun than is absolutely necessary, so I do need at least a Bimini top. But I have a problem with leaving cloth seats in the weather. We need at least some vinyl seat covers for the back seat if they are not going to be covered by a full soft top when parked.

 

[GrizzlysGhost]

The last soft top I had was on an old Wrangler, loved it... until... short story time!

I had it parked on the street in SNCO military housing in Rapid City, South Dakota many years ago. Full soft top, zip-out windows, the works. Came out one morning to find someone had slashed big diagonal cuts in the side windows so they could retrieve my cheap-ass Radio Shack speakers from the back ($20 max!) Did I mention they were ZIP OUT windows? Cost me several hundred dollars for replacement panels. Come on! (I still like soft tops.)

The end.

 

[sodamo]

Ahhh, shades of my younger MG B days. Prior to moving here, really thought I’d be in my Wrangler, fully open most of the time. Not Hilo weather 😄, but just the soft top, no sides or back 🤙🤙🤙

 

[KevinRS]

They really haven't announced any new options in the past year, but part of the idea is 3rd party vendors making accessories. I think there is a good chance that on the 24th the maker gets a big update, lots more options added, with brand names on some, and prices on stuff. Some of the options that are there may be replaced with more detailed models of brand name stuff. Things like a soft top may be part of this.

 

[SailorDan]

Grizzly and Sadama, you guys are the best, and yes they were all MGB's except the last, my brother's TR-6.
And Kevin, keep that optimism, it's heartwarming and very rare these days.

 

[Luxrage]

I love my soft tops in my Geo, I just wish the windows were glass instead of lexan. The design of the truck's roof supports rubs into the side windows and the rear is all scratched up.
I mostly just run the bikini/bimini top these days.

If you can pop the rear window out of the pickup cab I'd gladly run that with the windows down. It'd basically be like this: