Alrighty then. I have stuff to fix:

I need to locate a rear brace for my soft top. Easy to install. Even I can do it in a few minutes. Anyone have an idea where to get one other than the dealership or Bestop? I didn't see any hardware for my Jeep on their website. I did leave them a message. Having such a new Jeep is going to leave me stuck with the dealer I am afraid.

The other things are the windshield, windshield frame and the piece the windshield and door hinge are attached to.

Any ideas on where to find them? I don't know which are the better junkyards or parts houses.

Top will come from Bestop later. I think I can get away with a duct tape job for now (better yet...gaffer's tape...like duct tape but in black...if I can find my roll).

I have to ask Santa for a hex set for Christmas, but I don't think it will happen...she already got my Christmas present.

I have to get this fixed before I can run again. The cracks in the windshield are small now but will grow if stressed (found that out with the Toyota - chip became a crack and grew fast).

Any suggestions about where to find these items? (And I am certain they are the only items I will need at this moment - nothing else seems bent or out of alignment).

Thank you very much. You guys are the best. :D

look around on E-bay, there is usually alot of parts/people parting Jeeps out. You might get lucky.
:D

Yep, goin' there...not much luck to be expected...the only problem with wrecking an 03 is that there are very few parts for sale used and the older model years don't fit.

Thanks :D

I would tell you of a few places to get some Jeep stuff, but since i can't link to other sites on MJR........ There are plenty of other Bulletin Boards out there, with plenty of people making mods and getting rid of parts. Ebay isn't the only source for used parts. Personally, I frequent 6 other Bulletin Boards, and occasionally hit a couple of others. J4M and JU are not included amongst them.

PM if you want to know some of them.


Erik

Originally posted by Trailbst
I would tell you of a few places to get some Jeep stuff, but since i can't link to other sites on MJR........ There are plenty of other Bulletin Boards out there, with plenty of people making mods and getting rid of parts.

erik, this is not entirely the case. i think you are taking this to the extreme -- PM me if you'd like so we don't take this thread off topic.

Thanks gang! :D I have put out the word across the country and New Zealand (we have one guy from NZ on a board I moderate).

My guy at the dealership called and is working on a cheap way of getting the Jeep fixed. (I got the paternal "What am I going to do with you.") Mitch is a Jeeper before he's a dealer.

Originally posted by qwiksilver
Yep, goin' there...not much luck to be expected...the only problem with wrecking an 03 is that there are very few parts for sale used and the older model years don't fit.

Thanks :D

Windshield and tops should all be for 97-03. All tops I have seen are marked this way. That means the windshield will be the same. Dealer part #'s can be different for different years, even though the parts are the same.

I have heard that sailmakers repair the soft tops for not too much money, certainly much less than a replacement top. HTH

Sailmakers and Sail Repair in Southern California (http://www.switchboard.com/bin/cgidir.dll?PR=109&C2=sail&LATITUDE=340390&LONGITUDE=-1182929&ST=2&SD=50&LNK=43:17&CID=581&MEM=1&CU=sail&T=los+angeles&S=CA&QV=02F400EDC17FDD3F5C303203O01F426EC0E7EDD3FBA3032 03O07F77C57217EDD3FBD313203O03F72C3D217EDD3FFF3032 03)

crickett... get me part #s on Mopar stuff you need. My dad works at a Dodge dealership and can get parts at 10% over cost. (plus shiping ofcourse). let me know if I can help out.

Originally posted by jmbrowning
I have heard that sailmakers repair the soft tops for not too much money, certainly much less than a replacement top. HTH

Sailmakers and Sail Repair in Southern California (http://www.switchboard.com/bin/cgidir.dll?PR=109&C2=sail&LATITUDE=340390&LONGITUDE=-1182929&ST=2&SD=50&LNK=43:17&CID=581&MEM=1&CU=sail&T=los+angeles&S=CA&QV=02F400EDC17FDD3F5C303203O01F426EC0E7EDD3FBA3032 03O07F77C57217EDD3FBD313203O03F72C3D217EDD3FFF3032 03)

Duh! I am in Wilmington all the time now (best friend lives on a houseboat). Thanks!

Originally posted by blkTJ
crickett... get me part #s on Mopar stuff you need. My dad works at a Dodge dealership and can get parts at 10% over cost. (plus shiping ofcourse). let me know if I can help out.

Thank You! :D

Mitch is working on getting me the part numbers. We are also going to have the Jeep looked at to make sure that the damage is what I think it is (I am pretty certain, but Jeeps are not 65 Mustangs).

Looks like it's time to hit Sears for tools. :D

More stuff to fix. While getting out of the Jeep I kept thinking about that door. Something wasn't adding up. I ran my hand over it very carefully. Top to bottom; side to side.

Yep, there is the slightest bend in the sheet metal. Not even visible. The mirror pushed it in.

I am going to take it to my office manager's husband and see what he thinks (he's the resto guy). It is so minute that if we can get the plastic off the door (thank god it's not a full door with glass), then a soft mallet and soft backing should tap it back to new.

For wheeling, I think I might invest in the doors Chris has. Undentable.

I'd do a mass :WANTED: post on the various Jeep forums, almost all of them have a "wanted/in search of" forum. You would be amazed at what people have laying around their garages.

Here are a few links to forums i frequent:

*edited by sarah*
if you'd like to link to something specific, that would be better.

*edited by sarah*
if you'd like to link to something specific, that would be better.

We aren't allowed to post links to other forums here? I don't see anything in the Rules (http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270) about it.

I'm not trying to start a flame war or anything i just see no reason for the edit.

I didn't list anything specific because my suggestion was to place a "wanted" add, and including links to various forums to do so on was a logical step towards that.




:confused:

i stated the reason for the edit.
check your PMs.

Ok, just got back from the dealership. Mitch gave me the same lecture I got from my brother. (All the little mall boys stood around the Jeep in awe when they found out what happened - like I did something heroic instead of stupid. Go figure.)

Here are the totals for parts:

Windshield frame without glass: $754
Windshield hinges: $139
Soft Top Bow: $242

Impressing mall boys: Priceless

Also, I am in dialogue with a guy who has an eBay store (Jeepsareus). He has quoted me on a burgandy 03 frame with glass: $450

I am also looking at hinges for $30.

The bow has not been located yet. I did find a full frame for $50 (starting bid) but although it was advertised for the correct year...it doesn't look right in the photo.

This weekend: calls to local Jeep and 4x4 parts houses. And a perusal through the Recycler.

Also, I need to find someone with mallets. I need to get that door off and tap out that bend. Or get a new door.

He he...it's going to be fun wrestling that windshield up on to the Jeep.

sorry to hear that stuff is so expensive. I'll be happy to help when the install time comes. of course we need to find someone with a garage.

Originally posted by blkTJ
sorry to hear that stuff is so expensive. I'll be happy to help when the install time comes. of course we need to find someone with a garage.

Thanks. :)

I am trying to work with several people to bring that price down. Have a guy in Oklahoma working on one. I located another for $399. I am negotiating with my office manager's husband to find a body man to do the door. I am going to tear the door apart and get it ready for hammering as soon as I get word. Anyone Ron knows is an artist so I am not worried there.

I hope I can get some use out of my brother's garage in Fullerton.

Lesson here: Get soft doors for the trail. They don't dent and they keep you warm coming home. Metal half doors can start on eBay at $450. Bestop has soft half doors that I can hook my top halves to.

For you Brian, I would really recommend them. If I had had those full doors I would have had glass everywhere and more metal damage. Soft doors could save your full doors some wreckage. And if mine are $450 on eBay, imagine what yours are (shudder to think). Please, save yourself some grief. :(

or you could take them off.;)

Originally posted by blkTJ
or you could take them off.;)

Ha Ha! :8 Things get a little "breezy" if you take too much off. ;)

:eek:... :yay:

Originally posted by blkTJ
:eek:... :yay:

Now now...you're a big boy...that shouldn't shock you at all. You see worse on Ventura Blvd. ;)

I just put in a bid for a full soft top frame. Looks like I may get it for under $100.

:hammie: For luck!

Originally posted by qwiksilver
Now now...you're a big boy...that shouldn't shock you at all. You see worse on Ventura Blvd. ;)


or better, depending how you look at it.;) :D :yay:

Whooo Hooo. A deal is in the works! :hammie: for luck. I will have the windshield sometime before Christmas.

I will have to haul the windshield carefully because it has glass. First stop - body shop to get it painted (it's a burgandy 03). Next stop - my brother's place. He's got a garage, large driveway and tools. I hope we can get the kids to help. It is so fun to get the little ones involved.

I am thinking I can lean the windshield against the rollbar and tie it down. Well padded, of course. I can take surface streets to Fullerton just to cut down on bouncing and wind resistance. What do you think? I just hope it fits between the pods on the rollbar. Or I might have to do some unhooking...I hope I can unhook those pods. Anyone ever do that? Oh dear...2003 was the year they went to individual pods instead of the bar. Well, I get to be the guinea pig if they have to come down.

The other option is running between the seats. But I don't think it will fit that way.

Another instance of "How Much Can You Haul In A Jeep?"

Thanks for hanging in there with me. Moral support is just as important as material. :D

Crickett -

I'm glad to see that you were able to get the parts together to get your Jeep fixed.

Forget about impressing "mall boys". I think everyone there was impressed with how well you handled the rolling of Blackjack, I know I was! I would be furious with myself if I rolled mine. (Yeah, it's still only a matter of time).

Again, nice meeting you all out there. It is nice to see a close knit group of wheelers like you guys!

Josh
Red Cherokee #2

Originally posted by twcguy
Crickett -

I'm glad to see that you were able to get the parts together to get your Jeep fixed.

Forget about impressing "mall boys". I think everyone there was impressed with how well you handled the rolling of Blackjack, I know I was! I would be furious with myself if I rolled mine. (Yeah, it's still only a matter of time).

Again, nice meeting you all out there. It is nice to see a close knit group of wheelers like you guys!

Josh
Red Cherokee #2

Listen, I wanted to cry. As I was shutting off the Jeep and just about to burst into tears I thought "Oh god, don't upset everyone. Don't cry." From there the only thing I could do was laugh. Really, there wasn't anything that could be done. Ah well, laughter is the best medicine. :D

Remember, when you roll it, it took an extrordinary set of circumstances to get in that position, and as long as you are not hurt, it's really quite a feat. You deserve a good belly laugh. :D

Just try not to think of your bank account. :rolleyes:

Crickett--
I have good contacts with jeep parts dealers [wholesale] and aftermarket stuff at wholesale also for the stuff you may still need. Let me know if I can help.
Chris L

Originally posted by qwiksilver
"How Much Can You Haul In A Jeep?"



quite a bit, with the right Jeep ;)

i might even be persuaded to paint it for you, if you buy the paint (i still have some activator in my garage).

Thanks gang...:D

I think I found a guy to do the paint over by my office. He has Mopar paint. We are negotiating price.

I don't want to haul the piece around too much. I am afraid of breaking the glass.

Argh! Help! I got the frame for the top and now have a problem separating two of the frame pieces. There is a webbing that is attached by means of brads instead of screws or some other fastener that makes sense. Has anyone had to replace a soft top piece on a TJ before? I have to use just the rear bow or take the header off because the 97-02 has a different header than the 03.

HELP! Whaaaaa! :(:(:(

did you check out the FSM CD I gave you? I think there are pretty detailed instructions on every part of the Jeep including the soft top. Removeable top installation, repair, removal and troubleshooting are covered in the Body Chapter.

Duh...not thinking again. Thanks.

Ok, got word: drill the rivets. Now I have to buy a drill. Yay :( I think I am going to replace the rivets with small screws just in case I have to do something like this later in life.

And the FSM has no mention of it. Nothing beyond what the owner's manual says. :(

Any comments on that?