[93YJ4FUN]

I currently have two YJs

93 4 cylinder with a very very weathered interior. It hibernated for 12 years open in someone's yard. It ran briefly, but needs some minor work to get it running and ready to register. It currently has no top. I planned on putting a salary top on it. Someone actually gave me a used soft top for it that I haven't attempted to put on.

94 Safari. 6 cylinder. Hard top and full doors. Not matching, as the PO opted to switch out most of the cool Safari pieces with his 94. But still cosmetically much nicer than the 93. Needs some work to get it running, as the PO sealed a very tired 300k+ motor for another yj motor with lower miles. Also had the complete air conditioner setup, just not installed yet.

The plan was to get them both running and leave them as is regarding the tops.

I have an opportunity to have someone knowledgeable get them both running, but it would be a partial trade for doors and hard top with money from them involved. While I want to do the work myself, it hasn't happened for various reasons, and I just want them running.

In Socal weather, how much would I be missing if I never tried out the hard top/ full doors combo with the AC installed? I love AC, but have no problem running it with windows down when my daughter and I take drivers through the mountains. Should I keep both as is top wise and figure out how to get them running another way? It's not like it rains much or snows. We get tons of sun. I would just hate to wonder what if and then regret it later.

Socal peeps, I need your input. And yes Don, I have considered just going top off doors off lol. But in my weather, what do you like? I do not like being too hot, and I overheat easily in terms of sweating. I wear tshirts and shorts down to 40 degrees (Fahrenheit for Bruin) and lower when it does get cold.

I have other thoughts, but I think if you made it this far in the post you deserve a rest.

 

[RockWoRM]

Well, for me, I also had a HT and AC, and after driving it around for quite some time like that, I pulled it all off for a bikini and fabric half doors. (Timatoe now has the half doors) It gets HOT here in summer, and that is a negative, but the Jeep started becoming a trailer queen and almost all of my wheeling was up in the Sierra's where there is not so much heat. I traded running a bikini for a safari. I'll never go back! I like the safari waaaaay better than a bikini. Helps with wind, sun and dust more than a bikini.
For you, it's prolly more in the 80's instead of the 100's, so maybe you'd be ok with it? But again, I am mostly wheeling and not DDing.
But just to fair, I have never had a soft top. But seems to me if you pull the back and sides of a soft top for summer months, you're similar to a safari anyway. my $.o2

 

[93YJ4FUN]

Well the last couple days here have been 99 and 95. Summer will be hotter at some points. I don't know that either will be my primary vehicle, especially with gas prices. But I do plan on them both being driven regularly by myself and my daughter.

Stupidly, my main concern is wondering if after getting rid of the hard top and full doors, I'll regret never having tried them and seeing for myself if I like them. They cost enough where I'm sure I'll never spend to just to check it out later on.

 

[Waternut]

Keep in mind that I live on the east coast and the number of nice days where the temperature is acceptable and the humidity isn't super high is a lot lower. Regardless, when the Jeep isn't your daily driver, it's a toy that you want to use when you feel like enjoying the drive. That said, most of the joy for me was top down and doors off. If the weather required AC, the Jeep is going to be too hot anyway and it's too rough of a ride to be hot, sweaty, and kicked around when you have another vehicle that's usually more fuel efficient ready to go. My Jeep had a hardtop when I bought it and I quickly realized that if the hardtop was on, I wasn't going to remove it just to drive it on a nice day. If the top was off and the weather was nice, it's an easy decision to take the Jeep and enjoy it. Now a safari top or some other type of sunshade is totally user dependent but I only use those when I get caught in the rain.

Lastly....I have considered adding some AC to my Jeep but only to keep me cooler on mid summer wheeling trips.

 

[Boojo35]

When I look at the value of a hard top and full doors in good condition in Michigan vs what it probably would cost to get the two Jeeps running. I would go another route on getting them running. A good hardtop here is 5-800 bucks and a full set of doors is 12-1500.

I personally would not leave a Jeep parked outside that does not have a full top of some sort on it. If it could be parked inside like that than no worries.

I agree that a full soft top turns into a Safari type top very easily. It isn't too difficult to fold it totally down either. We do that with the 87 and run a mesh bimini top on those days for a sunshade.

I love full tops but live in Michigan. It is better for heater or AC days and we do have both.

My choice is my 87 is a soft top, my 94 is a hard top with full doors. I also have half doors with hard upper sliders for the 94 which makes it easier to remove the tops of the doors quickly. I have been tossing around some ideas to make the rear side windows and tailgate glass removable on a hard top. That would be the best of all worlds IMO.

 

[93YJ4FUN]

Both jeeps will be street parked, or parked in front of my apt garage. No one has messed with the 93 parked in front of the garage yet, surprisingly. The fact that it looks torn up at the moment might have something to do with that. That will change once they are running.

They both will be at least semi daily drivers.

Regarding the help with getting them running. I originally talked to the guy about the doors and doing a work+cash for doors. I only mention the top, because he needs it for a project he's doing. And it doesn't make much sense to my to have a hard top without the full doors to complete it.

 

[Waternut]

Yeah and a hard top with half doors on a YJ is a pain in the butt to do with TJ uppers or really expensive from Besttop.

 

[Boojo35]

My biggest thing about leaving one outside topless is what it does to things like the dashboard electrical and the steering column in general.

 

[bruinjeeper]

A good hardtop here is 5-800 bucks and a full set of doors is 12-1500.

..

Hold my beer

 

[gehlsurf]

Well, I'm in the same boat as Waternut, I live in SE US, FL. It amazes me sometimes when people say "Summer is in a week" or something, lol.

I have a hardtop and full doors, never use them except in the winter, because it does look cool and vintage, and my son LOVES the top and doors on, lol. Other than that, it's a Safari Top (I'm assuming by Safari you mean like a double bikini, covers front and rear?). Yeah, it's hot, by I don't have AC. And when moving it doesn't bother me too much. Plus I do construction, I'm used to the heat.

While I don't use my hard top and doors, I keep the top in the carport suspended from the roof and doors in the shed (AC and drywalled type shed). Those doors and tops are getting harder and harder to come by. I would keep them, if not for anything but resale value. From an investment viewpoint, they will only go up in price. Fixing a Jeep with cash is a fixed inflation amount, so pay it now-done, and keep the assets (tops and doors) for a later date.

Just my 2 cents. Oh, and this may just be a FL thing. YJ's with hard tops here are rare compared to soft. Up north, maybe they're all hard top, lol. Dunno, look around. People always want what others don't/can't have, that's what dictates prices, usually.

 

[Boojo35]

Well, I'm in the same boat as Waternut, I live in SE US, FL. It amazes me sometimes when people say "Summer is in a week" or something, lol.

I have a hardtop and full doors, never use them except in the winter, because it does look cool and vintage, and my son LOVES the top and doors on, lol. Other than that, it's a Safari Top (I'm assuming by Safari you mean like a double bikini, covers front and rear?). Yeah, it's hot, by I don't have AC. And when moving it doesn't bother me too much. Plus I do construction, I'm used to the heat.

While I don't use my hard top and doors, I keep the top in the carport suspended from the roof and doors in the shed (AC and drywalled type shed). Those doors and tops are getting harder and harder to come by. I would keep them, if not for anything but resale value. From an investment viewpoint, they will only go up in price. Fixing a Jeep with cash is a fixed inflation amount, so pay it now-done, and keep the assets (tops and doors) for a later date.

Just my 2 cents. Oh, and this may just be a FL thing. YJ's with hard tops here are rare compared to soft. Up north, maybe they're all hard top, lol. Dunno, look around. People always want what others don't/can't have, that's what dictates prices, usually.

Very well said.

To the OP. Giving up these Jeep assets to have somebody possibly do simple repairs is senseless and most likely losing money for yourself. I tried to say this before, but this post puts in in other words.

A Jeep with a cover over your head cools down nicely when moving. It can be a 90-100 degree day and humid which is how we roll in Michigan when it is this hot. I took mine for a ride today while in the high 80s and only zipped the door windows open. I did not even open the rear tailgate window. Jeep cooled right off and was comfy. The have no issues getting air inside of them.

Spark, fuel and compression are all it takes to make an engine run. You will hear that over and over and it is mostly true. Timing, matters just as much as does Choke operation, a couple of critical sensors but not to the degree of spark, fuel and compression.

We can walk you through how to check for these things. Your repairs may not be and are probably not expensive at all.

 

[gehlsurf]

Very well said.

To the OP. Giving up these Jeep assets to have somebody possibly do simple repairs is senseless and most likely losing money for yourself. I tried to say this before, but this post puts in in other words.

A Jeep with a cover over your head cools down nicely when moving. It can be a 90-100 degree day and humid which is how we roll in Michigan when it is this hot. I took mine for a ride today while in the high 80s and only zipped the door windows open. I did not even open the rear tailgate window. Jeep cooled right off and was comfy. The have no issues getting air inside of them.

Spark, fuel and compression are all it takes to make an engine run. You will hear that over and over and it is mostly true. Timing, matters just as much as does Choke operation, a couple of critical sensors but not to the degree of spark, fuel and compression.

We can walk you through how to check for these things. Your repairs may not be and are probably not expensive at all.

He's right OP, I'm still learning, but my Jeep was rough as hell when I got it. Like, driveable, but would stall if brakes hit too fast, rough cold start, etc. But it drove, and now runs stupid quiet and smooth as 30 year old butter, lol. Only time I've paid for work is transmission stuff. But save money, if needed, I drove with bad synchros for like 3 years, lol.

I've done most of it myself from help with guys here, legit, I'm not even on another forum or anything. These dudes, YouTube and Google (because they say things I don't understand and need a picture, lol- "Oh, I've seen that!!")

Keep the top, make friends here and get it running yourself. It won't be hard with a bit of effort. Plus you'll learn it. There is NOTHING better than someone saying, "wow, that thing runs well!!!" And you did it. "Built not Bought" is a great feeling.

 

[93YJ4FUN]

Boojo35, I agree with everyone that has been stated. I might find the time and space to work on them soon, which I didn't have before.

If things go right, I'll be able to get the 93 up and going fairly easily. It looks like hell, but that's the beauty of owning a drivable Lego set. I can do anything to the interior and exterior.

Body is straight engine actually ran with some noise very briefly. Didn't want to run it more until fluids were changed. For that done and started taking a few things off and my buddy had to move suddenly and unexpectedly. That's why it's in a spot I can't work on it and not running.

There's a good chance that in the next week or so I'll be making a fairly large change with the business. If it when that happens I should have the time and space to work on one of them within a month.

Learning hard towards keeping them, even if they aren't used. One of these jeeps will probably be set up for my daughter. She's only 16, but if she takes it to college she might need the hard shell and safety. If I sell now, I'll pay more to replace them later.

This potential change just came about today, so I'm looking at it through a slightly different lens. If I keep doing what I've been doing, I probably won't have the time to work on them myself. I've had one forever. The other since November. And I don't want to push back our time using them too far. Crazy times lol.

Btw, someone needs to go visit Bruin with a large trailer so he can get us all of the cheap tops and whatever else is left over when a Jeep melts in the snow/salt.

 

[93YJ4FUN]

Gehlsurf, I know what you're saying. I have been on this forum for a while and have read so many threads old and new that I even give advice that I know the forum vets would suggest.

Since some of the guys don't come on as often as before, I will ask the questions they get the answers so Jtec, boojo35, fish, and the gang don't have to. They can get into the actual problems.

I know working on these guys is fairly easy. Mostly lol.
I just get frustrated knowing that I can start working on it and get it going with the help I'll need, and not having the time or area to work on it. That might change soon though. Hell, I might make the move just so I CAN play and repair the jeeps. I appreciate the input everyone has given so far.

 

[RockWoRM]

I'll add one more thing... b/c I'm bored and having my am coffee... the YJ was in my shop, so it was protected. The LJ will not fit! Older 7' door. Grrr! (the new house will have 8' garage door, btw) So many moons ago I built a semi enclosed lean-to on the side of the shop and the LJ is parked in there. But the ends are open and we have a butt load of ferrell cats in the neighborhood. When I put the safari on last summer, the darn cats were getting in the Jeep and marking it! 🤬 So hard top and doors went back on! I also loaded the 22 but the wifey would not let me do my thing! 😕 I love cats and animals, but I hate the ferrell ones... oh well, I digress. Just one more reason to have a HT. 🙂

 

[93YJ4FUN]

I haven't had that issue yet with the open Jeep in the back yet. But the random cats around here have better places to hang out, thankfully.

 

[bruinjeeper]

Hardtop in humid Ontario summers without A/C is just not an option. Hell, when I ran a soft top, it was rough and hot and sticky (belly up) and couldn't often be an option in those same summers.

Now? I just drive it when the weather network says there is 20 or less % chance of rain.

And A/C is literally not an option. Lol.

Mesh top it is plus my complete body car cover when parked in the underground garage.

 

[Boojo35]

Hell, when I ran a soft top, it was rough and hot and sticky (belly up) and couldn't often be an option in those same summers.

I am surprised by that. I can drive my Jeep to work on a 90+ degree day with the full soft top on in the morning. When I leave work I pull the uppers off the doors (which is a little more difficult now because I put the rails on the doors that secure the skins to them) and unzip and roll up the rear window. I am refreshed in no time and have a very pleasant and cool ride home. I do work in the heat all day. NO AC in my shop so that may factor in but I also get to drive 45 to 70 MPH all the way home. You live in Toronto. Maybe yours speeds are slower and you spend a lot of time stopped or close to it. We go to the metro cruise in Grand Rapids every year in the Jeep. That sucker gets warm in those conditions. A lot which I know that you are fully aware of though comes through the floor board. That is why these stripped down and bedliner on the floor board Jeeps are not for me. That and trying to get the bedliner out of daisy to bring it back to original.

Today it was in the high 50s when I left for work so I had the top on full blown and everything tight. It was my first chance to listen for wind noise and noise with the new top. I need to seal the channel across the windshield frame to the frame but this top is quieter for sure and by quite a bit. It hit like 86 degrees today and my windshield was facing the sun when I left work so my seats were frying hot. I left the Jeep totally closed up all day. I merely unzipped the front windows and that is it. My ride home was very comfy and in that mode very quickly. Probably quicker than driving my truck and just relying on the AC without rolling down the windows at first. JS.

I believe that where you drive and how fast you can go is a big factor.

 

[93YJ4FUN]

Alright, I think you all have convinced me to convince myself to keep the doors and hard top even if I don't use them often, or at all.

The only thing that might change that is if finances are an issue and I don't have a choice. At the moment, I have a choice thankfully.

 

[bruinjeeper]

I am surprised by that. I can drive my Jeep to work on a 90+ degree day with the full soft top on in the morning. When I leave work I pull the uppers off the doors (which is a little more difficult now because I put the rails on the doors that secure the skins to them) and unzip and roll up the rear window. I am refreshed in no time and have a very pleasant and cool ride home. I do work in the heat all day. NO AC in my shop so that may factor in but I also get to drive 45 to 70 MPH all the way home. You live in Toronto. Maybe yours speeds are slower and you spend a lot of time stopped or close to it. We go to the metro cruise in Grand Rapids every year in the Jeep. That sucker gets warm in those conditions. A lot which I know that you are fully aware of though comes through the floor board. That is why these stripped down and bedliner on the floor board Jeeps are not for me. That and trying to get the bedliner out of daisy to bring it back to original.

Today it was in the high 50s when I left for work so I had the top on full blown and everything tight. It was my first chance to listen for wind noise and noise with the new top. I need to seal the channel across the windshield frame to the frame but this top is quieter for sure and by quite a bit. It hit like 86 degrees today and my windshield was facing the sun when I left work so my seats were frying hot. I left the Jeep totally closed up all day. I merely unzipped the front windows and that is it. My ride home was very comfy and in that mode very quickly. Probably quicker than driving my truck and just relying on the AC without rolling down the windows at first. JS.

I believe that where you drive and how fast you can go is a big factor.

I'm bedlined. But also thermal/sound deadened beneath plush carpeting.

Too humid and hot for me.

You see, the only option was mesh top no uppers and fabric lowers. At all times. Tonneau cover in the rear. Not even a Windjammer lol