Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

[drewpster]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

One thing about your wipers. My boat has the same kind of design as your top. The windshields open outward from the bottom. The wipers are mounted in the top above the windshield and sweep down. When in the off position the wipers rest at a slight angle down. This allows the windshields to open without binding and keeps them against the glass when closing them back down. The wipers are held to the glass with spring tension and they are hinged at the bottom. Just like the ones on your car. If you are careful how you mount them, you can mount them in the top and they will work fine.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Here is my idea for you windshields. Try to find a salvage or a junker that has this type of windshield.

It is a simple frame hinged at the top. The windshield rotates up and is removable. You need find a pair of them that approximate the size of your openings. The larger the better. If they are bigger than your openings than you have more to work with. It does not matter if they are square. These are about 2' x 2', but I am sure Florida is full of all sorts of wrecked boats.

Remove the glass if it is still in the frames. Then, using a grinder and a cut off wheel, cut the frames at the corners at the angles you need to fit your openings.

You will have to have them re-welded to your dimensions and buy new glass. It may also be possible to cut the original glass if they are still intact when you get the frames.
The edge of the frames are flanged and a simple flat seal is used to seal them to the opening. Stainless screws hold them in place.

The seal that holds the glass in is very common. (RV supply houses have it)

This does involve some welding but you should be able to find a local fab shop with a TIG welder to do the work. If you take them the cut pieces and explain the setup, all the welder should have to do is weld. You can cut cost some by grinding and sanding the welds yourself as well. I think it would be cheaper than you may think. The cost will be in the glass. But you are going to have to buy that anyway. Just a thought.

PS- here is a good used parts place
http://www.boatrecycling.com/

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Drewpster, How is the glass installed in the frame? Is it open on the back and just bedded in?

 

[drewpster]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

The glass beds into the inner flange of the frame and then gets locked in by the rubber lock strip you can see in the lowest picture in my post. The glass rests against a rubber seal between it and the frame. The set in my pictures need to be resto'd. They are the ones for my boat.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Hey Mark question about you hardtop please.
I may start a new topic but...
With your experience glass coating pink insulation foam, do you think a swim platform would be doable as far as strength?
I could always inset a pair of spars into the foam and glass them in for added strength if needed.
Did you do anything special to keep resins from eating up the foam? Thanks.

By the way how's the top holding up?
Very neat project!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Hey Mark question about you hardtop please.
I may start a new topic but...
With your experience glass coating pink insulation foam, do you think a swim platform would be doable as far as strength?
I could always inset a pair of spars into the foam and glass them in for added strength if needed.
Did you do anything special to keep resins from eating up the foam? Thanks.

By the way how's the top holding up?
Very neat project!

I think the foam would work as a mold to be coated with enough glass that the foam is not acting as a structural component. Laminate up a few pieces of foam, cut and carve the shape, then glass over making the glass at least 3/8" thick. A few pieces of ply would probably be needed as vertical bracing in 4 or 5 places.

It migh be better to make the basic platform box out of plywood, then glue on foam around the edges to form into nice rounded shape, then glass the whole thing over.

The bottom line is that the foam alone is not strong enough. It will compress if the glass is not thick enough to prevent deflection. It would work well to make a mold that is easy to shape and make match contours of your boat.

I havent had the boat out on the water yet, have to wait until spring to fair it out and install the windows. But it is holding up a load of snow/ice weight under the cover!!!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

This is "Take 2" on the window frames. Today I nailed two pieces of 5/8" CDX PTS (Plugged, Touched & Sanded) together to cut the windshield frames from. It worked pretty good. They are nice and straight, rough fit is right on, and I'm not finding any voids in the layers like regular CDX.

Here two pieces are tacked together and the dimensions are drawn out on the top piece. The particle board strip is used as a straight edge so the circular saw makes nice straight cuts. Works like a charm.

Again, using the particle board as a guide, the circular saw made plunge cuts to cut out the glass opening.

Got to finish the corners with a hand saw

After cutting, the two pieces are separated, and the outer pieces of the frame are cut and perfectly identical.

The frames are rough fit to the boat to ensure that I measured and cut correctly. Yep, everything is right on the money.

Next some pieces of ply will be ripped down to 1 3/4" wide strips to line the backside of the glass opening at a 90 angle. That will give a lot of rigidity to the frame. Then its all sanded, and covered with a layer of poly resin and 6 oz glass.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Its nice to see that you're working on it again.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Its nice to see that you're working on it again.

Thanks, River Man!

Need to make some decisions regarding the wipers at this point. Made this wiper template to decide how to get the best wipe coverage on the glass. Surprising, center top mounted is not the best location. Its either the top center corners, or bottom outside corners. I think the top inside corners will work best, and not block much view out the glass.

The frames will need a small triangle piece of ply about 3" on the long side fit into the corner to mount the wiper motor. The glass will have to be cut to match, or have a hole drilled in the glass. Will have to ask the glass shop about that.

The motors have adjustable sweep, (80* or 90*) and reversible park setting, so they can mirror each other. So the wiper arms can park across the top of the window, or down the center edge of the window. Any suggestions as to which would look better?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Today was productive! I am really surprised how quickly the frames are coming together.

Marked a 2" radius on each of the 4 corners of each windshield and cut with a saber saw. Then rounded over the edges using a 1/2" rounding bit in a router. Light sanded with 100 grit. There are a few chips in the face veneer from the circular saw, so those will need a little filler before glassing.

Then added the supporting structure to the back of the frame. This made the frame increadably rigid and its flat as a pancake! I am truly surprised at how well these frames are turning out.

This is the starboard front view.

And starboard rear view.

Before gluing the supports in, I did a test with two pieces of ply glued with waterproof carpenters glue and a few finishing nails to hold it together. After about 3 hours, the piece was beaten with a hammer to try to break the two ply sections apart. It did eventually break, but it was the top veneer of one piece that failed, not the glue. So I decided if it can take that abuse, it will be able to handle being on the boat. Plus the fiberglass should add some more strength.

Still have to add the wiper support in the inside top corner. Then a little poly and the 6 oz cloth and its ready for the glass to be cut.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Plan on using these latches to keep the windshield windows closed. iboats hase them in black plastic, but I'd really like to have them in stainless. Been looking for a while with no luck.

Anyone know where I can get these in stainless?

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Yep I need one too , and I am going to look for stainless !! I have seen them on ebay !!! John

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Yep I need one too , and I am going to look for stainless !! I have seen them on ebay !!! John

I checked ebay and didn't see any. If you come across them, please let me know what brand they are.

 

[zach103]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

i think the wipers should go in the top inside corner too.. it would look well

 

[redfury]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

How are you going to latch the windows with those? Won't you need something to hold it from the inside so that you can open the windows, or are you making the windows simply removeable like a screen window in a screen door?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

How are you going to latch the windows with those? Won't you need something to hold it from the inside so that you can open the windows, or are you making the windows simply removeable like a screen window in a screen door?

The window is hinged with a stainless "piano hinge" across the top. The 1-1/2" wide strips of ply glued to the back side of the frame recess into the window cutout in the top and those twist latches are mounted on the window frame. So when the latch is twisted horizontal, it will overlap the inside of the hard top, keeping the window closed. Same as they do on the walk thru windshields on a bow rider. Nice and simple! Just wish I could find them in stainless instead of plastic.

Also planning on using these gas springs to push the windows open when unlatched:

I think a single 20 lbs spring should be enough on each window. I have to call Attwood and ask about which spring will work well for my application and weight window.

The plan to seal the windows is to apply a 1/4" thick strip of foam on the hard top where the frame will press against it when closed. Will probably end up using a double strip all around to help keep wind driven rain out. I'm still looking for some better way of sealing the windows. I have to see how things work out.

Thanks for asking! These questions keep me thinking...

 

[redfury]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Hmmm., my brain must have been working in reverse for some reason when I posted that ( I couldn't imagine it in my minds eye for some reason )....got it now!

As far as those fasteners ( closers ) go, why not just shape your own out of aluminum or SS. I think you can get something like that done at a shop for a decent enough price if you can't find it anywhere else. I think most hardware like that is going to be a type of plastic instead of a metal nowadays.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Glued up the second frame and mixed up some "peanut butter" to fill in some gaps and chips in the top veneer.

Thought I'd post this while the glue sets up. In another hour or so it will be sanded then glassed over.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

Glassing the frames has begun and is progressing quite well, in spite of using Bondo "cures before you want it to" resin.

There is about an inch or more overlap of the glass at the corners. The 6 oz glass is so thin that it doesn't amount to much of a lump. And fairing will take care of any unevenness.

That is the second frame. The first frame I cut pieces that would wrap all around the frame and overlap on the back. But the first attempt turned out so bad, that I'm now glassing the front and back sides separately. Had to pull all the glass off the other frame, and sand it smooth. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: Project "1600 Capri Hard Top" has begun!

I used 2 gal of that resin! Fun with Acetone between applications...

Looking great dude!