New to Jeeps

fine, several layers of fibreglass/composite but still solid, no inner headliner, no insulation, no air space. It would be an air space and insulation which would stop the condensation.
 
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Funny I filled my inter space with non expanding foam. Took several cans and then plugged the holes with body panel plugs.:confused:
 
The TJ hard top consists of several pieces of SMC or Sheet Molded Compound that are heat and high pressure compression molded and then bonded together to form the finished unit. There are areas that are single layer and other areas that have voids to add strength and there is even a removable panel at the rear where the dome light is which makes it a two piece structure.

Traditional fiberglass hand lay-up or chopper gun lay-up has very little in common with SMC with the exception being that they are both FRP or Fiber Reinforced Plastics. The top actually has more in common with a prefab shower enclosure than it does to a fiberglass camper shell.

SMC uses a mold like they use for injection molding and then a very accurate weight of the compound which is a heat activated mix of polymer and fiber is laid in the mold. The compound comes in sheets with a anti stick layer of plastic on both sides and falls into the pre-preg side of materials for molding. Once the mold is charged, the two halves close and the charge is basically forced to flow out into all of the mold cavity. The mold stays closed for a specific period of time to "bake" the product enough to maintain the molded shape and then opens where the piece is removed and trimmed.

This will give you a rough idea. The compounds and fiber content are tailored for each product and application.

 
Blaine to the rescue! I knew it wasn't fiberglass, just wasn't certain what it was.
 
As an example of his fathomless knowledge... I'm a radio guy, have been since I built my first 2-way radio as a 13 or 14 year old back in the early 60's . Commercial, military, amateur/ham, etc. 2-way radios, etc.. Blaine & I were talking about some kind of radio in his garage one day and talking about an NMO antenna connector for it and I remarked that after all these years of messing with radios and using NMO connectors that I had no clue what NMO stood for. Without missing a beat Blaine said "New Motorola" and I was stunned. HTF does he know frigging everything he does lol?
 
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Blaine is undoubtedly the TJ guru if I've ever seen one. He's one of the very few peoples whose advice I trust 100% when it comes to these rigs.
 
As an example of his fathomless knowledge... I'm a radio guy, have been since I built my first 2-way radio as a 13 or 14 year old back in the early 60's . Commercial, military, amateur/ham, etc. 2-way radios, etc.. Blaine & I were talking about some kind of radio in his garage one day and talking about an NMO antenna connector for it and I remarked that after all these years of messing with radios and using NMO connectors that I had no clue what NMO stood for. Without missing a beat Blaine said "New Motorola" and I was stunned. HTF does he know frigging everything he does lol?
You still owe me a visit. I have a rig for you to test drive. It will forever change how you think about TJ 4.0 performance. When are you swinging by?
 
You still owe me a visit. I have a rig for you to test drive. It will forever change how you think about TJ 4.0 performance. When are you swinging by?
It has been too long Blaine, I'll make it a point to come up to visit you and Kat soon Blaine. I do look forward to that test drive... at least I think I do lol.
 
My 97 has more than one layer on the hardtop as well. I park mine outside on a steep hill and the rain sometimes blows in through the door seals and also the rear door/window. Never had a mildew issue but removed all the carpeting, which I actually like better; there will never be moisture trapped underneath even though it is supposed to "breathe" and I have a small towel rolled up where the rain comes in on occasion, I simply turn it over after the storm to dry, one day I will get to replacing those seals...
 
Must not hunt pheasants.;)
The last time I ate pheasant from a hunt I nearly broke a tooth from a steel shot left in the meat. Which was from the same hunt where I saw another pheasant hunter take a #8 or so size bb in his face. Pheasant hunting can definitely provide a few thrills lol.
 
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The last time I ate pheasant from a hunt I nearly broke a tooth from a steel shot left in the meat. Which was from the same hunt where I saw another pheasant hunter take a #8 or so size bb in his face. Pheasant hunting can definitely provide a few thrills lol.
Should've used lead shot; steel's for ducks, ha!