Soft top , What brand is it?

Bought this Soft Top in the late 60's or early 70's............took this off my CJ5 a few years back..............no markings that I could find anywhere.....super heavy vinyl and nice zippers , will put together. Is it a Whitco , Kayline , Bestop? I've looked at plenty of old brochures but the door style , side and rear windows seem different.

What say You?

 

Bestop has been around over 60 years, so they were around in the 60's. I picked up a top at the "headquarters" in Boulder/Broomfield, Colorado area in the early 70's.

 

Here is a better picture of the door latch............

The inside door latch doubled as a long vinyl covered horizontal arm rest ..........that worked quite well. Also below the window was a sewn on catch all storage type bag....................Its in storage otherwise I would get a few more pictures.

 

Here is a 1980's Bestop--on a CJ3B

 

Dave...............looks pretty close. The side windows are still a different shape, but that could just be the difference between a 3 and a 5 , I need to look for more pictures. Thanks!

Note:Just looked at another picture and the side clear plastic wraps all the way around the Jeep corners and stops at the edge of the tail gate..........so the rear zipper window opening is more the size of just the width of the tailgate.....looking from the hood through the windshield towards the rear would almost give the impression there was 3 windows in the rear............one large and two small.

 

Here's a mid-1970's Bestop-- on, I believe, a CJ7

-----------------------------------------------------------------------Not sure if this door handle assembly belongs to the mid-70's, but I think so.

 

Dave, Now that from the side looks to be more correct............I guess even on the picture of the 3b above as I look at it again , that rear clear plastic wraps around also..............

I guess it must be a BesTop...........$229.50 list ........such a deal!

Thanks Again!

 

We had a Mid 60's Kayline on my 48 Willys with a 3Awindshield and it looked quite a bit different in design and styling then yours I would lean towards ruling out it being a Kayline.

 

It's not Kayline or Whitco.
I've never seen soft top with a door handle that is offset so much from the edge of the door.
It almost appears to have a key cylinder just in front of the handle.
Tarry, did these lock?
There were a ton of companies supplying tops back in the day.

 

Yes they had a Key Lock..........not like it would do much good........

The inside door latch was much like a door striker in a car that engaged that hoop mounted on the body when closed........The door handle and pivot point was mounted forward as you noted because that mechanism was spring loaded and needed the length for the horizontal striker shaft , the vinyl covered arm rest in the door was raised at the far end ( front ) to actuate the striker to open the door.............I will try to get over there today and take a picture of the inside of the door..........
It's a nice heavy duty top.........the heavy material was much like I have seen used in the Boating Community for there Delta Canvas tops and windows.

 

Here is the view with the--"impression there was 3 windows in the rear............one large and two small."-- on a 1969 CJ5

 

Here ya go Jim..........and others out there , see if these photo's of the door help in identifying the Tops Maker ..........perhaps this locking door setup is somehow unique to this Brand of top......heck all this time I just thought they were all that way.

 

That door certainly doesn't look like a Kayline. Back around 1970 we had a Kayline installed on the MB. The rear windows were embossed with a Kayline logo. I remember the Whitco tops had a tag sewn in with the rear window zipper and I don't really remember there being many Bestops around here in that era. My brother has a Kaylne on his '71 CJ6. I don't remember if it has a tag.
Oh, yeah, the Kayline for the MBwas $98.00 installed at the factory. I think dad some connections with them.

 

"....perhaps this locking door setup is somehow unique to this Brand of top..." I'm leaning toward calling the set-up "rare"! We'll see what others think. It's definitely in the deluxe or luxury category.

 

Well......now I disagree with myself. It's not Whitco, the quality and design is too good.
The design and layout that I see on that door closeup is screaming Kayline to me....even the door pocket although it's smaller than what I've seen.
I'll have to dig out all the old top literature and manuals and see if it is indeed Kayline.
Our old parts manager might be able to ID it as he was with us for 40 years or so.