Hardtop and Door Cart

[FL Handle Guy]

After balancing my hardtop on some scaffolding and taking up half the garage with hard door landmines for a couple weeks I decided it was time to make a dolly that I could use to protect and easily move around my hardtop and doors. I did not want to spend a bunch of money because I want to hang the doors and make a hoist for the top eventually.

Now my only complaint is it rolls too easily. I will be switching 2 of the casters to the locking type.

$upplies:
- 4 @ 250LBS casters from harbor freight = $25
- 11 @ 2"x4"x92 5/8" = $30 (I went with the 92" studs because they were cheaper)
- roll of outdoor carpet = $17 (it was in a rack at depot in the flooring area. I believe it was 6'x8' and I used almost all of it.)
- 42" x 36.5"ish ply for decking

I made the cart 42" x 42" at the base and decked it with a 3/4" piece of scrap I had.
For the back 2 corners I took 4 @ 2"x4"x49" pieces and made 2 L -shaped corners and attached them to the base. I screwed the uprights together first then screwed them to the base. I added the support braces after the fact to stabilize it. 3" screws were used it to screw the uprights into the base and a square was used to keep everything aligned.

After Attaching the back corners I measured from the front of the door to the mirror to make the front uprights and placed them so they doors would fit and the mirrors would be facing the outside. The front upright is also 49" tall. I placed the upright 14" from the front of the dolly, squared it up with a framing square and secured it to the 2"x4" it ran perpendicular to.

After placing the front uprights I then braced the back and sides to stiffen it up and guesstimated where I wanted the doors to lean. My goal was to have the door be supported by the covered 2"x4". Just Cut your braces to fit and make sure you measure as close to the base as you can. That will make it easier to get the uprights square when you screw everything together.


The angled center brace was done after everything was done and is only there to give me something to bungee the doors to if they are going to be left on the cart for a while.

After getting the sides and back secured and squared up I ran the rear top support. I measured the span between the fiberglass structure of the hard top on each side and gave it about an inch of space on each side. I made this 2"x4"x54" long and attached it to the rear uprights. I slid the 2"x4" up about 1" above the uprights and secured it. I wanted to make sure the frame of the cart would not come in contact with the hotheads headliner. I made the side top supports 36" and secured them to the back L upright and ran it to the front/side uprights.

I then made a ledge to hold the freedom panels. They are 29.5" long and are made so that I can set the panels in after the top is in place and they will not fall out. My initial intention was to secure them with bungees but they nest in there nicely and I don't thing I will need to do anything unless I want to put the back half on without the panels. The first two photos show how the fit in there.

Finally I attached a scrap of 2"x4" that the indexing pin would fall into. I drilled a hole in the 2"x4" and screwed it to the side top support and now the top is locked into the dolly.

Finally I wrapped it in carpet everywhere it could come in contact with the doors or top and added the casters.

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[TheHops]

Great project man. I've seen you post this around here and there. Thanks for sharing the write up.

 

[scotticus]

This is really awesome, I'm totally building something like this!

 

[scotticus]

I have gotten about 3/4s of the way done with mine. I drafted the cart in Fusion 360, and made a cut list. I’ll post tomorrow when I’m finished.
Teaser:

 

[FL Handle Guy]

I have gotten about 3/4s of the way done with mine. I drafted the cart in Fusion 360, and made a cut list. I’ll post tomorrow when I’m finished.
Teaser:

Nice job, love the iteration. I can't wait to see what tweaks the next guy makes. Now get those hinge bolts out and take them doors off!

 

[scotticus]

Tomorrow! I think I’m going to add a rack for my Sunrider when I take it off. I’m also trying to figure out how to work in something from my Shaper.

 

[scotticus]

Having issues posting this before, but I'll try again:

okay all done!


finished product:

and I added some bits to hold my sunrider when i'm not using it:

and here is what the 3D model looks like:

and i'll attach a pdf of the plan and cut list. Materials needed are:

• 9 2x4x92, went with 92" length because those tend to be a bit cheaper. if you use full 8' you'll have some left over: $30
• Plywood, 3/4" thick. you can use a 4x4 Project sheet of meh plywood
• 4 Casters, i used some home depot ones that'll hold 170lbs each, 3" wheels. $50
  • I would probably spend more money here to get better ones, the ones i got roll very poorly. maybe 5" instead of 3" and Polyurethane instead of rubber?

1lb box of 2" deck screws
Some kind of carpet. I found some already rolled up

cuts look like:

4 x 49" & 42"
2 x 49" & 34.5
1 x 22.5", 22.5" & 45"
1 x 43.5" & 48"
1 x 54"

 

[scotticus]

And the plans are attached

 

[salsadoc]

And the plans are attached

thanks for the plans, they are great! here’s my variation. i just added a shelf to hold my sunrider

 

[Popz]

Thank you guys, this is exactly what i have been looking for, i greatly appreciate your sharing the ideas and plans. Just got my weekend project

 

[Richard Simmons]

And the plans are attached

I wanted to thank you for sharing. I’m headed to Lowes.

 

[PackerBacker]

Agreed, thanks much for sharing this design @FL Handle Guy and @scotticus for making the blueprint. I followed @scotticus drawing and cuts. I noticed one meaningful difference between the two -- Item #4 in the blueprint is 34.5" long while @FL Handle Guy called out 36" boards. I ended up going 34.5" and noticed how that board is *just* a bit too short and the hard top actually leans down a bit because the board gets closer to where the hothead headliners may go vs. going to the "lower ledge" as shown in @FL Handle Guy 's pictures. I'm too lazy to go get pictures now, and coincidentally I'm getting Hothead Headliners for a Father's Day gift, so the 1.5" difference may not be a big deal -- I will verify once I install the headliners and take the top off again. If in doubt though, I suggest other people cut those to 36" since the roof is more level that way. The roof is totally secure either way so no need to be concerned with the design.

 

[Robicon]

Finally got mine all done today! Made a few changes along the way but basically the same as the others.

 

[iSED8]

I just gotta make a few more tweaks! But I really like how it turned out. I recommend 4” casters from amazon. Found some for less than $30. Definitely need to consider adding a modification for the freedom tops also.

 

[scotticus]

yeah the rubber casters i got from HD were trash. i put some urathane ones on another project and they work way better.

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