Questions about '94 POE

[Art Vigil]

I'm looking for information on the '94's with the POE tops.
I know these were the precursor to the SW models in late '95, but there were differences to what became the SW, like the split rear door, lack of carpet and maybe lack of a headliner.
Specifically, I'm curious as to whether or not the POE tops are (easily) removable, similar to the fiberglass tops fitted to ST D90's.
Also, how did the internal roll over bars differ from the ST and later SW models?
Photos of the inside of a '94 POE would be great.

Thanks,

[Glenn_Guinto]

Art,

I saw a 94 POE at my local dealer, which I inspected in and out, and if I remember correctly, the cage is not a complete cage like the ST. It doesn't have the Safari Cage at the rear. Other than that, it was the same as your typical 94ST outside of the Aluminum top. Sorry, can't help you with the install/uninstall part but I'm sure someone will chime in...

[Mike Hippert]

I have sen one and I don't think there was any cage, there is a guy in the local club BSROA that has one. I have only talked with him a few times. Dave M may know him better?

[dmarchand]

Your talking about Jo? Yes, I've seen his rig.

In fact, looks just like this one: http://www.d-90.com/discus/messages/16/1991.html

No headliner, no interior roll hoop. I dig the split tailgate option.

Art, the top is going to be MUCH easier to remove without the silly trim pieces and headliner, and roll bar. I that cuts 3/4 of the time necessary to pull the top off.

For some reason, I do remember their being side protection bars running down the inside of the tub to the rear cross member. Like some early ST's.

[Art Vigil]

Dave, many thanks for the link.

So, it looks like the top wasn't "designed" to be removed since the external roll bar mounts to the roof panel. That answers my question.

I was wondering if the LRNA engineers had come up with a way to swap from SW to ST easily, but it looks like they couldn't get around the roll cage issue.
:hmm
<thinking> Hmm, I suppose one could have a custom roll bar made for the inside that the exterior could tie to, then with the top removed, there would still be something to attach to.


What got me thinking about this was a really nice FJ40 I looked at the other day.
It had a removable hard top and a soft top for both seasons - but no exterior roll bar...

[read]

Looks like I'm too late to answer a question I actually know something about. oh well.

[Willh]

Art,

I have talked with one of the individuals who actually participated in making the POE '94 D-90's. The trucks actually started life at the factory in England as NAS Soft tops. When they were brought in to the US and they were halted at the docks. Here Land Rover North America set to fitting them with Aluminum Hard Tops. They did so, not to have an alternative for a soft top, but to reduce the import tariffs that would be imposed on the 1995 Station Wagon D-90's that were coming the following year. Apperently, the wagons would have been taxed differently had Land Rover not done this. According to my contact, they were literally "throwing away" the soft top roll cages off of these trucks. I couldn't believe it! They had incomplete interior rollcages, no rear headliner, no rear seats, no rear carpet, and of course the split lift gate tailgate. Being in this configuration, it would be easier to remove than a full Wagon style set up, but Land Rover never intended this to be an option for the soft top. The fiberglass hard top was already being produced at the time. I will have to say that I do think they are pretty cool trucks. Less than 40 in all. Most were Coniston Green. There were a few Alpine white ones, and at least one Portifino Red one (I have seen photographic evidence that this truck exists). Hope this helps! :)

Will H.

'97 D-90 #1008

[TDI Guy]

Art, My frind has one.. Like everyone sade, it just has the exterior part of the cage then it bolts through the top with nothing behind it. no upper interir cage... the lower part of the cage like the part below the roof is the ST cage parts. It only has a front headliner and no other interior stuff.

[Eric Siepmann]

Art,

I was thinking the same thing - trying to have the best of both worlds. Even priced it out yesterday at RDS.

EwS

[Ragland]

I had really hoped someone would have developed a removable aluminum top. The fiberglass really does not hold up well, nor is it in keeping with the character of the truck. Even with the roll bar issue, it seems like a metal, erector set style, roof kit would be easier to contend with than contorting fiberglass. Every time the fiberglass top is assembled or removed it seems the material is degraded.

Eric, what did George quote for the parts?

[evilfij]

All you need is:

1. A regular alum top
2. a series liftgate with hardware
3. the two little bits of the cage that mount to the roof.

Roversnorth has 90 alum hardtops cheap

Ron

[Eric Siepmann]

Robert,

George quoted me from NAS SW to NAS ST. He only had a few of the peices, mostly seals. Around I think 100 but he is firming up the numbers. I would still need an NAS cage and top, which are really expensive. Enough so that I would prolly be better off getting HD axles, Lift and Lockers. It would br cool to have though. SW in the Snow, ST in the summer.

EwS

[Davis]

I have the liftgate POE aluminum top, no cage whatsoever. I wish when I did my bulkhead that I strenthened the vertical pilar for my internal cage to be fastened to, but alas... I never liked the external cage too much (I fell in love with the Defender in Europe), so I have designed an internal cage that will fit w/o modification with the top on. It it will switch from tube to rectangular steel between the dash and door, otherwise mainly tube--there it will run tightly down the side of the bulkhead (on the inside of the truck) and attach to the frame through the floor. I am also using cam-toggle's for the top to the sides and top to the upper windscreen. I have designed removable split-plates to make life easier. It will be a matter of placing the top on, slipping the toggles through the holes, engaging the split plates and then siliconing the windscreen to top. Best of both worlds. I do have the upper windscreen soft top plate that I will make some sort of bikini top for. As soon as I program the bends into CAD, I will send the metal to the shop. I will post pics when done.

[evilfij]

Why not buy the one off ECR 4 for $1500?

Ron

[Davis]

I spoke to them about that about a year ago. What they did, when the made the bulkhead, is they reinforced the pillars internally so they could attach that cage to the bolts that hold the windscreen to the bulkhead. I would still need to come up with something. Also, I don't have any of the internal cage bits, so I can't tie theirs into my rear bars. Even with their cage, I would be talking about an addition $1000 or so. Good advice, though, and I do appreciate it. It was my first thought as well.