I am starting on the JLU Jeep now. I bought a new Willys EV for this event.

My tops were always junk, like a 13 year old built them (no offense to 13 year olds). But I always had less than $5 and was alway starving like a homeless person since I left home after high school. So as a teenager I made tops for CJ Jeeps, right there on the sidewalk cutting tops out on my knees, using the shower curtain from my apartment, sitting on Jeep bumpers waiting to show the owner my wares. I have never had more than a few days to design a top because of poverty. Not much money in tops. BUT as a kid, I was so in awe at Bestop's tops, marvelled over them. One particular top was insanely smart. The Fastback in 1980s. It was a true blue head turner and that is where I first used that phrase. It was on the corner of 16 ave in Calgary where I saw it, in 1985. There it was, what a rush. The stretch went diagonally. I still have it in a box. Now I think I know why it thrilled so much, it was the height of the roof and the wild wild window shapes and the curves, WAIT, DON'T GET ME STARTED. What a sexy top that was, sheeeesh god level. Anyway, Jeep tops financed my University education, and everything in my life up until today. I studied right there on the counter in my own store as a University student, as I helped customers and built Jeep CJ/YJ tops. Actually that is where I got my name. People called me California Tops because all I focused on were Fastbacks in wild colours and prints. I would answer the phone TOPS BY TIM and they would correct me, "You mean California Tops. You are the place that builds those wild California slanted tops????" So, I agreed and called myself California Tops. Fastbacks were my thing since the start. Purple, Tiger print, Sea shells coral coloured, red zebra print. I printed everything and you could see my tops in every province in Canada. When you approached Edmonton, you would come across Jeep after Jeep with wild prints and coloured tops. You knew I was here, this was my town. I reigned in tops. You don't get service like I gave. I loved tops and you got it installed and fitted and coloured, and customized at ZERO CHARGE, always. I drove across Canada and sat on bumpers and showed my stuff, installed free tire covers 4000 miles away. Came back and it snowed. Guys from North Dakota and Washington state and Oregon, routinely drove up to get a top installed. One Native Jeep boy came down from nearly the north pole, NORTH WEST TERRITORIES. I said, oh sorry, but you grabbed miss matched seat covers, 1 from a different set. He said, yes, why would I want my seat covers to match. That would be odd.

Thus, before I started making the Bronco top, I created a bending tool to bend the sheet metal into a double tongue and groove rail and another bender to curve it sharply into a BOW. I WANTED HEIGHT like my favorite Bestop Fastback of the 80s. So that is why you see a sexy Bronco roof on my tops. Now it is time to create tooling for my NEW JEEP JLU and start with a high roof to blow minds, create a rush, a HEAD TURNER TOP!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you. Tim