Living in the Past
SILVER Star
An old OEM original top or one of the after market tops made for OEM bows? Did you get your hands on original bows as well?
*** Early FST *** (Factory Soft Top depository) (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter JohnnyC
- Start date
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An old OEM original top or one of the after market tops made for OEM bows? Did you get your hands on original bows as well?
It is an OEM top. I sent it to Trollhole for a pattern.
Irrational Metalworks in Texas made me a set of window rings off of my originals. They were exact reproductions.
I would like a top as close to original as possible, but of course, it all depends on what it costs.
Ken
Irrational Metalworks in Texas made me a set of window rings off of my originals. They were exact reproductions.
I would like a top as close to original as possible, but of course, it all depends on what it costs.
Ken
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Cost of the window rings? Do you know if they can make more without originals in hand?
Did you send the bows as well? How about the side doors are they going make a pattern for those too. If nothing else include enough material to reskin them.
Curious what ever happened with the guy in Oregon who said he could make a top?
Here is a quote of what I said in the Oct. 2015 thread. I don't know anymore than that.
"A couple of years ago Genesis4X4 contacted me about borrowing my old, torn, rotting top to use as a pattern for a new one. I was hoping that this would culminate into a top for my Toyota. This did not happen. I am out the couple of hundred bucks for the shipping of the top and the money I spent on having the widow rings duplicated.
Anyway, long story short, I had the rings made by Irrational Metal Works in Combine Texas. They cost $240.00 for the two sets (4 rings for two windows). If some one has a line on somebody who could make a top off of using my old top as a pattern, that would be great.
Ken"
Soft Top Window Rings
"A couple of years ago Genesis4X4 contacted me about borrowing my old, torn, rotting top to use as a pattern for a new one. I was hoping that this would culminate into a top for my Toyota. This did not happen. I am out the couple of hundred bucks for the shipping of the top and the money I spent on having the widow rings duplicated.
Anyway, long story short, I had the rings made by Irrational Metal Works in Combine Texas. They cost $240.00 for the two sets (4 rings for two windows). If some one has a line on somebody who could make a top off of using my old top as a pattern, that would be great.
Ken"
Soft Top Window Rings
Oh, and the guy at Irrational Metal Works said he has a pattern to work off of if he needed to make more rings.
David at Genesis4X4 kept (stole) the rings that I sent him with the top.
I didn't send the bows or doors to Trollhole.
Ken
David at Genesis4X4 kept (stole) the rings that I sent him with the top.
I didn't send the bows or doors to Trollhole.
Ken
Here are a couple of pictures of the top and the window rings.
Ken
Archie 1962 FJ25
Autocrat
Here are a couple of pictures of the top and the window rings.
Ken
WOW That is an amazing original top. Just wondering how did these windows rings worked? were they watertight? also tie down straps seems riveted to the top. Ken, please confirm if twist turnbuckles are screwed to the top and they are similar to the one bolted to the body channels on both sides?
Whoa, whoa…I shipped everything back that you shipped me. Please send me a PM, email, phone call or something. You not getting the fabbed-up rings is news to me. It is purely by chance that I caught up to this whole "stole" thing. Hard-nose, demanding SOB - Yes. Thief - no.
Two things come to mind:
1) Can you provide us with the dimensions of the window trim rings? (length, width, radii, material thickness)
2) We can probably get a group order in and save ourselves a few bucks.
1) Can you provide us with the dimensions of the window trim rings? (length, width, radii, material thickness)
2) We can probably get a group order in and save ourselves a few bucks.
The window rings sandwiched the clear plastic windows and the canvas. They used round headed slotted machine screws and nuts to hold it all together. I guess they were as water tight as the canvas.
Trollhole has the top right now, so i can't get a look at it. But if I remember the twist connectors were not screwed on but riveted.
I hope this helps.
Ken
The window rings are: 26 3/8" long, 12" tall, 1 1/16" wide and made with 18 gauge material.
Ken
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
I had the same thought about the group buy back Nov. 19 2013 https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/so.785115/ I was hoping to finally get a group buy on tops going. I contacted Phil (FJnotCJ) about borrowing his top which is what Badger and OCD had used as a pattern. My thought was between the two tops some really good original replacements could be made. I had retired a few months earlier and had couple year window until my wife retired to work on this. That window is now quickly closing.
Archie 1962 FJ25
Autocrat
The window rings sandwiched the clear plastic windows and the canvas. They used round headed slotted machine screws and nuts to hold it all together. I guess they were as water tight as the canvas.
Trollhole has the top right now, so i can't get a look at it. But if I remember the twist connectors were not screwed on but riveted.
I hope this helps.
Ken
If turnbuckles are riveted, then did Toyota offered those twist turnbuckles? anyone knows the part number?
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
- Thread starter
- #155
@Archie 1962 FJ25
The turnbuckles are called 'common sense fasteners' the ones on the top are called double stud even though there are no studs
So they are double stud common sense fasteners
You can get them in black at northwest tarp... I get stuff from them ... It's good stuff
You can rivit them or use little screws if you wish
They make the CSF for fabric as well ... Has two bend over knives to hold them... They are quick and easy to use
The turnbuckles are called 'common sense fasteners' the ones on the top are called double stud even though there are no studs
So they are double stud common sense fasteners
You can get them in black at northwest tarp... I get stuff from them ... It's good stuff
You can rivit them or use little screws if you wish
They make the CSF for fabric as well ... Has two bend over knives to hold them... They are quick and easy to use
Archie 1962 FJ25
Autocrat
@Archie 1962 FJ25
The turnbuckles are called 'common sense fasteners' the ones on the top are called double stud even though there are no studs
So they are double stud common sense fasteners
You can get them in black at northwest tarp... I get stuff from them ... It's good stuff
You can rivit them or use little screws if you wish
They make the CSF for fabric as well ... Has two bend over knives to hold them... They are quick and easy to use
Thank Johnny, I got confused because if you look at the close up picture Ken posted, it doesn't look like those turn buckles are double studs and they are riveted or screwed from the top. It could be different from the back though. Or I am thinking if they have 2 prongs and just twisted on a backing plate / washer from the backside?
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
- Thread starter
- #157
Double stud is just a terminology ... It has two holes lol
Places call them double stud some places call them double screw stud ... Some places call them 2 screw stud
All of which do not have a stud
They have two holes and you screw them down or bolt them or rivet them
Then the other style ... For fabric... Has 2 prongs ... 'Knifes' to stab into the canvas and they are bent over a metal plate
Pic 1 double stud
Pic 2 fabric prong
Places call them double stud some places call them double screw stud ... Some places call them 2 screw stud
All of which do not have a stud
They have two holes and you screw them down or bolt them or rivet them
Then the other style ... For fabric... Has 2 prongs ... 'Knifes' to stab into the canvas and they are bent over a metal plate
Pic 1 double stud
Pic 2 fabric prong
Here are a couple pictures of the twist fastener. Because the canvas is doubled over covering the back of the fasteners, to get to the back of the fastener I had to cut the canvas. Interesting color, a little more green than the khaki I remember.
I hope this helps. Any thing I can do to help make this top happen just let me know.
Ken
I hope this helps. Any thing I can do to help make this top happen just let me know.
Ken
Archie 1962 FJ25
Autocrat
Here are a couple pictures of the twist fastener. Because the canvas is doubled over covering the back of the fasteners, to get to the back of the fastener I had to cut the canvas. Interesting color, a little more green than the khaki I remember.
I hope this helps. Any thing I can do to help make this top happen just let me know.
Ken
Thanks Ken, this is exactly what I thought it would be. Now that does look like Toyota quality twist button. It will be difficult to source similar quality stuff. I am sure @JohnnyC will chip in soon with more info on this. Interesting how OD green fades into khaki over the years.
Ken @eltioloco could you please measure the height of the twist buttons? It seems they come in two heights, standard and double. From the picture they look taller then the standard so just want to make sure what is correct height.
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JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
- Thread starter
- #160
You will be very hard pressed to find a rivet base common fastener in oem color
You can find them black or plated
Thank you for the close up picture ... The base looked longer in the pictures you posted ... But... They are regular sized
The fabric base will be the way to go for trollholes place... But... They can get the rivet base... It's just a bit more work
Like I said before the prong base is easy and you can find them all day long
You can find them black or plated
Thank you for the close up picture ... The base looked longer in the pictures you posted ... But... They are regular sized
The fabric base will be the way to go for trollholes place... But... They can get the rivet base... It's just a bit more work
Like I said before the prong base is easy and you can find them all day long
