how to verify if rig is a factory soft top model?

[wantatlc]

So, some of you know, I have come to find that the PO spun more than 1 BS story in selling me my 74 FJ40 rig. But, I was told it was a factory soft top model and I wonder if this is verifiable in some way?

some tell-tale signs make me believe it (painted snaps all along the tub & 2 footman loops on each rear corner), but I know those 'could' be aftermarket.

what can you tell me?

 

[65-fj45]

Look on SOR's page and look for the parts they show that attach to the body in the back
http://www.sor.com/sor/cat122.tam?xax=1930&page.ctx=cat122.tam
part # 170 & 175

 

[Dusty 66]

Dash should be threaded on bolth sides for eye bolts for safty straps, fold down tail gates on most . brackets inside rear cornors for rear bow. no snaps ! but twist fastners early 70s 40s had footman loops on rear quarters welded no bolts 60s modles did not ....and half hinges on door post I think I got most of it ?

 

[wantatlc]

65-fj45.. I cannot even tell wht those parts are do seem to have the holes in the pillar right behind the pasenger and drivers sides seats that it looks like a post drops into.

Dusty 66 - dash does seem to have threaded holes towards the top on each side. DO have a fold down tail gate. do not know about the 'brackets', but I do have a ledge all the way around the tub back and sides with holes in it. looks like I have 'half hinges' attached and sticking out of rig at the door post if I gather what you are saying. my footman loops are painted, but they are bolted on.

snaps must have been for the aftermarket Kayline soft top (I took those off BTW)?

 

[Mr. Toad]

some tell-tale signs make me believe it (painted snaps all along the tub & 2 footman loops on each rear corner), but I know those 'could' be aftermarket.

That's just a sign of a hasty paint job.

Look for drop tail-gate. Footman loops. One of the loops on each door hinge (the part mounted to the tub) is "open" for easy door removal/installation.

 

[Living in the Past]

On a 74 you have the holes for the brackets in he back would hve been there for both hard and soft tops models. But on the soft top model of that vintage there would have had a interior light mounted on the dash between the glovebox door and door opening. The best way to check for a factory soft top is check for the dash light and eyelet holes. The soft door hinges can be changed without to much trouble, I've been doing it for years everytime I run the factory soft top on my 68 hard top. Also alot of hard tops have had tailgates added so not as sure of way to tell. I'm pretty sure the footman loops were standard on both hard and soft top from 72 to 74.


John

 

[Poser]

170 in that SOR drawing is a tattle-tale sign of a FST...unless someone removed it at one time...

 

[Dusty 66]

Sounds like a soft top ! I,d say it is yea, the rear cornor brackets were missing from mine too... and the top half hinge next to the glove box is almost impossable to remove with alota F@#&*ng swaring ! JC

 

[wantatlc]

well, I have holes for what 'could' have been bracket part 170. There is a roll cage now, so I suspect that explains why those brackets would be removed if it was a FST?

the only light on my dash is in the center above the switches and knobs.

so, I am not sure if I am any closer to a determination? would any pictures of specific areas help?

 

[junglejim83]

also where the rear quarter channel meets the door frame there should be a threaded hole where the back half of those saftey (door) straps would have attached, right inline with those front eyelets.

 

[nuclearlemon]

here's a pic of the two brackets. the one that's loose goes on the fenderwell where the post would sit, the other is the piece holding the post to the back channel

 

[nuclearlemon]

here are the oem soft door hinges (mine are mounted upside down because i occasionally run hard doors and it keeps the pin from falling out), and the safety strap brackets.

 

[wantatlc]

nuclearlemon thanks! these visuals help.

based on them.. I do NOT have those brackets from post #11 but I DO have threaded holes on the channel where picture 1 'might' go and I DO have holes in the fenderwell where picture 2 'might' go. But, I also have unknown drill holes all over this rig

as for post #12 I DO have holes for those eyelets and they are threaded.. but I have no eyelets themselves. I also DO have threaded holes for the safety strap bracket as in picture #2 (and as junglejim83 mentions in #10), but I have no brakcets. and I DO have those exact 1/2 hinges (mine are right side up) from image 3.

so, think I am closer to confirming this IS a FST?

 

[Living in the Past]

My 68 hard top has all the threaded holes in the tub except the ones on the dash for the eyelets. I stripped the hinges off a few soft tops in junk yards over the years and all can be removed, helps if the vehicle is from AZ through. There is bolts in the all the threaded holes around the top of the tub and nuts and bolts on the holes on the wheel wells. The early ones used four bolts the later used two. Toyota sold the OEM soft top as accessory for the hard tops. There is a plate that bolt to the door hinges for the door strap, the rest of the mounting points were already there. From the mid sixties until 1974 the vehicles came so you could mount a soft top on a hard top and a hard top on a soft top. My 1973 OEM soft top can have a hard top mounted all the threaded holes are in the tub. The piece that mounts to the top of the windshield will fit the hard tops and soft tops from the mid sixties until 1978 when the welded nuts is no longer there (just holes). Toyota dropped the soft top in the US are 1977 but it was still available in other markets after that.

John

 

[Deep South Cruisers]

isn't there a code on the vin plate under the hood?

 

[Living in the Past]

Thanks a good question. My 68 and 73 are both in the northern part of the state so I can't check them, but it seems in a old owner's manual it shows the soft top as a FJ40L and the hard top as a FJ40LV but I would have to look it up to check. I think SOR has something in there old catalogs about model numbers.

John

 

[wantatlc]

isn't there a code on the vin plate under the hood?

I have no such thing. only plate is on the drivers side door panel. and it makes no reference to model numbers "FJ40L and FJ40LV".

I know a hardtop or soft top can be used on this, but I am really surprised it is that hard to ascertain whether this is in fact a factory soft top or not.

 

[Poser]

Well if you have the threaded holes on the cowl and the hinge halves, I would bet that at least the cowl was.

 

[Dusty 66]

MY 1966 vin plate also FJ40L and also a soft top model when I bought it 18 years ago had a Best top & doors and no factory bow parts, brackets, factory doors, ect ,but had door straps & eye bolts in dash half hinges a fold down tail gate and a hand full of twist fastners in the glove box ! and no re-paint I just ordered a Pakistan soft Top it will be a true soft top again ! JC

 

[wantatlc]

MY 1966 vin plate also FJ40L

huh not sure if you meant to say your 66 vin plate HAS this FJ40L reference or does not have it like my 74 does not?