EZ removal of FST (complete)? (1 Viewer)

[woytovich]

Has anyone here modified their factory soft top to be easily/quickly removable? I guess the hardest part would be the windshield top piece for the front edge.
I'd like to be able to get it all off for trips into the woods and be able to get it back on with as little drama as possible.

 

[woytovich]

Nobody?

 

[bugsnbikes]

You think like a mad scientist...

i actually contemplated this and resolved that the easiest way would be to cut the b-pillar bows short enough that you just could remove the whole top and bars as one piece attached.

Instead of b pillar bars inserting soooo deep into the body channel -if you simply had them insert 1”....and fab up a tab that would bolt it down with a 10mm bolt to the body........you could in theory - unbolt a-b and c pillar bows....unbolt the windshield piece......and remove the top and bows completely attached as one piece.

If everything was converted to an 8mm or 10mm- you could probably zap em all off with a lithium drill in 10min. And have the whole top and bows off alltogether as one piece pretty quick. (Maybe 6 across windshield- 2A pillars -2B pillars-4 c pillars =14bolts total. )

The pesky long ass B pillar Softtop bow simply needs a severe shortening and then bolted tabs to the body-side b pillar channel to firm up what’s lost when deleting that long bow insert.

I went one step further and figured if one wanted to get real serious about speeding up the process......you could use quick release bike seat-collars for the softtop bows b and C bows.....
Thus eliminating all bolting except for the front windshield ones. That would mean loosening 4 quick releases......and unbolting 6 windshield bolts probably getting that process down to 5min.

The company Chromag makes the nicest seat collar quick releases known to man.....with brass cam inserts that feel like butter when clinching down and hold on like a homeless dewd on a ham sandwich:

 

[Living in the Past]

I find feeding the top thru door headers and down the B pillars pulling them out harder. The windshield channel is just a matter of flipping top on the hood then unbolt the channel. Then remove the channel from the top verses the top from the channel. Channel is easier to deal with.

 

[oregon fj]

That won't work on really early FSTs like mine, the windshield channel is welded to the windshield frame. So I will have to thread the top out of the channel to remove it.

 

[woytovich]

You think like a mad scientist...

And I like your thinking... One piece for sure.

 

[woytovich]

Quick releases on B and C should be easy. I'll have to really look at the WS piece to see how to access the bolts.

 

[Living in the Past]

That won't work on really early FSTs like mine, the windshield channel is welded to the windshield frame. So I will have to thread the top out of the channel to remove it.

I know what your talking about. Have a few with the welded channel. Those are all from the early FST with different front doors and top. Only usable top I have for those is a Kayline top to fit aftermarket bows. That one the top collapses and folds forward. Then has a two piece system on the front channel. Piece attached to the top slips forward once the top is folded forward releaving tension. Not a bad system but does not look like a OEM top. After more than a dozen years trying to find a top given up interest and moved on.

 

[oregon fj]

I know what your talking about. Have a few with the welded channel. Those are all from the early FST with different front doors and top. Only usable top I have for those is a Kayline top to fit aftermarket bows. That one the top collapses and folds forward. Then has a two piece system on the front channel. Piece attached to the top slips forward once the top is folded forward releaving tension. Not a bad system but does not look like a OEM top. After more than a dozen years trying to find a top given up interest and moved on.

Wait, are you saying the OE-style tops on the market now (such as the top Formerly-known-as-Trollhole) won't fit my windshield?!?

 

[Living in the Past]

Wait, are you saying the OE-style tops on the market now (such as the top Formerly-known-as-Trollhole) won't fit my windshield?!?

The formly Trollhole tops for the early FST is something new. Have yet to see one on a early cruiser. The one with the doors that look like a old jeep. Shape of the doors is different than mid 63 on. Dimensions of the bows is different as well. What is being I understand is nothing like how the OEM tops were made on the early cruisers. Like I stated in my previous post lost interest after twelve years of failed projects.

Yours is not a early style and all of this does not apply to yours.

 

[Living in the Past]

You think like a mad scientist...

i actually contemplated this and resolved that the easiest way would be to cut the b-pillar bows short enough that you just could remove the whole top and bars as one piece attached.

Instead of b pillar bars inserting soooo deep into the body channel -if you simply had them insert 1”....and fab up a tab that would bolt it down with a 10mm bolt to the body........you could in theory - unbolt a-b and c pillar bows....unbolt the windshield piece......and remove the top and bows completely attached as one piece.

If everything was converted to an 8mm or 10mm- you could probably zap em all off with a lithium drill in 10min. And have the whole top and bows off alltogether as one piece pretty quick. (Maybe 6 across windshield- 2A pillars -2B pillars-4 c pillars =14bolts total. )

The pesky long ass B pillar Softtop bow simply needs a severe shortening and then bolted tabs to the body-side b pillar channel to firm up what’s lost when deleting that long bow insert.

I went one step further and figured if one wanted to get real serious about speeding up the process......you could use quick release bike seat-collars for the softtop bows b and C bows.....
Thus eliminating all bolting except for the front windshield ones. That would mean loosening 4 quick releases......and unbolting 6 windshield bolts probably getting that process down to 5min.

The company Chromag makes the nicest seat collar quick releases known to man.....with brass cam inserts that feel like butter when clinching down and hold on like a homeless dewd on a ham sandwich:View attachment 1784262

One the things I like about the OEM bows is how sturdy they are compared to most flimsy aftermarket bows. I can grab the horizon bow between the B pillar and back bow and rock the cruiser side to side and bows don't flex. Cutting the B bow would probably loose that. Factory bows just fits the rest of the vehicle being over built. On the OEM early tops the back and side panels are removable not just roll up. A top designed like that could remove the doors, side panels and back panel which would be like a family bikini top. Want to remove the top further a lot easier to do with a fair amount of it already removed. Personally like the look of a cruiser with just the factory bows.

Years ago picked up a Pakistan bikini top that fit the front channel and door header channels. One of these days will get a hard top removed from a cruiser and install it on some factory bows. Besides being able to seal the top and sides with factory soft doors it should do away with the flapping sides that standard bikini tops have. Think a family top the had material behind the B pillars and back corners might be less flimsy as well.

 

[bugsnbikes]

All good points....in the end it’s up to what’s more important to the user. can it be done more functionally/ easier to remove as one? Probably. can it be beefed up to be just as solid as the oem style.? Also probably. I kind of see it like disk brakes.....do u lose oemness? Yes....but do you gain something maybe more important to the user like functionality ? And is it worth it ?

Also - with a welder it’s pretty easily reversible if care is taken when going foreward

 

[oregon fj]

One the things I like about the OEM bows is how sturdy they are compared to most flimsy aftermarket bows. I can grab the horizon bow between the B pillar and back bow and rock the cruiser side to side and bows don't flex. Cutting the B bow would probably loose that. Factory bows just fits the rest of the vehicle being over built. On the OEM early tops the back and side panels are removable not just roll up. A top designed like that could remove the doors, side panels and back panel which would be like a family bikini top. Want to remove the top further a lot easier to do with a fair amount of it already removed. Personally like the look of a cruiser with just the factory bows.

I agree, I didn't get a full set of bows when I bought my early '64 FST, but it did come with a factory B pillar and bow, as well as the factory door headers. Those in concert with the rear bows from Real Steel makes for a fairly sturdy assembly. I can't wait to get the tub and top frame back from the painter so I can get it all assembled.

 

[Martyt]

I bough the OEM bows and doors— cost a lot but I like originality and they are super sturdy! I like the look of just the bows— reminds we of Mutual of Omaha wild kingdom— Stan wrestling boas and marlin safe and sound

 

[woytovich]

It's not good but my OEM style fst on OEM bows is held in place only by the WS track, the 2 bolts at the top corners of the WS and the twist locks and straps. I did not do anything to the b pillar tubes or the rear corner posts...

 

[Living in the Past]

It's not good but my OEM style fst on OEM bows is held in place only by the WS track, the 2 bolts at the top corners of the WS and the twist locks and straps. I did not do anything to the b pillar tubes or the rear corner posts...

Not sure what you mean you don't do anything else. I only have Kayline replacement tops on factory bows. The barn door/tailgate has straps for footman loops. It's the factory bows mounted like they were built makes the whole assembly so sturdy. When I have shaken the vehicle side to side by the horizontal bow it was with no top installed. I grabbed the bow and really shook the cruiser not just pushing which with the top on is all I could at that point. Cut the B pillar off seriously doubt it would be that Stout.

 

[oregon fj]

I don't know what the replacement B pillars are like, but L-i-t-P is correct, the factory B pillar is a very stout piece.

 

[woytovich]

My B pillars drop down in the tub holes for that purpose but nothing specific is holding them in place other than gravity. The rear corner posts just sit on the floor with no brackets on the floor or higher up on the tub.

 

[oregon fj]

My B pillars drop down in the tub holes for that purpose but nothing specific is holding them in place other than gravity. The rear corner posts just sit on the floor with no brackets on the floor or higher up on the tub.

My FST has pinch bolts to secure the B pillar, and both locator brackets for the base of the rear corner posts and pinch brackets at the rim of the tub.

 

[Living in the Past]

My FST has pinch bolts to secure the B pillar, and both locator brackets for the base of the rear corner posts and pinch brackets at the rim of the tub.

X2 The bolt is located behind the B pillar. There is welded nut. The bolt has a loose nut. You tighten the bolt then thread the loose nut tight against the welded nut to lock in place. This is why it is important to be sure the full B bow is there and fits into the plate towards the bottom. Cut short it was just bend the bow if you tightened the bolt too much. This is the same on the hard top. This has a lot to do with the strength of the B pillar. Many cut the tube short because it can be a pain to line it up with the plate below. Personally would repair any cut tube. Piece of tube from a hard top with tierod in center would be as strong or stronger than original.