1962 fst fj40

[cjgoode]

I am in the same boat, but I do have the bows. I guess I will have to sharpen up my sewing skills. Still not sure about the doors. Reality is I do not really need one unless I move to the NC mountains. My jeep has not had anything but a bikini top on it for the last 4 or more years.

 

[timmbuck2]

So did the FST come with the soft top and the doors? I don't mind paying for quality stuff, especially OEM. I don't think this will ever see much rain, but you never know. Won't be driving it that much, especially with the kids.

Thanks!

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Early soft top models had different fabric covered doors, so yes.

The pic below says '61, but this is what yours should look like when done.

This is also one of my favorite pics...don't know why, but it is...I would love an early FST myself one day...

 

[timmbuck2]

sweet pic! So it looks like the bows and top are relatively available, but spendy. The doors sound like a much tougher find...

 

[cjgoode]

How much different is the soft top on an old fj40 FST tub compared to one say from a later 60's model that does not have these curved door openings. Does anyone know. If I get a soft top from OCD that is made for a regular fj40 will it fit at all.

 

[Living in the Past]

If you have the money the canvas is probably the easiest to find or in this case make. OCD might somewhere down the road make it. He made one already and should have the patteren. Quicker and and more expensive but Badger should have the pattern too. Currently no one is make bows to fit these and the same with the doors. Seems hard enough to get the stock 40 top made for a much larger market. Very little demand so nobody really wants to tackle something that will be very limited sales. Just as much research with very limited return. Over the years the projected has been studied much not much else. Badger was going to be our source for the canvas for guys who had the bows but at $3K a copy it's wasn't going to happen. Then it was Jim OCDBeetle but that hasn't panned out very well either. If he ever gets back on his feet it's not going to be making early soft top canvas tops. They are more work than the standard FJ40 and he has had more experence making those.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

...hopefully OCD with find a way to get out of the mess he is in right now, and when he does, at least we know he has made one nice older top, has the patterns for it, and should be much much less than the Badger top. There is a picture here somewhere of the Badger old style top, and the OCD old style top, side by said on two 25s, and they both look great!!!

I guess the worse case would be to have to save up a little more cash, and get a Badger top...at least they look like great quality tops...which when you think about it, is not really a worse case, is it

 

[Living in the Past]

How much different is the soft top on an old fj40 FST tub compared to one say from a later 60's model that does not have these curved door openings. Does anyone know. If I get a soft top from OCD that is made for a regular fj40 will it fit at all.

The door is shorter front to back as well as top to bottom. The top to bottom isn't the problem it's the front to back. The soft top sides don't reach the B pillar. Take a look at number 14 in the counting the 25 thread. It a sticky at the top of the page. I had a FJ40 top on that 25 for the picture. Also do a search here on the soft top. Maybe Badger as a search word since I believe it was in that thread the top was made. Anyway it's a good read about the differences. I posted pictured pictures side by side of the FJ40 and early FJ40/FJ25 bows.

 

[Living in the Past]

There is a picture here somewhere of the Badger old style top, and the OCD old style top, side by said on two 25s, and they both look great!!!

Here you go. It was only last years fall gathering when these were taken. I have thought about taking one of 25 to the fall gathering but not doing it until I have a OEM style soft top to match. So I guess I dont see myself going anytime in the near future

 

[foxfab]

Other than the price, the main difference is the material. One leaked like a sieve, the other one didnt.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

For anyone wondering...one on the left OCD, one on the right Badger.

Man, I love those two pics

Here you go. It was only last years fall gathering when these were taken. I have thought about taking one of 25 to the fall gathering but not doing it until I have a OEM style soft top to match. So I guess I dont see myself going anytime in the near future

You can do it...only 12 months til the next FG

Bet you get to go before I do...

 

[Living in the Past]

Other than the price, the main difference is the material. One leaked like a sieve, the other one didnt.

I'll bet if JohnnyC had that OCD top for a while it wouldn't leak that bad. He seems to be the canvas Guru.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

I'll bet if JohnnyC had that OCD top for a while it wouldn't leak that bad. He seems to be the canvas Guru.

About three coats of Canvak this year. Confidence is so-so. Never really intended this one for the rain we usually get at FG.

 

[timmbuck2]

Such cool looking tops!!!

Dang, I am having a real tough decision here...I have a chance to pick up my dream 40, already built with everything I would ever want...and the kids can ride in it right away. I agree with everyone else here, this 62 is way too rare and complete to modify, it needs to go back to original. Unfortunately, back to original is not compatible with my lifestyle....4 kids and 2 dogs...the stuff I would want to do to the 62 would go too far away from original. (disc brakes, dual circuit brake master/booster, family cage, full back seat, doors, top, etc etc). So not sure what I want to do...also do not want to park it in storage for several more years until I have the chance to restore it. I also promised the owner that I would not let it fall into the "wrong" hands. .....

 

[cjgoode]

You should not worry about the mods you mention. Safety has to come first. I would not let my kids sit in rear jump seats, just not worth it. A simple rear end collision is not good if you are sitting sideways. Brakes also a smart idea, I have done the same to mine more out of necessity. I would have kept the old stuff if I could have, but I was not going to replace it with old stuff to keep it original. It would be one thing to hack it up, it is another to make it safer while trying to keep the overall original look and feel.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Very hard to pass up a rig you can enjoy right away...just the way you'd want it, vs spending countless hours on an older '62...

What year is the other 40? My guess is, that to make what you'd want out of this '62, you'd probably change almost everything on it...except the tub and frame...and this tub was not made for a hard top, so you'll have to work twice as hard to try and make one fit...

If you can keep it stored away, then that might be your best bet...and I respect you trying to find the "right" owner for it...not many purists left for these old rigs. The last one for sale, a '61, was put back into storage cause no one seemed to want such an old original rig...and people who'd want it, like myself, are on the other side of the continent...

 

[timmbuck2]

You should not worry about the mods you mention. Safety has to come first. I would not let my kids sit in rear jump seats, just not worth it. A simple rear end collision is not good if you are sitting sideways. Brakes also a smart idea, I have done the same to mine more out of necessity. I would have kept the old stuff if I could have, but I was not going to replace it with old stuff to keep it original. It would be one thing to hack it up, it is another to make it safer while trying to keep the overall original look and feel.

I would not do all of that to this rig...way too many holes in a pretty stock solid rig.

 

[destin]

About three coats of Canvak this year. Confidence is so-so. Never really intended this one for the rain we usually get at FG.

did the ocd top leak a lot?

I thought they were made out of marine canvas material?
Or was it just canvas?

just curious yo

The construction looks way better than my Eshan top

The badger was canvas too?
Better fit over all?

thanks yo

 

[whitey45]

Destin, I have had my ocd top for a couple of years now and it went thru last winter fine,no leaks,and I have not touched it since getting it. Granted bay area winters are not like the pacific north west! I am ready for another winter and plan on daily driving so we will see what another winter does to the canvas.I love driving thru a storm with only thin canvas for protection!!

 

[destin]

Destin, I have had my ocd top for a couple of years now and it went thru last winter fine,no leaks,and I have not touched it since getting it. Granted bay area winters are not like the pacific north west! I am ready for another winter and plan on daily driving so we will see what another winter does to the canvas.I love driving thru a storm with only thin canvas for protection!!

Right on man

Yeah it can monsoon here lol.
my truck leaks more around where the plastic windows slide up and down on the driver and passenger side soft doors more than anything

Super stoked for my OCD top down the road, my eshan top has ripped in a few places, but it will get me through the winter

Best thing in a storm is the heater on full blast too
Nice and toasty, with the elements whipping outside.