1963 FJ40 FST Q's (1 Viewer)

[Owyhee Jackass]

IDave hooked me up with his Paki-top and bows. It’s (obviously) not right for my 1963 FJ40 FST, but it’s as close as I’ll ever get. I’ve owned this 40 for almost 20 years and this is the first time it’s had a top.

I had to cut an inch off the bottom of the B-hoop. (to make it level with the rear hoop) The piece on the b-pillar that the door closes against, on the passenger’s side needed to be repositioned slightly. So the tack weld was grinded off and re-tacked.

The piece that attaches to the windshield and the b-hoop was about 2-inches too long. I cut and re-notched the b-hoop end. I used w/s L-brackets off my 45 for the w/s as the ’63 didn’t have those (I think)

I don’t have any twist-locks yet. The footman loops on the body are missing; Dave gave me the ones that came with the top. I’ll tack those on when I get the twist-locks.

Overall, it fits much better than I expected. It’s a little slack at the B-hoop/top of the door area and that’s it. Everything else is good.

I’ve some later soft-doors that I’ll cut up and re-form to fit the FST door opening. I know this is a bastardized set-up but as I said before, it the best I’ll ever come by.

Dan

 

[daniel.watters]

nice stable you got there... cool bezel, 'land cruiser'

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

nice stable you got there... cool bezel, 'land cruiser'

Thanks...it's hard to put that one on upside down.

 

[IDave]

I think it will tighten up when you get the twisters and footmen on there.

Nice license plate!

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

I borrowed this photo from here:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/336284-early-bows-dimension-fit-check-help.html

The bottom of the B-hoop I'm using was designed to go straight into the tub, not on the inside like in this photo.

I could pull the boxed piece off the tubing, put a jog in it and modify the boxed piece to come down and go outside the tub...or not.

Dave, that's a 1963 Gem county plate. I'm still looking for an Owyhee County version, they're harder to come by.

Thanks, again.

Dan

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

The fit is not too bad, and it has the "look". Play with some padding on top of the bows, it almost looks like it would tighten up if the bows had some lift. Did you see my thread on fitting the Bestop? I guess that's a lot more forgiving because of the back bow pushing up and back.

 

[IDave]

The fit is not too bad, and it has the "look". Play with some padding on top of the bows, it almost looks like it would tighten up if the bows had some lift.

Maybe something like those foam pipe insulators they sell at Lowes?

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Maybe something like those foam pipe insulators they sell at Lowes?

I was thinking the same thing.

Looks pretty darn good

 

[a.greenspan]

Play with some padding on top of the bows,

Maybe something like those foam pipe insulators they sell at Lowes?

I was thinking the same thing.

Ha,ha
use those foamp pipe insulators

since .... more than twenty years on the top of my 43 bows.... it

wobble less when you drive fast with the top mounted... works fine
Cheers
Peter

 

[IDave]

Nice wood pile!

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Thanks. I'm very pleased. I'll try the pipe insulation.

One thing I noticed and am not sure about:
Is the center bow supposed to be a bit shorter than the front and rear bows?

Looking at photos in other threads, they look like they're all supposed to be at the same elevation. This particular *model* has some quality issues, so I'm questioning a few things. The center bow on it is half an inch shorter than the front and rear.

I'll take the vinyl off this weekend and take some more photos of the bows.

Dan

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

After getting another trans tunnel and it not fitting either. I ended up using my ball-peen hammer and finally got the trans tunnel on. The shiny black paint makes it look worse than it is. The top-shift three-spd linkage hit right in that corner.

Changed out the water pump too in the last month. I was a little disappointed to find out that the pump SOR sent doesn't allow for the use of the hard pipe. Now I've got twice as many hoses under the hood.

Is there a source for a water pump with an outlet at nine-o'clock, instead of 7:30? I'd really like to use the steel pipe and two short sections of hose, it looks a lot cleaner.

Next I think I'll have to get a muffler on it. I wonder if stock mufflers are still available? I've got all the OEM hanging brackets still.

Dan

 

[Living in the Past]

After getting another trans tunnel and it not fitting either. I ended up using my ball-peen hammer and finally got the trans tunnel on. The shiny black paint makes it look worse than it is. The top-shift three-spd linkage hit right in that corner.

Were both of these transmission tunnels for the early p(pre 64) cruisers? I had a post 64 set on a early 63 tub and it fit on the driver's side but would have needed work on the passenger's side. It should have work with the top shiftersince that when Toyota went to the Top shifter.

I guess I should compare the early three speed to late three speed transmission covers see the difference. Never thought about the top to side shifter differnce

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

The one that's on there is the original, '63 tunnel. The other one was a later, un-cut tunnel, but it had the PTO shifter hole...the pto hole was about 4-inches further back on the tunnel though.

I cut the hole out of the other one and put it in this one as the hole on had a nice rolled lip.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

I think I'll use a piece of 3/4" solid bar stock, bend it up to have the right offset (about 1 1/4") and cut the stake off flush with the boxed section, then slip the bar stock inside the tubing and weld it in. The tubing that was used on this top is close to Schedule 5, 3/4" pipe, 1.05 O.D., .065 wall thickness so 3/4 bar stock should fit easily.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Still tinkering with this even though it's supposed to be for sale...

Finally fixed the broken pillowblock. Ordered some brazing rod for aluminum, and brazed the casting back together. Got a new bearing, felt and dust cap from $OR as well as some hardware from the hardware store. installed a couple brass bushings in the carrier hole.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Had to pull the radiator and change out the splash sheild with one that had the knock-out for flange clearance, luckily I hadn't tossed the one I'd been holding onto for years...and I was able to find where I'd stashed it.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

The driveshaft I'd acquired needed to be lengthened 3.5 inches. I just cut it and sleeved it with some 3/4" bar-stock I had.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

I had already installed the clutch cover with the notch in it for the shaft, back when I re-installed the 3-on-the-tree.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Put the radiator back in, fired it up. I pulled the winch cable out and spooled it back in under power. Now I just need to do some landscaping so I can pull a stump or something.

Next on the list is to sort out the wiring and install turn signals.