Are you taking these photos with a camera phone?
Builds 1988 BJ74 “Number 1” (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter FJBen
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Those photos demostrate just how bad I need to upgrade my phone.
I'm biased since the subject matter is a Toyota Land Cruiser but the photography in this thread is WAY above average. Mine often look like a blurry shot of Bigfoot.
FJBen
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #508
And now for something completely different.
Troopy owners can be jealous of 73/74's ability to take the top off.
73/74 owners can be jealous of the pop/top troopy's
How do we solve this? I don't know, but we have ideas. I looked at all sorts of options for a "modular" top ala the Jeep setup. My pop out window idea I will still do as it's 100% reversible and gives me almost a safari top and time to fix the windows as rust is starting a little in there.
3 years ago we stayed at our friends in Long Beach, CA and borrowed their TDI Converted Eurovan Pop-top. Loved it, almost bought it, but here I am with the BJ74 he imported. Fast forward, I still miss that VW, and love troopy's with pop-tops....BUT I love driving the BJ74 without the top...hmmm
I don't want to hack my current roof up, not sure if I could find another. Rooftop tents are cool, but will need an exo IMO to not bust out the roof. The search for a roof to modify was on. On another site I was able to find a high-roof HZJ3 top in OK shape for an amazing deal, and its only 3 hours away. SCORE! Going to pick it up in a few weeks when our schedules line up.
The wheels are spinning now. At first glance these hi-tops are ugly.
No windows, odd proportions, full rain-gutter.
Well, lets mock this up in photoshop and slap it on my BJ74, paint it a different color for now. (my photoshop skills aren't great anymore)
Doesn't look terribly awful, could be worse I suppose. So lets get to where I'm going, pop-top.
First up, the straight up:
Do you prefer wedge?
How about a rear section with slideout
Troopy owners can be jealous of 73/74's ability to take the top off.
73/74 owners can be jealous of the pop/top troopy's
How do we solve this? I don't know, but we have ideas. I looked at all sorts of options for a "modular" top ala the Jeep setup. My pop out window idea I will still do as it's 100% reversible and gives me almost a safari top and time to fix the windows as rust is starting a little in there.
3 years ago we stayed at our friends in Long Beach, CA and borrowed their TDI Converted Eurovan Pop-top. Loved it, almost bought it, but here I am with the BJ74 he imported. Fast forward, I still miss that VW, and love troopy's with pop-tops....BUT I love driving the BJ74 without the top...hmmm
I don't want to hack my current roof up, not sure if I could find another. Rooftop tents are cool, but will need an exo IMO to not bust out the roof. The search for a roof to modify was on. On another site I was able to find a high-roof HZJ3 top in OK shape for an amazing deal, and its only 3 hours away. SCORE! Going to pick it up in a few weeks when our schedules line up.
The wheels are spinning now. At first glance these hi-tops are ugly.
No windows, odd proportions, full rain-gutter.
Well, lets mock this up in photoshop and slap it on my BJ74, paint it a different color for now. (my photoshop skills aren't great anymore)
Doesn't look terribly awful, could be worse I suppose. So lets get to where I'm going, pop-top.
First up, the straight up:
Do you prefer wedge?
How about a rear section with slideout
hoser
SILVER Star
You've probably seen this one before...
FJBen
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #511
The length of the usable space of the FRP is ~78" ish. It's 43" wide.
The Euro Hi-top appears to be 6"ish inches taller by my guesstimate.
Using my top I found this measurment:
This pictures also gives a big clue on these tops. The inside is identical to a normal FRP top in the back, it appears they just put a CAP over the top.
I know the LAND CRUISER lettering is around 4" on the outside.
Here's where things look different unless I'm seeing things wrong. The part that bolts to roll-bar in the middle appears "taller" but I can't tell by how much. On my top I can only get about an 1" between the FRP and that roll bar, judging from the bolt holes it looks like more, but it's hard to tell exactly how much.
This piece may dictate the whole project.
The Euro Hi-top appears to be 6"ish inches taller by my guesstimate.
Using my top I found this measurment:
This pictures also gives a big clue on these tops. The inside is identical to a normal FRP top in the back, it appears they just put a CAP over the top.
I know the LAND CRUISER lettering is around 4" on the outside.
Here's where things look different unless I'm seeing things wrong. The part that bolts to roll-bar in the middle appears "taller" but I can't tell by how much. On my top I can only get about an 1" between the FRP and that roll bar, judging from the bolt holes it looks like more, but it's hard to tell exactly how much.
This piece may dictate the whole project.
FJBen
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #514
After looking a pictures of the regular top and the Euro top, I'm almost positive it just has a full cap over it.
Compare the 2 insides I found. That front inside roof and roll bar mount look the same height.
Regular top
Euro top
If that is the case, then I *should* be able to pop the whole top skin so to say rather than cut into the top where it dual walled.
I know it's taller above the front as well so there must be an attic up there of unused space.
Clamping the rear down will be easy, the front part looks like it will take some creativity cutting the front out to reach clamps, or lift mechanism depending on style.
Compare the 2 insides I found. That front inside roof and roll bar mount look the same height.
Regular top
Euro top
If that is the case, then I *should* be able to pop the whole top skin so to say rather than cut into the top where it dual walled.
I know it's taller above the front as well so there must be an attic up there of unused space.
Clamping the rear down will be easy, the front part looks like it will take some creativity cutting the front out to reach clamps, or lift mechanism depending on style.
FJBen
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #515
Splitting hairs here, that is a 73. Left-hand drive and 5-lug wheels.
That one very well could be a 73.
Not trying to argue but I found a few LHD HZJ74's for sale in Europe. 5 lug wheels, coils, LHD. What would the difference between HZJ73 and HZJ74 be then?
Curious as I don't know the difference.
Used TOYOTA HZJ 74 for sale | Second Hand Car ads Reezocar
https://www.autolina.ch/auto/x/2786433
A 2000 HZJ74 according to them.
Absolutely correct. HZJ74 in (apparently) Europe-only circa 1999-2001.
I was blending vehicles in my head as I have a BJ74 which up to that point was RHD-only. The pop-top above looks middle-eastern to me. If so, it would be a 73.
The minutiae of 7x variants is crazy.
I am guessing that the HZJ74 has factory lockers were as the HZJ73 did not. just my observations.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Looks great! Can't wait to get these in the 40!!!
