Builds 1988 BJ74 “Number 1” (2 Viewers)

[FJBen]

Hi
'werkvereer' means 'traffic for construction work'.
The plate signals that this vehicle is eligible to enter road construction sites blocked off for normal traffic and thus may take unexpected turns or sudden stops. This goes along with the orange flashlights, too.
Germany has a similar sign, saying 'Baustellenfahrzeug', combined with red and white diagonal stripes.
Cool project. following interested...
Cheers Ralf

your description is much better than my guess.

It’s going to take some work for sure but I think I have most of it sorted out. There are a few details I haven’t quite figured out yet like how to attach the canvas to the fiberglass.

On my eezi-awn it’s stapled and then supported by aluminum brackets.

I haven’t got to check out others like a maggiolina to see, but they might have a frame.

 

[Felde]

Marking for special privileges according to § 35 StVO (Germany)

 

[FJBen]

Here are 2 style of VW hinges.

Eurovan which is the later style.

And the earlier vanagon style.

The earlier style are by far easier to find and cheaper. That may be the answer. About $250/pair for repro/upgrades.

There’s some geometry differences between the 2 but both should work. I would like to have the one with the most lift on both the front and back.

 

[Reiti]

ahhhhh, the old baustellenfahrzeug.... just rolls off the tongue
what a beautiful language

But it is s language. Never heard somebody talking BC or Canadian.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Here are 2 style of VW hinges.

Eurovan which is the later style.


View attachment 3432244


And the earlier vanagon style.

View attachment 3432245



The earlier style are by far easier to find and cheaper. That may be the answer. About $250/pair for repro/upgrades.

There’s some geometry differences between the 2 but both should work. I would like to have the one with the most lift on both the front and back.




View attachment 3432253

I guess I need to read these threads more carefully. I was initially bewildered as to how this do-dad solved your issues.

 

[FJBen]

But it is s language. Never heard somebody talking BC or Canadian.

 

[Rigster]

But it is s language. Never heard somebody talking BC or Canadian.

Just gimme a call sometime, and I can you a full demonstration. I am fluent in BOTH. Sometimes too fluent...

 

[Reiti]

Important is to talk Land Cruiser.

 

[FJBen]

Over 40 years of land cruisers.

me, 79/80 Ouray, Co

Circa 04, my oldest

23, my granddaughter.

Guess that makes me old. Not @Gun Runner 5 old, so that’s something.

 

[Guyute]

Over 40 years of land cruisers.

me, 79/80 Ouray, Co

View attachment 3435618



Circa 04, my oldest

View attachment 3435616


23, my granddaughter.

View attachment 3435617






Guess that makes me old. Not @Gun Runner 5 old, so that’s something.

Awe. Raised and raising them right.

You getting a 'bowl cut' in the first image?

 

[FJBen]

Awe. Raised and raising them right.

You getting a 'bowl cut' in the first image?

My mom swears she was joking there.. but I’ve seen my pictures from my youth.

 

[Guyute]

My mom swears she was joking there.. but I’ve seen my pictures from my youth.

Delayed mom guilt. Had the same haircut and my mom later swore it "was the style". Looks my moms bowl was shallower than yours.

 

[FJBen]

What’s more ‘Murica than going to the local junkyard in search of an 87-92 firebird or Camaro?

I swear I started growing a mullet just working on this thing. The OEM “Poison” cassette was missing. Disappointing.

Why now you ask, would I be willingly searching out an 87-92 firebird or Camaro?
Well my spicy friends, check out that hinge on both sides of that fire breathing 2.8l mpfi V6…

I know what you are thinking, he’s headed for a heartbreak. Well here I go again, I’m living on a prayer that this works. Round and round I searched the lot, not breaking the law, a complete shot in the dark and there was only one firebird so I had to runaway…


I digress. $12.00 later and I have my overlander hinges….maybe

What makes the these fiero fueled firebird fantastic?

These hood hinges are very similar to popup hinges. I cant take credit for this thought, I reached out to Cole from Cavevan (who built my eurovan) to look for used hinges, he said hit the junkyard for old car hood hinges. Brilliant. So googled away I did. I found a random post where someone said late 80s Camaro can work for pop tops. No pictures, no details.
Googled and thought they might work. I headed to the junkyard in search of a late 80s Camaro and found this 87 firebird. No hood, hinges in plain sight. These look great.

You’ll also notice these come with spots for the hydraulic lifters from the factory.

You can see the hinges lift up the back like the eurovan hinges.

 

[FJBen]

A quick check with the new top to see if they will even fit.

Looks like it will fit nicely.

The angle is slightly off. If I lift up the rear, the angle matches. So I can slide it back a little, raise it up and it matches.

Do I cut the bracket, let the top side match and part of the bracket set on the raised portion? Or do I put it flat and put the wedge on the top part of the bracket?

I need to get it where I can move it around and see the best geometry it gives.



Leave a door open and they start trying to figure out who’s riding shotgun. Yes that’s a normal size dog next to the big dog.

 

[FJBen]

No laughing.


It’s a proof of concept roof rack.

It’s not right, nor even and it’s seriously bogan.

That’s 225lbs of me standing on it.

There’s 2 Thule bars across the front and one Yakima in the back (all I had to test) bolts are too long or not enough.

The rack is a tri fold aluminum atv rack (1500lb capacity allegedly) I took apart and put together.

There are 8 mounting feet. It’s solid as evidence of me standing on it. Shaking it is no movement other than the whole cruiser shaking.

It’s light. Maybe 40-45lbs?

I was looking into nice roof racks and have settled on a gamviti flat rack most likely in the future.

Not sure if I’ll put a rack on the frp top unless it’s only going to see snowboards, lumber and maybe a kayak or 2.

 

[cruiserdan]

Relying on those driprails is playing with fire.

My humble opinion.

 

[FJBen]

Relying on those driprails is playing with fire.

My humble opinion.

Even the non-FRP top? It’s metal all the way around. I understand the FRP drip rails and I’m not putting any weight on those.

 

[cruiserdan]

Yes, even the soft top frames. Those are intended to support canvas, not roof loading.

Again, just my opinion. I sure as hell wouldn't trust it. What's between that loaded rack and your head?

 

[JuanJ]

Relying on those driprails is playing with fire.

My humble opinion.

Hello,

x2.

I remember reading that the weight on the rails should not exceed 75 kg or 165 lb.

Soft tops and FRP tops break under load far easier than steel hard tops.







Juan

 

[FJBen]

Hello,

x2.

I remember reading that the weight on the rails should not exceed 75 kg or 165 lb.

Soft tops and FRP tops break under load far easier than steel hard tops.







Juan

Yeah I don’t plan on putting this tent up there. It’s way too heavy. The tent is 175lbs. Plus me at 225 puts 400lbs up there if I’m solo.

It would mainly be for bikes, light cargo, etc.

Not saying it’s right but people have been putting tents on frp on years and I don’t seem to recall one failing?