Can you fit ambulance doors to an FJ40 without notching the tub? (1 Viewer)

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Hey All,
Currently have barn doors and a hatch on my 40 and I would like to go to ambulance doors. After some research, the conversion looks more involved than I would have thought because the ambulance door trucks have the tub notched out from the factory so they sit flush. Has anyone with barn doors converted to ambulance doors without notching the tub so they sit on top of the tub (like barn doors) instead of flush? I like the looks of the ambulance doors with the top on, but I would still like to use my lower barn doors when the top comes off in the summer.
 
Or keep the lift gate and replace the barn doors with a tailgate?

OP said he like the look of ambulance doors. Personally think the only advantage is the ability to open the back without having undo the spare tire.
 
Pretty sure it did in the Middle East as well. Must be a SA import.

Think any place that got general market 40 series could have this style. North America was unusual in that really only offered one option at a time excluding the soft tops which too were only one style. Hard door soft models with two piece ambulance doors were never an option. I see listing for soft top after 76 but really believe 1/76 when the US required three point seat bolts the soft top in the US was done. Was until 2/78 the seat belts moved to the roll bar and the roll bar was beefed up at that time. Canada did get diesels including the 10/82+ BJ42 with a five speed but really not much variety was offered there either.
 
pretty sure the only reason we even got the cruisers here was because of toyota's land cruiser strategy.....send the cruiser in, gain trust with the buyers then expand the offerings.
as it turned out, they sold well here so they rolled with it but didnt push it....one example, the 60series never got the 5 spd here.....one of the markets where it really would have made sense to send it.
 
Hey All,
Currently have barn doors and a hatch on my 40 and I would like to go to ambulance doors. After some research, the conversion looks more involved than I would have thought because the ambulance door trucks have the tub notched out from the factory so they sit flush. Has anyone with barn doors converted to ambulance doors without notching the tub so they sit on top of the tub (like barn doors) instead of flush? I like the looks of the ambulance doors with the top on, but I would still like to use my lower barn doors when the top comes off in the summer.
This is exactly what a previous owner of mine did. Converted to ambulance doors without notching the tub corners. The doors were off when I got it, but it must have worked for them, although not sure how well they sealed against the tub. I'm trying to figure out if I should try modifying the tub to fit the ambulance doors properly, getting a period correct hatch door top, or converting this top to the period correct lift hatch style. Seems like it's going to be a pain no matter what route I go.
 
This is exactly what a previous owner of mine did. Converted to ambulance doors without notching the tub corners. The doors were off when I got it, but it must have worked for them, although not sure how well they sealed against the tub. I'm trying to figure out if I should try modifying the tub to fit the ambulance doors properly, getting a period correct hatch door top, or converting this top to the period correct lift hatch style. Seems like it's going to be a pain no matter what route I go.


If your tub is already set up for ambulance door hinges might just out curiosity try spacing out the hinges on the top equal to the depth of the notch in the top. Then see how the doors work with the hinges that way. If they swing correctly it would be a matter of filling in the grab in the top with weatherstriping versus notching the tub.
 
FWIW I have ambulance doors on mine.
‘73 tub with a ‘79 hard top.
Use the half doors in the warm months and ambulance doors in the cold months when the top is on.

Reason for it was twofold - no hatch, only hardtop I could find at the time, and pre-internet days.

Only mods I did was matched the half door hinges to the ambulance doors…so 3 hinges per side. The original bottom hinge holes were filled IIRC. No bottom catch in place, top works fine and has never worked open. It was in my college days, would have spent more time planning but drilled through doors, washer/nuts on inside. If you tighten too much you will crush the doors. Many workarounds, never needed them. Run this way for 25yrs+.

Hope this helps.

Not the best “detailed pic” but you can sorta see the three hinges. I take take better pics if you need.

1700998773878.jpeg


Nik
 
FWIW I have ambulance doors on mine.
‘73 tub with a ‘79 hard top.
Use the half doors in the warm months and ambulance doors in the cold months when the top is on.

Reason for it was twofold - no hatch, only hardtop I could find at the time, and pre-internet days.

Only mods I did was matched the half door hinges to the ambulance doors…so 3 hinges per side. The original bottom hinge holes were filled IIRC. No bottom catch in place, top works fine and has never worked open. It was in my college days, would have spent more time planning but drilled through doors, washer/nuts on inside. If you tighten too much you will crush the doors. Many workarounds, never needed them. Run this way for 25yrs+.

Hope this helps.

Not the best “detailed pic” but you can sorta see the three hinges. I take take better pics if you need.

View attachment 3491536

Nik


Any detailed pictures?
 
Ok, but just what notch are y'all talking about? My wifes 40 (year is complicated) came to us with ambo doors, but the passenger side top doesn't seal and it didn't have a catch at the bottom for the drivers ambo door. Tub is from an Aussie 75, no clue in the universe what the top is off of. If there is a notch to fit things properly I may well be barking up the wrong tree trying to figure out how to seal things up properly...

Clark

EDIT - Based upon some more research, the top is a post '77 because it has the pop out rear windows. Tub is claimed to be an Aussie 75 that the PO swapped the firewall on to keep it RHD, but it has the 75 and later windshield with the wipers under the glass.
 
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I've got detailed pictures comparing the hatch header bars in the thread below...


I never had ambulance doors, but instead I installed a hatch an '81 hardtop that came with ambulance doors originally.
 
I've got detailed pictures comparing the hatch header bars in the thread below...


I never had ambulance doors, but instead I installed a hatch an '81 hardtop that came with ambulance doors originally.

Nice write up.. :cheers:
 

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