DIY OEM soft top bows (1 Viewer)

[cruiserbrett]

A profile bender would work too. Any railing shop should have a way to do it. It's the tool they would use to bend the top cap of a spiral or otherwise curved stair railing.

 

[El Burro Negro]

Here are some measurements in inches for the front bow.
View attachment 658382

Thanks for all this great info! I am down in Nicaragua and I am in the process of having a frame and soft top built. My body is a 1965 that was originally a soft top. I swapped out the everything with a 1977, but kept the body. I am using the post and top pieces from the hard top 77, what do you recommend for the front piece over the windshield? I cut that off the hard top as well, should I use that or just create a c channel? Also, anyone have details of the soft top connections. I am getting that custom made and would love some original picks so I can try and duplicate. Most concerned on giving detail fotos to the guy sewing the top

 

[65swb45]

What are the rivets and spot welds for?

I ask because don't recall seeing that in the diy so am curious if this is for a different style top?

I have always been of the opinion that the snaps were a add-on offered by Kayline for their replacement tops.

You have to keep in mind that things were different back in the day. Kayline was in good enough standing back then to be an OE supplier to Toyota for the canvas.

Their ‘improved’ design incorporated snaps as well as a corresponding flap sewed into the canvas to help hold the top snugly to the frame even when it was stretched loose in the warmer months.

They made a shtton of Jeep tops, and they just applied a little Jeep tech to the Toyota top.

It’s nothing compared to what they did for front doors!

 

[65swb45]

Thanks for all this great info! I am down in Nicaragua and I am in the process of having a frame and soft top built. My body is a 1965 that was originally a soft top. I swapped out the everything with a 1977, but kept the body. I am using the post and top pieces from the hard top 77, what do you recommend for the front piece over the windshield? I cut that off the hard top as well, should I use that or just create a c channel? Also, anyone have details of the soft top connections. I am getting that custom made and would love some original picks so I can try and duplicate. Most concerned on giving detail fotos to the guy sewing the top

Someone posted in another thread a couple of years ago that one of the vendors, CCOT I think, was offering a repop channel. Probably a Real Steel product. Try a search query for “channel”.

 

[Living in the Past]

Someone posted in another thread a couple of years ago that one of the vendors, CCOT I think, was offering a repop channel. Probably a Real Steel product. Try a search query for “channel”.

Believe there was a thread eight or nine years ago where Marshall @Trollhole was wanting measurements of the channel because he planned on making them. Not 100% sure if it was Marshall or if it happened.

 

[KY Longhunter]

@El Burro Negro are you from Managua?

 

[El Burro Negro]

I never sent photos of the final product. Very happy with the results, not happy with the snaps I choose, so looking for some twist locks to change out. Currently living in Costa Rica.

 

[EWheeler]

I wanted to resurect one of the missing @Pin_Head pictures that illustrates the measurements of the middle bow and the spreader side bows.

I was happy when I saw @78fj40mg post this pic in another thread.

Figured it would be helpful to post it here with the other measurements and the diy steps.

View attachment 1155989

I'm trying to poor boy a set of FST bows together. I have original Toyota B & C pillars, but my middle spreader set is from a paki bow set. The paki bow middle spreader is about 1-1.5" lower than the elevation of the B & C cross bars, and is definitely not the correct profile. Can anyone tell me if the middle spreader should match the elevation of the B & C spreaders? ie. if I run a 6' level front to back of truck across the top of the three spreaders, in theory, should they all be at the identical elevation as I run that level across the truck from side to side? I am going to modify the Paki spreader to work, but need to know what my target end result is. An OCD reproduction top will be going on this bow set.

 

[EWheeler]

As a follow up request, if anyone has the time and is willing, could they dimension the location of the 3 footman loops around the quarter panels on each side, both horizontal distance from rear door opening and vertical distance from top rail? I will need to install these to secure my top.

 

[whitey45]

Bows should all be the same height. I wouldnt do anything with the footman loops until you put the top on. The tie downs will dictate where the footman loops will go. I have had a least 5 factory softtops over the years, and none of the oem replica tops lined up with the factory footman loops.( they were close but not exact)

 

[EWheeler]

Bows should all be the same height. I wouldnt do anything with the footman loops until you put the top on. The tie downs will dictate where the footman loops will go. I have had a least 5 factory softtops over the years, and none of the oem replica tops lined up with the factory footman loops.( they were close but not exact)

Thank you Brian!

 

[65swb45]

Bows should all be the same height. I wouldnt do anything with the footman loops until you put the top on. The tie downs will dictate where the footman loops will go. I have had a least 5 factory softtops over the years, and none of the oem replica tops lined up with the factory footman loops.( they were close but not exact)

Eggzackery!

 

[websterrd]

Bumping an old thread. Has anyone made the rear bow needed for the ambulance doors vs the rear zip hatch? Planning on building a set of bows and doing the rear soft ambulance doors and was seeing if anyone has done them before.

 

[EWheeler]

Bumping an old thread. Has anyone made the rear bow needed for the ambulance doors vs the rear zip hatch? Planning on building a set of bows and doing the rear soft ambulance doors and was seeing if anyone has done them before.

Hit the easy button.

FJ40 Soft Top Kit with frame | eBay

In the interior it is patted with Hi Loft®: 100% polyester knitted textile, which gives a stronger base fabric of unusual softness. It has a 1.1mm gauge. Also included is complete stainless steel hardware set.

www.ebay.com

 

[texasrecurve]

@websterred There is an old thread about someone doing exactly that, can’t remember who it was at the moment.

 

[FJ40RobQ]

Hit the easy button.

FJ40 Soft Top Kit with frame | eBay

In the interior it is patted with Hi Loft®: 100% polyester knitted textile, which gives a stronger base fabric of unusual softness. It has a 1.1mm gauge. Also included is complete stainless steel hardware set.

www.ebay.com

That is actually a good price with the doors. Wish I had seen this when I was as buying mine separately to save money

 

[texasrecurve]

websterred…..PM sent.

 

[Living in the Past]

Hit the easy button.

FJ40 Soft Top Kit with frame | eBay

In the interior it is patted with Hi Loft®: 100% polyester knitted textile, which gives a stronger base fabric of unusual softness. It has a 1.1mm gauge. Also included is complete stainless steel hardware set.

www.ebay.com

Right off no US imported 40 series was set up with barn doors and spare on the left. If installing on cruiser with ambulance doors would have to be sure those rear door combined are wider than the hard ambulance doors. Pictures should the doors against the back not flush like the hard ambulance doors. Not going to be a just bolt these new doors on and your set if you have a US version 40 series. If the ambulance doors were to reversed would make it a easy conversion on US models with barn doors.

Bumping an old thread. Has anyone made the rear bow needed for the ambulance doors vs the rear zip hatch? Planning on building a set of bows and doing the rear soft ambulance doors and was seeing if anyone has done them before.

Someone must have been bow for the rear ambulance doors because I bought one of mud last summer. Going to need some straightening but better than starting from scratch. Not making bow because I already have factory bows. Difference from kit above mine all are all made for soft doors. Those the B pillar is straight.

 

[EWheeler]

Right off no US imported 40 series was set up with barn doors and spare on the left. If installing on cruiser with ambulance doors would have to be sure those rear door combined are wider than the hard ambulance doors. Pictures should the doors against the back not flush like the hard ambulance doors. Not going to be a just bolt these new doors on and your set if you have a US version 40 series. If the ambulance doors were to reversed would make it a easy conversion on US models with barn doors.



Someone must have been bow for the rear ambulance doors because I bought one of mud last summer. Going to need some straightening but better than starting from scratch. Not making bow because I already have factory bows. Difference from kit above mine all are all made for soft doors. Those the B pillar is straight.

ok

 

[Living in the Past]

Now here is the setup we need in the US. Picture posted today in back in the day thread. Post #1,721.

This would be the Easy Button.