FRP top question (1 Viewer)

[joekatana]

Yes, the window frame is identical with the channel removed.
AFAIK, that is a complete aftermarket soft top. Not anywhere near factory. The factory
soft top has an aluminum rear cross member for the rear doors to close into. Like that pic of the tan one posted previously

Screw the factory soft tops they are a royal pain in the but to to take down or put up again.FRP tops are cheap enough to get so you can put the winter cover on,for summer I want a top that folds down in a few minutes and goes back up in a few minutes while only needing 1 person to do this !

Somebody please start bringing these Portuguese or the German tops please .

 

[cruiserpilot]

I see some solid reasons to copy some of the design of the factory soft top. I do agree with you also, the
factory rear bracket that the doors seal up to is big, awkward and would be ridiculous should one want to
drive with top off. I like the bikini idea best, and paint and seal up the rear cargo area for some weather.

 

[FJ73Texas]

Screw the factory soft tops they are a royal pain in the but to to take down or put up again.

This is what I am afraid of which is why I haven't actually removed mine yet. @beno sent me a shop manual that explains the process so I may attempt this in the future when I have a whole day to do nothing else.

 

[theferg]

So with the channel removed it is the same screen frame as used on the FRP top then?

Toyota Serie 7

The link above, if you scroll nearly half way down the page, shows an after market soft top kit. It appears to have two fold down hoops at the back. Very similar to one pictured recently in the modded 70 thread. I think this is old stock maybe?View attachment 1396167

I looked into getting one of these "cabrio" type style soft-tops back in May 2015...they were made by KHM at the website www.cabrio.de ...but when I contacted them, they told me the complete kits were NLA and discontinued, but they did still have some replacement parts available still... I tried to get a list of which parts they did still have (in hopes to maybe piece one together), but they would not respond after that... :-/ If those are actually available through that Portuguese site, that would be really cool. I def prefer the look of the factory soft-top, but at about half the cost vs. OEM, those could be a really good option. These cabrio ones look a little funky IMO when they're laid all the way back in the "convertible" or "cabrio" position, but I think they look super cool with the sides upzipped and rolled-up...I have some nice pics of it somewhere, but I can't find them right now...and neither can google... I'll add them if I find them.

@theferg and I priced out a complete soft top conversion kit for his 74 a few years back. While expensive compared to a standard domestic made top (for a 40 for example), they are a. Available and b. Neat looking IMO. It's still on my BJ74 wish list.

I almost pulled the trigger on getting that stuff... I know folks say that the soft-top is crazy loud at highway speeds, but I still think it would be super cool.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...I almost pulled the trigger on getting that stuff... I know folks say that the soft-top is crazy loud at highway speeds, but I still think it would be super cool.

I'll have to dig through my notes and see if I still have that list of part numbers... I'd like to do the soft top this summer.

 

[OGBeno]

I'll have to dig through my notes and see if I still have that list of part numbers... I'd like to do the soft top this summer.

It's a deep list. Lots of variations and weird superseding part numbers. Some very odd.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

It's a deep list. Lots of variations and weird superseding part numbers. Some very odd.

Ferg and I worked through list and verified via a truck at the museum. At the time everything needed could still be had. I'll have to dig up the quote.

 

[OGBeno]

Ferg and I worked through list and verified via a truck at the museum. At the time everything needed could still be had. I'll have to dig up the quote.

Cheater.

 

[theferg]

I'll have to dig through my notes and see if I still have that list of part numbers... I'd like to do the soft top this summer.

It's a deep list. Lots of variations and weird superseding part numbers. Some very odd.

Deep list indeed... @cruiseroutfit - if you do, I suggest going back through that list and making sure we didn't miss any cause for some reason I am thinking I went back over it later and decided I had missed something... but I can't remember for sure....maybe I'm just worrying...

And if you do do it, I'd love to come help with the FRP removal and soft-top install.

 

[FJ73Texas]

Hmm...reading this thread makes me wonder if the fiberglass windshield frame I got from @joekatana will work with the top channel that is being mentioned in this thread.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Deep list indeed... @cruiseroutfit - if you do, I suggest going back through that list and making sure we didn't miss any cause for some reason I am thinking I went back over it later and decided I had missed something... but I can't remember for sure....maybe I'm just worrying...

And if you do do it, I'd love to come help with the FRP removal and soft-top install.

Lol, now you have me second guessing. I'll be at the museum tomorrow Igor and Thursday (you going to the ExpUt deal?) if I get a chance I'll compare the list against the BJ73 there.

 

[joekatana]

Hmm...reading this thread makes me wonder if the fiberglass windshield frame I got from @joekatana will work with the top channel that is being mentioned in this thread.

Indeed that is something I did not think about,I guess it will all depend on the fact if that top part where the top slides in can be swapped over or not ?

Aybody that has a picture of this ?

 

[OGBeno]

It cannot. It a small piece of metal that runs along the top-- Basically a lip for the soft top to slide into on the front side. It is welded to the frame itself.

It's a part of the windshield frame assy hence the reason there are two different windshield frames between the FST and the HT.

 

[FJ73Texas]

Thanks @beno and @joekatana. Shows how much I still have to learn of the differences between the two. I checked this morning and sure enough, I do have that channel on top of my windshield frame.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Indeed that is something I did not think about,I guess it will all depend on the fact if that top part where the top slides in can be swapped over or not ?

Aybody that has a picture of this ?

I posted a pic on page 2 of this thread. Something that is viable and inexpensive is using the Bestop windshield
slides for their bikini and soft top. These could easily be screwed to the fiberglass frame, or steel frame.

 

[OGBeno]

You can see the lip here on the FST windshield frame.

 

[FJ73Texas]

I came across this article about Toyota attempting to do the whole soft top look on one of the US model FJ cruisers. Not my cup of tea but here it is:

SEMA 2007: FJ Cruiser Convertible

 

[cruiserpilot]

I have taken a bunch of pics of the major pieces required for convertible, as far as removing the fiberglass portion of
the FRP top.
There are 4 bolts along the bottom of the windscreen, 4 bolts along the top of the inner roll bar, 2 bolts on each side
under the FRP badge ( pry badge off with a scraper, comes off easy ), 4 bolts along the bottom of the inner fender, then
the 2 bolts in the corners of the FRP under the cute little cap. Did I miss any? They are all 10 mm except the 2 under the
badge, being 12 mm.
Then the fiberglass portion lifts off. Be careful of the rubber trim along the leading edge of the roof, very delicate. Ba careful of
the rubber side seals above the horizontal door brackets.

These first 4 pics are showing the vertical track for the soft top. I don't have a canvas top, going from memory. That vertical track
is welded on like the track on the top of the windshield frame. It prevents me from using the white roll bar on the truck with the
FRP top because the track does not fit underneath the fiberglass unfortunately. I'm thinking of drilling the spot welds, inserting nutserts
at the same locations, then I can use the white roll bar with the FRP top, and in summer bolt the tracks back on and slide a
kind of soft top back on should I want.

 

[cruiserpilot]

The other difference is the extra bolt holes on the FRP roll bar as it needs the 4 bolts up through the top to attach the FRP top.
Opinion here-would it be acceptable to not bother bolting the 4 bolts across the top? I think so. I wouldn't be personally too
worried about not having those 4 bolts on.

There are also a couple of extra holes on the side of the roll bar for the factory chrome snap fittings. Pics of those on the next batch. I just reviewed the second pic. On the white roll bar, the front hole is threaded and recessed for attaching the horizontal bar that attaches the windshield frame. The top aft hole is for the thin pipe that goes horizontally to the rear cross member at the rear of the truck. This thin pipe forms the structure for the soft top horizontally along the roof line. Then the third hole is for one of the chrome snap fittings.
I also see 4 footman loops along the rear of the top of the roll bar. I remember that the factory top had Velcro loops there to hold the
fabric from flapping.

 

[cruiserpilot]

The next pieces are the joining pieces under the FRP top from the roll bar to the windshield frame. These pictured are
for the convertible and will not fit with the FRP top as they have welded on factory gutters so they function properly even t
though there is a soft top. Pretty genius to me. But on the proper FRP top brackets, this is where there is a rubber gasket
to seal the FRP top to the metal bracket and stop leaks and squeaks.
There are also holes for the chrome snap fittings as well. The one bolt centered is for a cross pipe to support the soft top and keep
it from flapping in the wind. It is feeble at best, I wouldn't even hang a pair of sunglasses from it!!

I put the ruler with the gutters and tracks so people can see the basic sizes and shapes. It would be easy to copy these and
nutsert them to factory FRP brackets, is what I'm suggesting if so inclined. Believe me, when I say I know how lucky I am to
have managed to get these. Horseshoes and shamrocks!!