Hard top ID (1 Viewer)

[theoii]

I found a hard top for my 1972 for sale online. It fits perfectly. I am planning to paint it soon. I am looking to see if the window rubbers are available and they show a split at 7/71 for the side windows. How do I know what year I have?

 

[mrboatman]

Pictures

 

[theoii]

Here is a couple.

 

[mrboatman]

That’s correct one

 

[theoii]

That’s correct one

I know it fits the vehicle but trying to find window rubbers and there is a mid year change.

 

[Living in the Past]

Big question is do you have glass. The weatherstripping has to match the glass. That was what the change was 7/71. A early corrugated top will fit a 72 tub. Weatherstripping is based on the glass more than the year. Can't say it's a 72 top just because it fit a 72. My 69 has a 73 top with 79 vent windows added. My 79 currently has a 77 top on it. Can't think of any changes to the hard top side mid 65 until the fixed nut for three point seat belts were added in 73.

 

[theoii]

Big question is do you have glass. The weatherstripping has to match the glass. That was what the change was 7/71. A early corrugated top will fit a 72 tub. Weatherstripping is based on the glass more than the year. Can't say it's a 72 top just because it fit a 72. My 69 has a 73 top with 79 vent windows added. My 79 currently has a 77 top on it. Can't think of any changes to the hard top side mid 65 until the fixed nut for three point seat belts were added in 73.

It's complete. It had rubber and glass. I am just preparing that when we take the glass out to paint the 50 year old rubber may not make it.
Mine had a captured nut that looks like it would be for a seatbelt.

 

[Living in the Past]

It's complete. It had rubber and glass. I am just preparing that when we take the glass out to paint the 50 year old rubber may not make it.
Mine had a captured nut that looks like it would be for a seatbelt.

The earlier weatherstripping used a locking strip. Later is a single piece. If the fixed nut is close where the top of the aftermarket roll bar is the top is mostly a. 73 or 74 hard top. That fixed nut is the only difference.

Easiest way to tell which is which installed is the early weatherstripping is recessed. Later covers the opening and stands out from the top.

 

[mrboatman]

When my top was painted they pulled the glass out ( still factory) and then the glass guy that reinstalled the glass used new rubber with the lock strip. Check with a local custom glass shop.

 

[theoii]

The earlier weatherstripping used a locking strip. Later is a single piece. If the fixed nut is close where the top of the aftermarket roll bar is the top is mostly a. 73 or 74 hard top. That fixed nut is the only difference.

Easiest way to tell which is which installed is the early weatherstripping is recessed. Later covers the opening and stands out from the top.

Thank you! I will look at it tonight.
I don't have the factory roll bar but an aftermarket rollbar (maybe Smitybilt)'but it is almost as tall as it.
How does the seat belts work when they take the top off?

 

[mrboatman]

I have an old smitybilt roll bar and I just welded tab at the top for the shoulder strap part of the seatbelt. So the top on or off doesn’t matter

 

[Living in the Past]

Thank you! I will look at it tonight.
I don't have the factory roll bar but an aftermarket rollbar (maybe Smitybilt)'but it is almost as tall as it.
How does the seat belts work when they take the top off?

Roll bar started 9/73 in the US. Very possible you have a Smittybuilt roll bar. I ran one in my 68 from 74 to 83 when I installed a factory roll bar from a 79 with three point seat belts. The US did not require three point seat belts until 1/76. Believe Germany required three point seat belt starting in 1973. The captive nut was then included in all hard tops.her is what was spot welded to the top below the window for the retractable part of the seat belt.

These were on 1/76-2/78 hard tops (only model 40 series imported to the US after 12/75) then in 2/78 three point seat belt moved to a beefed up roll bar with an extra bolt connecting the sides to the main bar. Early years of the FJ40 FHT did not have provisions to rest the windshield on the hood even though all the FJ40 hard tops were removable. From 1/76-2/78 had no provisions to use the three point seat belts with the top. A new FJ40 was not something I looked at during the time but guessing Toyota did not endorse using the FJ40 FHT with the top removed are 1/76. Even after moving the seat belt to the roll bar doubt if they endorsed removing the top. By then things that made FJ40 universal to either a hard top or soft top were going away. Holes across the top of the windshield were there but no captive nuts. The holes and Captive nuts for the rear soft top bows disappeared. Interesting during this time Toyota was including the safety straps to use when the doors were removed. Why I'm not sure, possibly for liability.

 

[theoii]

I have an old smitybilt roll bar and I just welded tab at the top for the shoulder strap part of the seatbelt. So the top on or off doesn’t matter

Do you have a picture? I was thinking of just drilling a hole through tube.

 

[mrboatman]

Do you have a picture? I was thinking of just drilling a hole through tube.

Here you go

 

[theoii]

Finally got to look at my sides and this what I found.