Hardtop to Aqualu ...

[Blue60]

Couple of issues...

(1) Don't know why and can't figure it out but cannot align the vertical line (gap) along the driver side door opening and hardtop panel. Passenger side fits within an 1/8". It appears the the rear curvature is preventing me from further forward movement without lifting the hardtop panel over the body lip and the rear curve...WTF?

(2) Fiberglass top to Aqualu aluminum windshield frame - I assume four bolts in the obvious places (see pic), I'm planning on using 6mm nutserts (rivenuts?). Anyone else do this? Pro or cons appreciated. How was this done with all OE stuff?

Thanks for all and any ideas or input!

Cheers!

Dave

 

[LakeNorman_FJ40]

Looks like it fits fine. Here's mine:

To get a good seal, I added a small "D" shaped weatherstrip to the hardtop edge where it meets the door. No problems with getting a good seal as it compresses against the door weatherstrip.

Yes, use rivnuts on the winshield frame. Bolting through the frame looks so low-tech and unfinished. Consider using a thin camper seal between the hardtop and winshield to prevent air leaks. Highly suggest a cheap rivnut set tool...you get one shot to set these correctly!

 

[Blue60]

Thanks!

Drew...sent you a PM

Dave

 

[Schmitt]

Can I install oem hardtop to AquaLu body?
And if someone can, add pics with this conversion, please.

 

[Curt]

I have a stock tub and the tub gap does line up with the hardtop, your hardtop gap is definitely to big, got any pics of the other areas? the back maybe? the do say on the aqualu website that it requires modification for hardtop use i think.

 

[DaveyB]

I know this is an extremely old post but I’m having the same exact issues trying to mate an original hardtop to a Aqualu tub. Same gap as pictured. Was there every a solution found?

 

[bikersmurf]

I know this is an extremely old post but I’m having the same exact issues trying to mate an original hardtop to a Aqualu tub. Same gap as pictured. Was there every a solution found?

Couple quick questions...

Year of hardtop? Year of windshield frame? Cowl year?

My first guess would be that the cowl has been pulled backwards over the years. I've had to push forward my A pillar to straighten how everything fits.

 

[Desertsled]

I know this is an extremely old post but I’m having the same exact issues trying to mate an original hardtop to a Aqualu tub. Same gap as pictured. Was there every a solution found?

Hey Davey, I'm going through this issue right now on my '76 build. I had to cut down the post that drops into the tub so its barely there. I couldn't bring myself to cut it off completely. That said, the curve at the back of the tub is keeping mine from sitting flush at the door post (Aqualu tub to steel hard top sides). I guess I'm just going to have to live with it not lining up. I can't think of anything that will correct this gap. Photo is the passenger side. My driver side is worse.

 

[DaveyB]

Hey Davey, I'm going through this issue right now on my '76 build. I had to cut down the post that drops into the tub so its barely there. I couldn't bring myself to cut it off completely. That said, the curve at the back of the tub is keeping mine from sitting flush at the door post (Aqualu tub to steel hard top sides). I guess I'm just going to have to live with it not lining up. I can't think of anything that will correct this gap. Photo is the passenger side. My driver side is worse.

View attachment 3427597

Hey desertsled, mine is the exact same same. I trimmed the guide rod into the tub but still have the gap on the upper door to hardtop seam. I’m considering filling the door gap with some weld and bondo (as I’m test fitting before paint), or possibly flaring the rear of the hardtop where it meets the tub. Some older 60’s fj40s had a flare built into the hardtop at that curve in the rear and it looked fine. I don’t know… brainstorming

 

[Desertsled]

@DaveyB Man, we are in the same exact boat. I got mine as close as possible before I just sent it off to paint. This weekend I'm assembling the whole hard top on the cruiser and drilling the new holes. It's not a good sign that I have secured a porta power to help "persuade" things.

 

[Living in the Past]

Hey desertsled, mine is the exact same same. I trimmed the guide rod into the tub but.

That's not a guide rod it's a support for sides. There is a plate with a matching hole in the B pillar about where the post stops on OEM tubs. The door header attached to the windshield and hard top side is not going to add any to the top.

 

[DaveyB]

@DaveyB Man, we are in the same exact boat. I got mine as close as possible before I just sent it off to paint. This weekend I'm assembling the whole hard top on the cruiser and drilling the new holes. It's not a good sign that I have secured a porta power to help "persuade" things.

Let me know how the rest of the assembly goes… I’m hoping that if I do flare the rear of the hard top, and slide it forward, then hopefully the roof of the hardtop will fit as usual.

 

[TEakins]

My '78 hardtop to Aqualu tub, windshield, and cowl went pretty well. Jim C and I cut the guideposts down to about 4-5 inches. The top took a little time to settle - didn't know about the baby powder trick. The only gap I remember was right over the guidepost holes. I cut a gasket out of a scrap of horse stall mat (about an inch thick) and it took care of the problem.

 

[DaveyB]

My '78 hardtop to Aqualu tub, windshield, and cowl went pretty well. Jim C and I cut the guideposts down to about 4-5 inches. The top took a little time to settle - didn't know about the baby powder trick. The only gap I remember was right over the guidepost holes. I cut a gasket out of a scrap of horse stall mat (about an inch thick) and it took care of the problem.View attachment 3427644View attachment 3427646View attachment 3427647

Hey TE,

That thing is gorgeous. I spoke to Aqualu on the phone today and it sounds like their newer tubs have been corrected in the rear (1/4” shorter) to better fit the hardtops. Anything from their older manufacturing dates might put you in this position… unless yours was an older tub and you still found a work around. Either way it looks great.

 

[White Stripe]

I fitted my top sides before paint. The tub had some interference issues with the top sides. Here is what I got after some mild modifications. My tub is from 2017.

Keep in mind the aqualu requires 1/4" thick rubber gasket on the mounting flange of the tub. Original gasket is too thin.

 

[DaveyB]

Well, I did a thing and the hardtop fits perfect now. It may be against all FJ40 rules, but it happened and I’m sticking with it. Just need a little bit of body filler to finish it off. I can live with the unoriginal new lap-joint over the painful door-jam gap.