This is my first thread. I have enjoyed many threads here over the years and some have been very entertaining while others have been very helpful or have revealed resources I was not aware of. So I am going to share my adventure with the split-windshield i acquired recently. I have owned El Macho (1978 FJ40 restomod) for 30 years. About 13 years ago JimC and I finished the frame off restoration which took about 10-12 years. I would visit JimC's shop 1-2 times a month over the years and we would work on it while our dogs played together. Also JimC is very methodical about everything he does Cruiser-wise and so it took years. I am very fortunate that I met him in the early '90's when he was a charter member of the now defunct Mid-Ohio Land Cruisers club. El Macho has a lot of upgrades including everything aluminum except basically the hood, doors, lid, and hardtop sides. It has mini-truck power steering now and 4 wheel disc brakes. It has a JimC desmogged and rebuilt '77 2F with his meticulously rebuilt carb and a full roll cage. JimC did most of the work while I was the guy who cleaned up rusty parts, rattle-can painted stuff, and helped with the disassembly and reassembly. Plus I was the guy who had the pocketbook to pay for parts and paint, and of course periodic payments to JimC which I felt were not enough to compensate a Cruiser Swami such as himself.
I thought I was through with my build, having added a 3M vinyl wrap about 3 years ago and then last year finally getting a Warn 8274 on the front bumper. I do not wheel it anymore for a variety of reasons so it is a garage queen, grocery/errand-getter, and Cars'n'Coffee rig. Then one day last December 2025 a mud member, FJ404345 (Eric), posted he had decided to sell his split-windshield. I have always wanted one for my pseudo-military rig and I saw it had been posted by Eric only 30 minutes prior. I jumped on the opportunity and soon was exchanging texts with him. It turns out he lives in Curacao in the South Caribbean. The windshield is a relic of the Middle East from the late 1960's and is partially restored. It was an ordeal to get payment to him. I first tried to Paypal money to him. They wouldn't let me send money to Curacao. So I tried to wire money through my bank. They were having trouble with the necessary codes and bank protocol. I had to go back 3 times with documentation. One bank officer was convinced I was getting scammed. He assumed that since it was someone who I had never met and only knew over the internet, was in a foreign country, and that I am an old man that I was dumb enough to not know an obvious scam. Finally they couldn't get their bank codes figured out and suggested Western Union. I thought WTF why didn't you suggest that the first day! It was no trouble sending Eric the funds for the purchase and again for the shipping via Western Union. For the curious he charged me $1000 for the windshield and $300 shipping via FedEx. Here is a picture of El Macho with the OD green canvas soft top I bought used from a mud member in BC, Canada. It will really be complemented by the safari windows. Here is a photo of the windshield from the collection of pics that Eric sent me. It has been partially restored and is in good shape, but needs a little more work before glass can be reinstalled.
I thought I was through with my build, having added a 3M vinyl wrap about 3 years ago and then last year finally getting a Warn 8274 on the front bumper. I do not wheel it anymore for a variety of reasons so it is a garage queen, grocery/errand-getter, and Cars'n'Coffee rig. Then one day last December 2025 a mud member, FJ404345 (Eric), posted he had decided to sell his split-windshield. I have always wanted one for my pseudo-military rig and I saw it had been posted by Eric only 30 minutes prior. I jumped on the opportunity and soon was exchanging texts with him. It turns out he lives in Curacao in the South Caribbean. The windshield is a relic of the Middle East from the late 1960's and is partially restored. It was an ordeal to get payment to him. I first tried to Paypal money to him. They wouldn't let me send money to Curacao. So I tried to wire money through my bank. They were having trouble with the necessary codes and bank protocol. I had to go back 3 times with documentation. One bank officer was convinced I was getting scammed. He assumed that since it was someone who I had never met and only knew over the internet, was in a foreign country, and that I am an old man that I was dumb enough to not know an obvious scam. Finally they couldn't get their bank codes figured out and suggested Western Union. I thought WTF why didn't you suggest that the first day! It was no trouble sending Eric the funds for the purchase and again for the shipping via Western Union. For the curious he charged me $1000 for the windshield and $300 shipping via FedEx. Here is a picture of El Macho with the OD green canvas soft top I bought used from a mud member in BC, Canada. It will really be complemented by the safari windows. Here is a photo of the windshield from the collection of pics that Eric sent me. It has been partially restored and is in good shape, but needs a little more work before glass can be reinstalled.
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and then he disappeared. wasn’t he also a Dr.
