Builds Project Pikachu: 1977 FJ40 (5 Viewers)

[cbmontgo]

Totally awesome rig...you’ve done a helluva job on it. Have a couple q’s as I’m due for both a softtop and tires. I may have missed it, but what bows do you have? I’ve got a 79 so have the newer doors, but still don’t fully grasp what exactly that means for mods for the real steel bows...would really love to be able to just slap something on if possible.

Also, I currently have the 32x9.5 TSLs and love them...having had the 34 TSL and the 33 SX (on the 47 looks like?) what are your thoughts, any particular preference? I’m pretty torn between the 3

Thanks, I appreciate it. These are OEM bows that I bought 4 or 5 years back when @SouthBostonFJ40 still imported them. There are two types of pillars, so you'll want to study that before buying bows with late-model hard doors.

I'm still undecided on the Super Swampers. I love the look of 34 x 10.50s on an FJ40, and they are great off road (even on the rocks), but they ride like hell until warmed up. You probably know this with the 32s. My overall thought is that 34s are impossible to balance and will never be anything better than "marginally acceptable" on the highway. The 33 SXs on my 47 have a small enough diameter to be balanced properly, so they are fine on the highway once they are warmed up. If you frequently drive over 50 MPH, I'd stay with 33 and below.

But damn, I sure miss the way those 34s looked on my 1973.

 

[Varty Yo]

Best price I’ve seen on OEM style bows in several years at $650:

FJ40 Soft Top Bow Kit

Wow thats a great price. I wonder how to find out if they will fit late model trucks.

 

[G-Cat]

Wow thats a great price. I wonder how to find out if they will fit late model trucks.

@JohnnyC will know.

 

[JohnnyC]

Real steel bows are straight bows ... for FST canvas doors

 

[Varty Yo]

So who sells the curved bows?

 

[FJ40|RUNNER]

As far as I know the only readily available option is to mod the real steels.

Thanks for the rundown on the tires @cbmontgo ...makes sense as mine have balanced pretty well and been quite livable.

 

[Varty Yo]

How the heck yah mod the bows?

Sorry for the derail here man haha

 

[JohnnyC]

The bows need to have a bit taken out of the center bow as well as the b post cut and angled in a tad

I recall @KY Longhunter doing this?

There is a thread with pics someplace it may or may not have been KY

 

[JohnnyC]

Found the thread I was thinking of... here: Soft top b-pillar

 

[77CJ5]

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You have done such a great job w/ this one!

Is it a keeper or do your foresee selling it in the future?

.

 

[greenbeasty]

What a thread! Read the whole thing thru, now time to get out and work on mine!

 

[cbmontgo]

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You have done such a great job w/ this one!

Is it a keeper or do your foresee selling it in the future?

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Thanks! I am very passionate about seeing 40s resurrected. It's really been a labor of love.

Definitely a keeper.

 

[cbmontgo]

Pikachu spent today in Dallas traffic. I've got full confidence in this 40.

 

[cbmontgo]

I like these nifty reproduction decals from @Cruiser Corps.

 

[swelltimes]

Pikachu spent today in Dallas traffic. I've got full confidence in this 40.
View attachment 1634836 View attachment 1634837

Totally digging your thread, which I just came across. I've got a '77 FJ-40, too, and you're making me excited to keep hammering away on it!

 

[cbmontgo]

I've been thinking about taking advantage of a key leftover part from this build: the hard top.

At the start of this project, Pikachu had a top. The ambulance doors must have been stored outside in knee-deep mud for many years and were trashed.

However, the fiberglass top and sides were/are in okay condition. Not good condition, but okay condition. I'd like to spend some time bringing it back to life, and to have the option of a hard top when I need it.

 

[cbmontgo]

I love having a tailgate, but I also like the period-correct look of the square rear windows on a late-model hard top. So, I decided to take the road less traveled and find a set of bottom-rusted amby doors that are candidates for something along these lines:

I'll be tackling this project over the next couple of months. Here's a set that are on the way over from @JVZii, since even the uppers on mine were too trashed to work with. Interesting that it is a mustard 40 with Mississippi plates.

 

[cbmontgo]

Here are some older shots of what I'll be working with. I'm not gonna obsess over it, but it could certainly use some love.

 

[complacent one]

I really like the hybrid rear door idea....seems like it would make much more sense with a rear bench too! Hoping i can find a top soon for 'ole red... By the way, really great speaking with you yesterday!!

 

[Jetlander]

Dang! You’re walking the path that I’ve been debating with regards to the rear doors. I saw the same thread where they cut the bottoms off to make a tailgate and hinged the tops to open outwards. It’s a slick setup and I’ll be watching with eager anticipation in hopes that I pickup a few hints on the process.