Same here.
Reproduction OEM soft top bows?
- Thread starter Brian in Oregon
- Start date
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thecrazygreek
A.K.A. TheCraftyGreek
well,,,,,,, where?
Central America.
cruiser_guy
Out of Africa / North Africa
Bingo!! I've sent out an e-mail and I'm awaiting a response or post.
Last I heard he was sitting on 50 sets.
thecrazygreek
A.K.A. TheCraftyGreek
Count me in for a set if you find out...
Is there a reason front door piece could not be molded out of fiberglass? Seems to me you could make the bows solid, lay glass for the sides pretty easily, and then bolt the glass pieces to the bows.
It is certainly possible. There are many ways to make reproduction bows, but they are all uneconomical no matter what you value your labor at. The fastest/cheapest way is to make them from hard tops, but even that takes about 20 hours of labor. You just can't compete with the labor costs in central America and Asia.
cruiser_guy
Out of Africa / North Africa
I have a response back from my contacts and there are soft top bows available, I'm just trying to confirm that they are copies of OEM bows.
These will be $400/set plus shipping but I want to confirm that they are OEM copies first before taking any orders.
Shipping will be most economical if there is a single shipment going up and they are redistributed by someone stateside.
These will be $400/set plus shipping but I want to confirm that they are OEM copies first before taking any orders.
Shipping will be most economical if there is a single shipment going up and they are redistributed by someone stateside.
cruiser_guy
Out of Africa / North Africa
OK, these are copies of the early OEM soft top bows. In order to save a little on shipping it would be best if this is done as a group order. These will be shipping out of Central America most likely some time this fall.
Those who are interested should e-mail me, DO NOT PM me, my inbox will not be large enough! E-mail is posible through the pull down menu just like PM's.
Those who are interested should e-mail me, DO NOT PM me, my inbox will not be large enough! E-mail is posible through the pull down menu just like PM's.
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Wow thats cool.....I know some guys that are going to be very happy!
Will those bows be for the very early 40's ...'61/'62...etc?
BTW Charles...got the 25 cap...thanks a bunch, you rock!
BTW Charles...got the 25 cap...thanks a bunch, you rock!
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Us guys with the 63 and earlier soft top cruisers the word early means something different than what most think as early. The two are not the same. Plus the early style comes in versions, A and B style. Make sure which type he has. I know a few would buy the early ones. I doubt 50. Plus the people trying to reproduce the early style in the US would like to know so they don't put any more effort in to it.
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
If these do turn out to be the early style I'm sure Sean or myself could handle taking a balk shipment and then ship them out of AZ. FL would probably be cheaper but not sure if they is any interest in the early bow there.
Dean I was luck enough to get my gas cap hand delivered back in June. Thanks Charles
Dean I was luck enough to get my gas cap hand delivered back in June. Thanks Charles
cruiser_guy
Out of Africa / North Africa
Good to know. Being a 'Cruiser owner who's never owned a '40 series ('60, '55 and '45LV) this is all new to me. How does one tell an "A" style from a "B" style? What is the cutoff for your meaning of "early" vs. others?
I'll check and see what he says.
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Charles the early style A bows ended in 1959 from what I can tell. The B style bows look very close to the later style. The easy way to tell is if the B pillar bow matches the hard top door it's the later style. The earlier style B pillar bow was just a formed tube with a channel welded to the out side for the canvas. This bow fit towards the front more making the two bows that ran from front to back longer. Look thru the 25 forum most the treads if not all about the early soft tops are there. Even the ones about the early FJ40.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/45428-fj25-early-fj40-soft-top-project.html
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
well i got a reply from the supplier...the bows are for early cruisers...but...not the way early 
i sent some pics and said this was the type bow it was (see pic)
these should fit all years 63/64 and up to 79? 80-84 the bow height was a bit different....but...adjustments will let any canvas fit IMO
a great deal for the price
its all you cruiser_guy i just was sending an email out anyway...and thought i'd ask
i sent some pics and said this was the type bow it was (see pic)
these should fit all years 63/64 and up to 79? 80-84 the bow height was a bit different....but...adjustments will let any canvas fit IMO
a great deal for the price
its all you cruiser_guy i just was sending an email out anyway...and thought i'd ask
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
I figured it was the later style. Doesn't hurt to make sure. It what take a long time to find fifty people to buy 50 sets of the very early style. These bows would probably work pretty easy on any FJ40 after 63. Would also work on the early hard top model too. The high B pillar would need to be cut down or the bow modified to fit the high pillar. Should be no problem to find 50 customers at that price.
cruiser_guy
Out of Africa / North Africa
The story I got is these are for '64 through '74 trucks and DO NOT include any brackets. I'm checking on bracket costs now.
Let me know if those years make sense or not.
Let me know if those years make sense or not.
74 makes sense as the cutoff date.
