Roll bar or rear bench seats? (1 Viewer)

[Alex Waddell]

My 68' FJ40 came with two long rear bench seats and an aftermarket roll bar but because of clearance, I cannot use both.
Apparently, my year FJ40 did come with a stock roll bar.
I can either (a) just use the roll bar, (b) take out the roll bar and just use the bench seats, (c) fab up an adapter plate to mount the seats inside the roll bar.
Decisions decisions!
I am looking for recommendations and you have past experience with this, what did you do?

 

[A10Driver]

My 68' FJ40 came with two long rear bench seats and an aftermarket roll bar but because of clearance, I cannot use both.
Apparently, my year FJ40 did come with a stock roll bar.
I can either (a) just use the roll bar, (b) take out the roll bar and just use the bench seats, (c) fab up an adapter plate to mount the seats inside the roll bar.
Decisions decisions!
I am looking for recommendations and you have past experience with this, what did you do?

The seats look cool, but are not the most comfortable. The roll bar if factory is not very stout. I would base my decision on use of your cruiser

 

[Alex Waddell]

The seats look cool, but are not the most comfortable. The roll bar if factory is not very stout. I would base my decision on use of your cruiser

My roll bar is after market and has a double top bar that would make it stronger.
I agree that it is likely that the rear seats may not get much use and are mostly for looks.
I am leaning towards either not using the seats or to mount them on an adapter plate so I can take them out easily if I want to.

 

[Living in the Past]

68 did not have a roll bar. 74 model is when the roll bar started and narrow jump seats. I installed Smittybuilt roll bar and kit for the jump seats from Man-A-Fre. That was in 74. 83 I replaced with them with stock roll bar and narrow jump seats.

 

[Green Bean]

SOR sells an adapter bracket that allows for mounting long jump seats with factory roll bar. Basically it is a little 2" or so "C" shaped bracket. However, this requires fabrication a new rest since the bumper on the bottom of the jump seat will no longer be supported by the fender well.

 

[devo]

I have the same dilemma. I could add spacers to move the seats out to clear the role bar. Or I can strip my seats down to the frame. Remove a center section and weld the halves together so that the seats fit between the bar. Then take the frame to an upholsterer and reinstall.



devo

 

[1969FJ]

I have a 1969 , factory specs, no roll bar. I like it that way and the looks for me are real plain. I believe Mr. T had to add a roll bar later for compliance. I know the rear long seats are not the best comfort, but neither is anything comfortable for this vehicle. It is a great design for the time period.

 

[bikersmurf]

Options:

1 - Roll bar and TJ bench
2 - Space out Jump seats
3 - No seats
4 - Modify roll bar to fit long jump seats (wish I still had my long jump seats… could seat 6 that way with the front buckets)

 

[flx]

If you drive mostly with a hardtop and do nothing extreme I'd keep only the long jump seat.

Nothing in a 40 is safe by any standard, it's not a rollbar that will make it safer on the road, so might as well keep the coolness.
(obviously if you do rock crawling with the top off that another story)


You see very often stickers that state "no airbag, we die like men", someone should do a sticker "no rollbar, we die like men, with friends."

 

[Living in the Past]

I have the same dilemma. I could add spacers to move the seats out to clear the role bar. Or I can strip my seats down to the frame. Remove a center section and weld the halves together so that the seats fit between the bar. Then take the frame to an upholsterer and reinstall.



devo

Why would you do that? When I installed a factory roll bar I installed narrow jump seats. Just seems like a lot of work shortening long jumps. Could offset the cost buying short seats by selling the long seats. I hung on to my seats just in case wanted to put them back in at some point. Have a 68, 70 and 73. All three have different jump seats .

 

[brian]

i've seen more than a few pictures of rolled 40s, and the oe bar served the intended purpose just fine.

 

[Alex Waddell]

I have the same dilemma. I could add spacers to move the seats out to clear the role bar. Or I can strip my seats down to the frame. Remove a center section and weld the halves together so that the seats fit between the bar. Then take the frame to an upholsterer and reinstall.



devo

That's a good idea but it may be more difficult in my case since my after market roll bat that has a plate between the front and back and it has dual bars which would narrow the seats even more.

 

[3_puppies]

i've seen more than a few pictures of rolled 40s, and the oe bar served the intended purpose just fine.

mine held up well when I rolled my 19793 decades ago

 

[devo]

It’s a tough call because the jumps gives me that classic look. No one sits in them, at least not for long. I don’t have seatbelts either So its kinda risky for the jump seat riders.
In the end I’ll take the safety of the role bar over the classic look of jumps.

devo

 

[Alex Waddell]

It’s a tough call because the jumps gives me that classic look. No one sits in them, at least not for long. I don’t have seatbelts either So its kinda risky for the jump seat riders.
In the end I’ll take the safety of the role bar over the classic look of jumps.

devo

View attachment 2931532

View attachment 2931534

I agree. Mostly because when you find out that you need a roll bar, it is far too late.
And the extra expense of restoring the rear bench seats is probably not worthwhile.

 

[devo]

You can always fit the ‘75 and newer jump seats couldn’t you?

 

[Tancruiser]

I have a roll bar and long seats in my 1973 Fj40 like everyone’s saying they have spacers on and it works fine. If you can’t find any I can fab some up.

 

[Living in the Past]

I have a roll bar and long seats in my 1973 Fj40 like everyone’s saying they have spacers on and it works fine. If you can’t find any I can fab some up.

If he has the original 68 seats it actually used eight U shaped brackets. Believe it was around 7/69 the single bolt at each location replaced two. The single is easier to do. Same size at the back and larger at the front angled the arm rest back over the wheel well. Four U shaped brackets would require four different sizes.

 

[1911]

I can either (a) just use the roll bar, (b) take out the roll bar and just use the bench seats, (c) fab up an adapter plate to mount the seats inside the roll bar.
Decisions decisions!
I am looking for recommendations and you have past experience with this, what did you do?

Depends on your individual circumstances I suppose. I took out my jump seats when I installed an aftermarket roll cage and never looked back, but I hardly ever used the jump seats and now I have more room to pack stuff in the space they previously occupied. YMMV.

 

[Tancruiser]

If he has the original 68 seats it actually used eight U shaped brackets. Believe it was around 7/69 the single bolt at each location replaced two. The single is easier to do. Same size at the back and larger at the front angled the arm rest back over the wheel well. Four U shaped brackets would require four different sizes.

I’m a machinist I can figure it out I’m just unsure if specter still sells them. I try not to buy from specter unless absolutely have to.