Soft top b-pillar (1 Viewer)

[Roastchestnuts]

I know this is an old thread. I am about to purchase some real steel bows and b pillars and after reading through this thread I am curious about my doors. I know my early fj40 doors are different than most. I have the earlier bug catcher style doors that the window frame part is also different at the top. I am going to take a strait edge out this evening and check and see if the doors are pulled in at the top.

 

[cims1970fj40]

Here are some photos of mine. Real steel and the cruiser is a 74. Based on the photos do I also needed to bend mine?

 

[cims1970fj40]

More photos

 

[UZJ40]

Here are some photos of mine. Real steel and the cruiser is a 74. Based on the photos do I also needed to bend mine?

Yes you'll have to

 

[cims1970fj40]

Yes you'll have to

Dang! Thanks for replying. I’ll pay someone to do it for me

 

[UZJ40]

Dang! Thanks for replying. I’ll pay someone to do it for me

You'll need to shorten the middle hoop also since the B pillars will be closer together

 

[cims1970fj40]

@120mm you didn’t have the problem above?

 

[Living in the Past]

I would suggest using hard top sides as a pattern when modifying the B pillar. That cut down the cross now. Factory B pillar is all one piece. I run OEM bows and OEM soft doors. Those were straight and only had a bend in 74 or 75. But not convinced it happened or stayed straight. Very few factory 75 FST were imported to the US. Even finding a 74 FST to compare is hard enough. My 73 FST B pillar and doors are straight. I like the easy removable doors on the US import soft top models. Just too bad no one hasn't reproduced those. Most aftermarket bows have a straight B pillar which would made it easier to reproduce the doors.

 

[cims1970fj40]

@UZJ40 did you take the bows to the B pillar? Also I can’t seem to get the bow down any further on the passenger side for some reason.

 

[Living in the Past]

Also I can’t seem to get the bow down any further on the passenger side for some reason.

If this an OEM bow with the stock length on tube going into the tub there is a plate down in the channel. The tube needs to go into the hole in that plate. It helps provide strength to the B pillar bow. The plate on the on the wheel well in the back and two hole clamp at the top of tub does the same thing, securing the bow at two points on each side. The angle of the back bow helps the bow from coming out. On the back of the B pillar there is a fixed nut. A bolt use used to lock the B pillar bow in place. That needs to be loosened for the bow to slip in. Once in and bolt tightened a nut on the exposed thread is then tightened to keep the bolt from loosening up. Do not over tighten the bolt. It can mar and distort then bow.

 

[UZJ40]

@UZJ40 did you take the bows to the B pillar? Also I can’t seem to get the bow down any further on the passenger side for some reason.

View attachment 3549527

I think I had someone measure for me and it was about 1/2" above. I used a few washers or a nut to space the left and right side the same. It should drop further than that though.

 

[cims1970fj40]

I think I had someone measure for me and it was about 1/2" above. I used a few washers or a nut to space the left and right side the same. It should drop further than that though.

I just realized I said take the bows when I meant to say tack welded the tubes to the B pillar

 

[cims1970fj40]

All done. Doors fit now without issue. I took about 1 3/4" out of the horizontal part of the bow. Haven't put the top back on yet, but I think it will work ok. The tube of the bow still fit through the b pillar after it was bent. FYI, for anyone that wants to do this, I ended up making two cuts and bending at the centerline. A 1/16" cut would be more than sufficient, mine was a little wider but it wasn't too big to weld up.

How was you able to fit the tube of the bow through the B pillar bows? I tried to feed mine through with no luck and will possibly have to bend the B pillar a little more.

 

[CruisinGA]

I bent mine with the tube inside the b pillar. I ended up taking 2.5-3" out of the horizontal part of the bow

 

[cims1970fj40]

I bent mine with the tube inside the b pillar. I ended up taking 2.5-3" out of the horizontal part of the bow

Thanks! I might have to bend mine back a little to get the tube in place. Also did you bend the b pillar back about 5/8 as well?

 

[CruisinGA]

might have ended up being a little more than 5/8" but that is what I was aiming for.

 

[cims1970fj40]

might have ended up being a little more than 5/8" but that is what I was aiming for.

Sorry for the questions but did you bend the tube and b pillar while it rested in its place on the cruiser? The reason I’m asking because I’ll have to take it to my dads to weld it and he’s 1 1/2hr drive from me.

 

[clrussell]

Since my hard top got blown off I’ve been considering cutting the b pillar off and making a b pillar bow.

Still might.

 

[CruisinGA]

It would be a lot of work @clrussell

@cims1970fj40 I actually used my log splitter as a press to bend the b pillar and then welded off the truck after test fitting

 

[cims1970fj40]

It would be a lot of work @clrussell

@cims1970fj40 I actually used my log splitter as a press to bend the b pillar and then welded off the truck after test fitting

What part of GA you out of?