RevISK
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It most certainly is coming from Colombia.
If you want to get into a bit of the nitty gritty of the situation, feel free to DM me. I may have some insights for you.
soft top experience
- Thread starter tbenzinger
- Start date
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If you want to get into a bit of the nitty gritty of the situation, feel free to DM me. I may have some insights for you.
Not only the early cruiser dilemma of having tops made… but the later cruisers as well
Replacement top manufacturer kayline went defunct… even after another manufacturer bought them they still went under
Ehsan tops aka pakitop that disappeared for reasons
The place I originally made mine (my old canvas one) never wanted to make another
OCDBeetle soft tops that turned into a chaotic mess
Travis tops … RIP Travis
Gr8ful was at least stoped as it was a side gig for Abe
Julie at dirtroad tops is having issues with turning around jobs it seems now as well
I think even Cruiser Corps tried and never did
Pilgrim had FST and bows and got boot from Columbia … pre getting stuff from Columbia
think I’m even missing another lol
It’s unfortunate Softopper doesn’t make a top for FJ40’s. I have one on my ‘17 Tacoma that my brother had on his ‘07 Tacoma before me. It’s just now starting to fall apart.
They make them for a limited selection of ‘SUVs’.
They make them for a limited selection of ‘SUVs’.
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Similar to the experience I had. Took longer than expected. Extremely hard to get in touch with via email or phone . But it shipped and arrived.
SOR has tops available. Black & Tank in color. If they are listed out of stock on the website, they said that lead time is a couple of weeks. Their feedback on that matter is what pushed me to list my new OCD beetle top for sale because I know I will be able to get a quality canvas reproduction top from SOR when the time comes in the future.Not only the early cruiser dilemma of having tops made… but the later cruisers as well
Replacement top manufacturer kayline went defunct… even after another manufacturer bought them they still went under
Ehsan tops aka pakitop that disappeared for reasons
The place I originally made mine (my old canvas one) never wanted to make another
OCDBeetle soft tops that turned into a chaotic mess
Travis tops … RIP Travis
Gr8ful was at least stoped as it was a side gig for Abe
Julie at dirtroad tops is having issues with turning around jobs it seems now as well
I think even Cruiser Corps tried and never did
Pilgrim had FST and bows and got boot from Columbia … pre getting stuff from Columbia
think I’m even missing another lol
Considering the tarrif situation, along with likely sub-par materials with questionable longevity when exposed to UV, I think the SOR tops are a great value vs. the Columbian stuff. I wish the SOR tops had fully removable side panels, and also single piece windows on the side panels, I find the two-window design of their side panels visually offensive.
The only down side to the SOR top is they are BYOB - Bring your own Bows. They do not offer 40 series bow kits.
Yes .... this is why I didn't even list it
they had a perfect OEM FST vinyl top to copy and that's what they made
Just showing the pains people have gone through over the years to made a good top... and all we have is sor and south American tops... kinda sad
Badger would have made a good top.... but.... as per usual ... it was a one and done top
Yes .... this is why I didn't even list it
they had a perfect OEM FST vinyl top to copy and that's what they made
Just showing the pains people have gone through over the years to made a good top... and all we have is sor and south American tops... kinda sad
Badger would have made a good top.... but.... as per usual ... it was a one and done top
I remember a NOS top showing on Mud. I didn't realize it ended up at SOR or was this one a different one?
I agree about canvas instead of Vinyl. By the mid 1960s Toyota was making tops out of vinyl not canvas. Yet there is a demand for canvas.
As for the tops Abe planned it was being disgusted me taking a early FJ40 soft top tub and OEM bows to Colorado to make some early canvas tops. Before that happened things changed for Abe. He was moving replacement tops out of the country because of problem getting them made locally. This was after Specialty Top Company closed. Was my understanding many of Specialty Top Company employees were from Kayline and the people Abe was hoping to use. Cheap out country labor was reason it wasn't feasible to make in the US.
As for Badger thought they only made one early top and copies could be made for $3,000 apiece. This was twenty years ago when that was a lot more money to most. To my knowledge none were ever made after the first one. Believe a few OVD tops made they way to eBay. But that is a whole other story.
I'm likely to be in the minority here, but I love the look of the Bestop Glide that has fully removable sides and rear window made for Jeeps. I think it would give a look that mixed between the FST and current Bestop FJ40 offering, which i really don't care for. I can here all the comments, "if you want something that looks like a jeep, buy a Jeep". I think this top would look fantastic on a 40 series. The mounting frame to install it on the jeep is ridiculously cumbersome as its designed to also allow the front portion to collapse back like a rag top convertible.
The canvas Paki tops were pretty good quality. Mine lasted for years then slowly started to deteriorate. It was a heavy green canvas and for the bow set plus green canvas top it was $700. Zippers went first but those were easily replaced.
Only kicker was the shipping. DHL charged as much as the top and bows cost. And ordering from Pakistan probably got me on any number of guvmint watch lists.
Only kicker was the shipping. DHL charged as much as the top and bows cost. And ordering from Pakistan probably got me on any number of guvmint watch lists.
RevISK
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Wasn’t that from whom Doc Brown got his uranium from?
Libyans and plutonium.
RevISK
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1.31 jiggleWatts!
1.31 JIGAWATTS
McRainFly
RevISK
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Run from Julie. Lied like she has a drug habit. The events in her life were worse than a scorpion invasion in a meerkat commune. I will say I was surprised when she reimbursed me! Lost all trust. She had a great product for sure.
I personally think she has a drug problem as well. I also believe that her shop didn’t burn down years ago as she claimed. I personally believe she used that as an excuse to get caught up or what have you.
I got luck because I knew someone local that wrecked his cruiser unfortunately and was waiting on his top from Julie. I in turn took his place in line and paid him roughly half of what he paid Julie.
After realizing that I wasn’t going to ever get the top I reached out to the individual that sold it to me and asked him to contact her for the refund. The individual didn’t want to bother with it so he ended giving me all his parts that he had laying around.
My guess the Kayline replacement tops influenced them. These are my Kayline tops.Yes .... this is why I didn't even list it
they had a perfect OEM FST vinyl top to copy and that's what they made
First one purchased brand new in 1994 from Man-A-Fre.
Top, doors and bows purchased in 1995.
Bows and top.purxhased in 2009.
Guessing the top is at least as old 1994. White top with tinted windows even older. But doubt any as 1974 when Toyota added the roll bar. That may have influenced the side design. What is different on the old Kayline replacement tops is the back opening is wider at the base. Even wider the door opening. I'm happy with them and not thinking of anything newer.
Kayline tops were made in Denver and probably all for US imports with a roll bar. Roll bars were used in very few markets and would have the influence on their tops like Kayline.