top or no top, that is the question

[AZ '83 fj-40]

hey everybody,

Summer is on the horizon and I can't decide weather to take my hardtop off. I would put it back on in sept. or oct. I don't know if it is worth it. my questions are A) how hard and time consuming is it to take the thing off, as well as putting the top back on and having it fit the same way. B) what options do I have to keep the rain off my head i.e. a soft top or bikini top.C) Is it ucomfortable with the top off, I have A/C and an alarm.I work in a semi bad part of town, I don't want my stuff to get stolen, because this is my daily driver.
As well as your personal opinons as to which looks better.
thx
Brendan

 

[Varty Yo]

take it off man, mine comes off every summer. as far as bein in a sketchy part of town just dont leave anythnig worth losing in there. as far as fit after the summer im pretty sure it will go back on the same. and rain!!! your in arizona does it really actually rain there. just go topless man. youll love it!!!!

 

[KingBeeIII]

Going topless gives your truck a whole new identity. Sure, it's kind of a pain in the ass to take it off, (I'd suggest the help of a few friends) but it's well worth it. That is, of course, unless your A/C works incredibly well, then leave it on. It's a dry heat, but it's like a blow dryer topless.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Going topless gives your truck a whole new identity.....

Yep.

No substitute for open sky above, excellent all around vision, and better perfomance after removing about 250 lbs in weight. I'd leave mine off all the time were it not for the monsoon season here.

 

[DallasFJ40]

I hope Poser posts his pic of wheelin' topless in the snow here.

 

[projektdotnet]

I hope Poser posts his pic of wheelin' topless in the snow here.

that needs to be in the FAQ under "commonly posted rigs" so we can find it instead of waiting on poser

oh and to answer the original question "Topless Rules"

 

[crushr]

I lived in tucson for 4 years and never put my hardtop on! Topless, windshield down is the best for desert wheeling. Not that hard to take off, I've never had alignments or fit problems when reinstalling. Only bad parts about going topless are: (1) nowhere to secure stuff in your truck when you park it; and (2) Storing the top itself is something of a PITA.

Yank off the top, get a bikini top and you're set.

 

[78-FJ40]

Take it off, then go with a softtop in winter. I haven't used my hardtop in years.

 

[gladly]

I hope Poser posts his pic of wheelin' topless in the snow here.

this one?

personally, I wasn't sure if I should take the top off or not either, then I did, and now I push the season as long as I can
it's worth getting half doors too, IMHO, the topless w/hard doors looks a bit funny, bestop make soft half doors pretty cheap, or you can build a set if you have a lot of time.
here's mine with hard doors/no top. working on the hard halfs this weekend

 

[AZ '83 fj-40]

Ok thanks everybody,
I am thinking of doing it once I order a tailgate and a bikini top.
I have a roof rack, I was wondering how I could mount that.
like the red cruiser in the snow. any ideas?

 

[Felix]

I have a roof rack, I was wondering how I could mount that.
like the red cruiser in the snow. any ideas?

You need a full cage to mount it. If you have the stock roll bar, an easier route might be to build a simple mini rack that a lot have guys have done that mounts above the rear section if the roll bar.

Of course, folks are going to tell you you need a full cage anyway.

 

[VTFJ40]

In Arizona?

Take the friggin top off.

 

[rick_d]

..as a tucsonian I'd say search out a paki/ehsan soft top. At least try to keep the heat off the interior and for the monsoon (maybe, this year?) it won't leave you wet.

...and you have a 1983, don't screw up the installation of any type of top. Drilling unwanted holes (for kayline etc) and fashioning some tailgate panel might mean a decline in value of the truck for future resale.

last, do not sell the top/doors. you would search for years if you wanted to replace them.

 

[JJS]

Your trucks came with tops?

I think Wally Moses told me that he runs a bikini top year round, and he lives in VT. That's a little extreme, but, either way, take it off for the nice weather.

 

[TLCSKULLS]

Add me to the list encouraging top removal. Left my hard top on all summer last year..for no particular reason. Won't do that again. Topless is the only way to wheel.

 

[splitshot]

Bikini top, we got down to single digits this winter, nothing a set of insulated coveralls and good gloves didn't handle. As far as summer, yes there are days you feel like your driving through a blast furnace, (stop lights suck) but you get used to it. Makes that cold beer when you get home that much better.


BTW, greetings from Oracle.

 

[Caddisfly]

Last summer I took the top off. Jeep owners waved to me all the time because many did not realize what I was actually driving. The general public did not realize what I was driving either, unless I stopped at a restaurant or department store. When I put the top back on last fall, most Jeep owners stopped waving, but the general public waved and I got a lot of thumbs-up signs. FJCruiser owners could trace the lineage pretty easily because of the white bubble roof.

This summer I am taking the top of again for the same reasons everyone above has given.

BTW: My sister-in-law has a nice Jeep Rubicon, but she still waves.

 

[camcruiser13]

top off no question, cut the posts down, youll see what i mean when you take it off

 

[fzjchase]

Question:

My dad's friend owns a FJ40. I think his son (80 owner) drives it more than he does. Anywho, I asked the dad (owner of the 40) why he hasn't taken off the hard top. He said, "Once you take the hard top off, it's never the same." I just left it at that. Is he out of his mind or is it just hard to put the hard top back on?

 

[camcruiser13]

Question:

My dad's friend owns a FJ40. I think his son (80 owner) drives it more than he does. Anywho, I asked the dad (owner of the 40) why he hasn't taken off the hard top. He said, "Once you take the hard top off, it's never the same." I just left it at that. Is he out of his mind or is it just hard to put the hard top back on?

he doesnt know what hes talking about, if hes worried about it not being the same he probably shoudnt let his son drive it