Topnault complete 1978 tub-first impression

[Flunob]

These are the very same kind of problems I had with my SA tub. Body mounts way off, dimensions off, etc. I bought a new tub thinking it would save a lot of time over all the body panel patch welding and things like that on the stock tub. But I spent almost a year dealing with fitment issues and crap like that. Convinced me that fixing up the stock tub is the way to go if at all possible. Either way will be a lot of work, but at least you can ensure assembly is how you want it and you are starting with the original skeleton, so dimension are correct.

Really helping my thinking - from all the pics I've concluded my tub really isn't that bad - and doing the repairs is probably the better option to going through all the trouble seen on here. I might try and buy a few parts for where I need to cut out and replace larger sections, but otherwise piece what i have back together. Now got to work out if I can get parts supplied to UK!

 

[numby]

My own experience with my rig… in ‘92 I hand built a tub for my ‘74 frame. A year or two later I replaced my ‘74 frame with a ‘77 frame that was in excellent condition. Every single bolt lined up perfectly. So I don’t buy the no 2 frames are quite the same. That’s not been my experience.

I’ve also had 4-5 different years of hardtop sides bolted onto my tub, and they all fit. Could there have been a mm off here or there… certainly. But nothing like the OP is seeing.

I did say 40-60 year old parts. When you did your '74 tub replacement in '92 you were at the 18 year mark. I've swapped a frame on a 20 year old vehicle and had good luck. And there is leeway to shift the body around to get things lined up if the frame is basically plumb, square, and true. Add another 20-40 years of unknown abuse and who knows what folks are running in to.

I'm not making excuses for the body panel manufacturers. There are obviously issues with the OP's tub and I wonder how places like CCOT install their own stuff if everyone is having a tough time of it. Are they pawning off the rejects and keeping the best stuff for their own restorations? Are the big name resto houses having issues with tub replacement or are their high end clientele starting wiih creampuff cruisers we'd all be happy to slap some paint on and drive?

I think your experience is (at least partially) the result of your expertise. I've built a lot of things in my life but I would not be capable of doing what you did. The OP felt they had no other choice but to replace a tub so I was trying to provide some perspective as limited as it may be.

 

[bikersmurf]

I did say 40-60 year old parts. When you did your '74 tub replacement in '92 you were at the 18 year mark. I've swapped a frame on 20 year old vehicle and had good luck. And there is leeway to shift the body around to get things lined up if the frame is basically plumb, square, and true. Add another 20-40 years of unknown abuse and who knows what folks are running in to.

I'm not making excuses for the body panel manufacturers. There are obviously issues with the OP's tub and I wonder how places like CCOT install their own stuff if everyone is having a tough time of it. Are they pawning off the rejects and keeping the best stuff for their own restorations? Are the big name resto houses having issues with tub replacement or are their high end clientele starting wiih creampuff cruisers we'd all be happy to slap some paint on and drive?

I think your experience is (at least partially) the result of your expertise. I've built a lot of things in my life but I would not be capable of doing what you did. The OP felt they had no other choice but to replace a tub so I was trying to provide some perspective as limited as it may be.

Despite what I’ve done, I had no expertise going in. Back when in ‘92, I was just a kid who’d grown up on a farm around a carpenter. I’d never done any bodywork before to speak of.

The only reason I’m clarifying this is that I want other DIYers to know that they can do it too. 40 series are basic and fairly crude machines… set aside your fear and apprehension and go for it. YouTube has videos on just about everything now… in 1991 there was no YouTube. Ih8mud is also a great resource that didn’t exist back then.

I did have a friend who was a mechanic to consult if I needed advice, but rarely needed it after learning to do my first brake job. The only possible advantage I had over the average joe is in my DNA. My great grandfather was a blacksmith, my grandfather was a farmer & faller in a remote area, and my uncle was a heavy duty mechanic. I did grow up on a farm and learned to fix my own bikes… but only ever took one high school metal class in grade 9 or 10. If you’re on the fence, it’s more about committing and follow through than mad skills.

That said, there are some mudders who have mad skills & experience… but I generally don’t feel I’m one of them. I tip my hat to them, but there are even more of us who’ve just figured it out as we go along by reading a Haynes manual (cover to cover a few times).

 

[Curtice]

Topnault posted yesterday on Facebook that they have fixed the alignment problems based on feedback from customers.

 

[Golfer53]

I bought one of the full tubs for a 77'. Basically this is a generic tub that requires a lot of adapting for a 77' FJ40. We (myself and a welder) had to redo most of the body mounts to fit my frame and redo a lot of the firewall accommodations for various brackets and access holes. There are no holes/weld nuts for either the top or the spare tire carrier so it took considerable time to install weld nuts through the channel for the top and bolt them in place for welding. I tore out the existing cross body mount brackets (2) and replaced them with the old ones on the old body so the height would be correct and to allow for the heat shields. It has been a 2 month project.

 

[brian]

I did say 40-60 year old parts. When you did your '74 tub replacement in '92 you were at the 18 year mark. I've swapped a frame on a 20 year old vehicle and had good luck. And there is leeway to shift the body around to get things lined up if the frame is basically plumb, square, and true. Add another 20-40 years of unknown abuse and who knows what folks are running in to.

I'm not making excuses for the body panel manufacturers. There are obviously issues with the OP's tub and I wonder how places like CCOT install their own stuff if everyone is having a tough time of it. Are they pawning off the rejects and keeping the best stuff for their own restorations? Are the big name resto houses having issues with tub replacement or are their high end clientele starting wiih creampuff cruisers we'd all be happy to slap some paint on and drive?

I think your experience is (at least partially) the result of your expertise. I've built a lot of things in my life but I would not be capable of doing what you did. The OP felt they had no other choice but to replace a tub so I was trying to provide some perspective as limited as it may be.

I just dropped a 71 or 72 tub on a 74 frame and had no issues with bodymounts not lining up.

 

[Pitter Patter]

I’m very confused as to why the body mount locations are an issue for these aftermarket tubs. Seems like a simple jig would solve this. Not to mention all the little details like the captive nut locations. I understand those little details require a lot of skilled labor but it seems odd to fully omit all the attachment points and some of the firewall details. Will be curious to hear what else you find when this is completely installed.

 

[timmyisinthewell]

My old microfiche (sorry about pic quality, but the fiche panels and the viewer are close to fifty years old) shows nine different frame part numbers for the period 03/69 through 07/80 for the USA and Canada market. What changes to the frame necessitated a change in part numbers?

I just dropped a 71 or 72 tub on a 74 frame and had no issues with bodymounts not lining up.

 

[brian]

My old microfiche (sorry about pic quality, but the fiche panels and the viewer are close to fifty years old) shows nine different frame part numbers for the period 03/69 through 07/80 for the USA and Canada market. What changes to the frame necessitated a change in part numbers?


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Probably anything from bracket mounting locations to the location of the torsion tube crossmember....but i can assure you it wasnt body mount locations

 

[Living in the Past]

Question, do they have an actual frame in good condition or measurements they found somewhere. I know the original late model cowls were only available in RHD. The insert dash on RHD started 10/81, LHD was 10/82 a full year later. 10/82 the transmission hump changed for the H55F five speed available in some markets. The first ones offered had the transmission tunnel for a four speed and insert dash for the 10/82+. Actually the non insert dash with later transmission hump. Not sure if they have changed but original the 78 and early ones first produced had a rear sill more like the 79+ tubs. China is not the best place to locate 40 in great shape to use in reproducing replacement tubs.

 

[totalcruiser]

Hello everyone, I just bought the complete bodywork on April 16 for a client. I am waiting for the shipment, according to what they told me, 10 days for the tub alone and 30 days for all the other parts. According to what Mr. Young told me, the holes for the roof panel and chassis have already been corrected. As of today, I haven't received tracking number or delivery date. I will keep you posted. This is my first time participating in this forum. I have 30 years of experience with Landcruisers, if you are interested in seeing my work my instagram is totalcruisermiami.

 

[1MOA]

Hello everyone, I just bought the complete bodywork on April 16 for a client. I am waiting for the shipment, according to what they told me, 10 days for the tub alone and 30 days for all the other parts. According to what Mr. Young told me, the holes for the roof panel and chassis have already been corrected. As of today, I haven't received tracking number or delivery date. I will keep you posted. This is my first time participating in this forum. I have 30 years of experience with Landcruisers, if you are interested in seeing my work my instagram is totalcruisermiami.

Please post up on ih8 mud what you are dealt and how it goes together.
There are A LOT of members here who do not participate in Instagram/twitter/Facebook

 

[cruisermatt]

Hello everyone, I just bought the complete bodywork on April 16 for a client. I am waiting for the shipment, according to what they told me, 10 days for the tub alone and 30 days for all the other parts. According to what Mr. Young told me, the holes for the roof panel and chassis have already been corrected. As of today, I haven't received tracking number or delivery date. I will keep you posted. This is my first time participating in this forum. I have 30 years of experience with Landcruisers, if you are interested in seeing my work my instagram is totalcruisermiami.

welcome Alberto!!! good to see you here

 

[DKM]

I just took delivery of the complete tub, front fenders, hood, and windshield frame. I thought I would share some pictures of the tub and first impressions. The tub arrived bolted to a welded frame with the other parts inside of it. It was wrapped in cardboard. No shipping damage. I looked over the tub and my first impression is that it’s not terrible but it’s not perfect either. The welds are pretty sloppy and they used a god awful white seam filler. The seams on the rear quarters aren’t great and will need some love. I don’t have the original here to compare but it looks pretty legit. The one thing I was a little disappointed in so far is there are no tapped holes to bolt the hard top to. I took out the windshield frame and it looks great. This of course will all come down to fitment. All in all, it is a thousand percent better starting point from the rust riddled original. Body guy will have it within a few weeks and we will see how it goes and his thoughts.

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Am I mistaken, or shouldn't the passenger side front left seat bracket be welded to the body? If not, how does that attach? Mine is not bolted to the body.

 

[Living in the Past]

Am I mistaken, or shouldn't the passenger side front left seat bracket be welded to the body? If not, how does that attach? Mine is not bolted to the body.

There is a small bracket welded to the floor the seat base that runs between the two front seats bolts to on the passenger side.


One thing I can't understand is why it seems all the aftermarket tubs have hole to drain the center cowl vent. 9/73 Toyota resigned the front heater with a vent on top. For the next few years the vent was still there but welded shut on models with a factory heater. After that the vent was completely removed. Up to 1/75 Toyota continued run the cowl drain thru the firewall. Then for a couple years thru the transmission hump. When. The cowl was removed so we're the drain holes on models with a factory heater. So what logic is there in adding hole with no vent? Once Toyota did away with the vent completely the holes were gone too. This isn't rocket science.

 

[Pitter Patter]

Any updates on this project? I’m sitting in my garage. Lifting pansy weights. And looking at my FJ40 bodywork and 43 year old bodybuilding woes. Hoping you have been able to correct this tub and make it work.

 

[JKIII FJ40]

wondering the same

 

[brian]

The OP hasn't been seen since late march...unlikely we'll be hearing much from them.

 

[Living in the Past]

The OP hasn't been seen since late march...unlikely we'll be hearing much from them.

Also joined in January of this year with only sixteen posts. Very good chance your right.

 

[Pitter Patter]

Bummer. I hope the project didn’t get stalled.