U.S soft top possibility version 2 east coast

[Trollhole]

Thought I still had a picture.....

Either the early windshields were different in the way the top corners were made or someone has screwed your s*** up because your missing you wings man the wings. No wonder your s*** was flapping around.

I wonder if all early cruisers were like this?

 

[Trollhole]

First picture is of a 62 soft top channel. Welded on channel. Sorry best picture I could get. It is stored away with the tub.

Second channels are the standard channel I'm use to seeing

Third is the channel that came with the 67 bows. This a bolt on channel but shaped like the weld on type

all three are OEM as far as I know.

Anybody else seen one like the one in picture three? Ocdbeetle 65 soft top's channel is like the second picture I posted

You sir suck. All those bows sitting in the back just teasing us. Looks like a 3 sets of early bows and a couple sets of 63 and later?

 

[Trollhole]

here is a pic of mine...oem windshield channel...it does have a bend on top...but 'box' area also goes down infront of the windshield frame.

I had noticed that Ehsans channel goes with the 'box' area ontop of the windshield frame

So what are these dimensions? I'd like to have some bent up this week.

I'm assuming they are 16ga roughly? Any drawbacks in the design?

 

[Living in the Past]

Either the early windshields were different in the way the top corners were made or someone has screwed your s*** up because your missing you wings man the wings. No wonder your s*** was flapping around.

I wonder if all early cruisers were like this?

The missing part was a early soft top model thing. In the early years your FJ40 was either a soft op model or a hard top model. The extra part was used to bolt the hard top down. The soft top never used that extra bolt as far as I know. The difference was around 66 Toyota made both models so the other top could be installed.

As far as the bows I haven't picked up any in the last five years until this set came up on Mud. After a couple of days there wasn't any interest so I jumped on them. This is the most I've ever paid for a top and bows. By in 96 I picked up a top, bows and doors locally for $150. That was back in the day you have to pick up a paper daily and search the want ads to find any deals. The shipping on the last top and bows cost almost that much. How times have changed

 

[JohnnyC]

I'm assuming they are 16ga roughly? Any drawbacks in the design?

i would say yes about 16ga.

the major drawback is the ends...if they sloped down the ends i think would be better.

the sharp ends over time wear into and thru the top...the ends of my canvas are double layered and are starting to poke thru after 5 years of DD new england weather.

my old kaylines lasted about 2 years and in 3-4 would be fully ripped in the corners.

my 2c

 

[apeterson]

Pled our case? What the heck are you talking about. There is no case to pled as you say. We don't have to prove anything to you or anybody else. Constructive comments were made on observations by two experienced 40 owners as feedback. From what I have read on this thread Travis is working to refine the materal and fit his tops. Without feedback he wouldn't know about these problems or any others. I have stated that several times in my comments. You can think anything you want I could care less. I am done with this thread. To Travis I hope you get everything worked out. My intentions were not as some have taken them. Good luck on the tops.

what I was saying is we have figured out that your flap deal is really not an issue at this time as you don’t not install it correctly, or it better yet it does not fit your windshield....

you stated that you had other problems... a few of us asked nicely what they were... then you posted what you did... so..... all we are asking for is more info... if you dont want to fine...

but then again if you really are a "experienced FJ40 owner" (what does that mean anyway???) then I don’t know how you would not have done more homework on the flap. I consider this a non issue, and am wondering what your other issues are as you really are refusing to tell them... you just state that there are others??? so for the benefit of the group either tell us what they are or don’t post up that you think there are problems...

 

[Living in the Past]

i would say yes about 16ga.

the major drawback is the ends...if they sloped down the ends i think would be better.

the sharp ends over time wear into and thru the top...the ends of my canvas are double layered and are starting to poke thru after 5 years of DD new england weather.

my old kaylines lasted about 2 years and in 3-4 would be fully ripped in the corners.

my 2c

I wonder do you think putting some of the molding like you find around the 60 series door opening along the edge might help this out?

 

[Living in the Past]

I think your missing the point. The extra flap across the front is a design flaw. It doesn't need to be there. There is no way that is not going to catch the wind and flap or try and tear the piece out of the channel. No other top has them for a reason. I don't think anyone is making a federal case out of this but you. Travis is working the bugs out, so all he has to do is do away with the flap. It's just that simple. just make the top so the part that fits in the channel also has the extra material to have the small flap on the end with the snap.

I don't like the flap on the SOR new top either. They say you need the twists that must mean there is another piece under that for the twists so what hold that flap down? I guess that suppose to help keep dust out. All I can say if your worried about dust you shouldn't be driving a utility vehicle that's at least twenty-five years old.

 

[apeterson]

I don't like the flap on the SOR new top either. They say you need the twists that must mean there is another piece under that for the twists so what hold that flap down? I guess that suppose to help keep dust out. All I can say if your worried about dust you shouldn't be driving a utility vehicle that's at least twenty-five years old.

does sor have that flap on it???? I wonder why travis put it there??? he told me he patterned his after a 73 or so Factory soft top???

 

[SouthBostonFJ40]

I wish OCD would comment on the service he got from Travis after the sale.

 

[Living in the Past]

does sor have that flap on it????

The flap I'm talking about on the SOR top is along the sides. There are the standard twists along the sides covered up by the flap. Pretty sure SOR didn't put one across the front. I think the one on the front would catch the wind and try to tear the top off. The flap along the sides I think would do just that, flap.

 

[cruiser_guy]

i would say yes about 16ga.

the major drawback is the ends...if they sloped down the ends i think would be better.

the sharp ends over time wear into and thru the top...the ends of my canvas are double layered and are starting to poke thru after 5 years of DD new england weather.

my old kaylines lasted about 2 years and in 3-4 would be fully ripped in the corners.

my 2c

It looks to me from your picture that you want the channel to curve to the front?!? Is that right?

 

[JohnnyC]

the corners to curve down...but i may just try a piece of door edging...that was a good idea

 

[cruiser_guy]

the corners to curve down...but i may just try a piece of door edging...that was a good idea

We can make the channel any way that works best. If a curve down at the ends is desired, let's do it!!

Opinions?

 

[Volcano cruiser]

As with resurrecting most old threads the OP starts out with "whatever happened with...." If I can pick up where I last fell of the truck, The last post in this thread from either Travis or Scott was back almost a year ago, in July of 2009. Last I read, some folks had gotten tops, some very content, one not so content. I recall some mention of a new thread and moving to the vendor section or an ebay store front setup. I looked in the vendor section, zippo and I tried searching on Ebay and again, zippo. This of course could all be due to my frequently sub par searching skills. These guys are decent fellows and I'm curious what was the last word? Are they still in business? Did the economy do them in? Is there a website that I'm just not in on where this has all shifted to? Any news would be appreciated.
John

 

[myquestoyota]

Love to see an OEM style soft top w/collapsible frame

 

[John Smith]

As with resurrecting most old threads the OP starts out with "whatever happened with...." If I can pick up where I last fell of the truck, The last post in this thread from either Travis or Scott was back almost a year ago, in July of 2009. Last I read, some folks had gotten tops, some very content, one not so content. I recall some mention of a new thread and moving to the vendor section or an ebay store front setup. I looked in the vendor section, zippo and I tried searching on Ebay and again, zippo. This of course could all be due to my frequently sub par searching skills. These guys are decent fellows and I'm curious what was the last word? Are they still in business? Did the economy do them in? Is there a website that I'm just not in on where this has all shifted to? Any news would be appreciated.
John

Love to see an OEM style soft top w/collapsible frame

No need to wait, ocdbeetle has been delivering. https://forum.ih8mud.com/merchandise-storefront/326260-canvas-soft-tops.html

 

[Volcano cruiser]

Sad news

Folks I was contacted by Travis's (softopguy) widow Kim. Travis sucumbed to several illnesses and passed away on Tuesday, 21 September 2010. She asked me to pass along that he enjoyed the personal and business relationships that he developed because of his time on Mud. She asked me to convey how much he loved working with guys here on Mud and how he wished that he could have done more before everything in him gave out.

I always found both Travis and Scott to be stand up guys to deal with. I passed on our profound condolences to his widow Kim.

 

[JohnnyC]

that is very sad news....thank you for passing on this information

my prayers are with Kim and Scotts families

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

I just read this in another thread...very sad. My condolences to the families.