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Unfortunately, not very many softtops were ever put on the FJ40s sold here in the US, and
those that were, have fallen victim to wear and tear and are unfit for use, or, if in good shape,
the lucky owners very seldom wish to sell them for a reasonable price. Toyota also has long
discontinued making the complete softtop, although a few pieces still are available (more on
that later). So, I was beginning to think I’d never obtain an OEM softtop, until an
enterprising individual in Pakistan saw the demand, and stepped up.
About a year ago, I noticed on the Land Cruiser mailing list (LCML) discussion about
possibly reproducing the Toyota FJ40 softtop in Pakistan. Over there, Land Cruisers are the
vehicle of choice, given the rugged, mountainous, terrain. Ehsan Kiani, a doctor living in
Islamabad, inquired on the LCML whether anyone would be interested in a newly made OEM softtop. I, along with many others on the LCML, told him I’d be willing to purchase one, if he could get them produced. A discussion list soon ensued, as Ehsan interacted with us to iron out difficulties such as modifying the bows for shipping, hardware plating, fit & finish, and fabric selection.
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In August, Ehsan had his first sample top ready to ship, and it was sent to Dustin Butler in San
Francisco. This top was a perfect fit on Dustin’s 72 FJ40! A second sample top soon arrived
for Wayne Smith, who lives in Calgary, Canada, to test fit. Again, as in Dustin’s case, this
top was also a perfect fit! |
After these first two samples were received, and were critiqued, I realized that Ehsan now had
the shown his capability to meet my desire for a factory Softtop. I confirmed pricing and
shipping details with Ehsan, and I then wired him payment for him to start on my top. This was
in late September.
 Ehsan kept me up to date on the progress of making my top,
including sending pictures of it being test fitted! There were several delays along the way,
including difficulty in locating the proper color off-white vinyl for my top, and his
requirement on obtaining export licensing from his government. But finally, he had it
finished, and it was on it’s way to Dallas, TX via DHL air express. It arrived in Dallas on
December 6th. |
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When I opened the box, and pulled out the bows, and
door pieces, I was impressed with how well it was made. All the stampings are perfectly
formed, made out of correct gauge sheet steel, and replicate the factory lines. The bows were
properly formed, and fit together without difficulty, and are of heavy steel tubing, just like
the OEM style bows. |
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The bows have been cut, to fit into the shipping box. Ehsan's design of
these joints are well thought out, however, as he's inserted smaller tubing inside the joints,
and he has drilled the bows for countersink screws. A very neat solution, I must say! All of
the metal parts were covered with gray primer. |
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The actual softtop is made of heavy vinyl material. It’s substantially heavier in weight than
any aftermarket top I’ve seen. My particular top was made in off-white color, because I wanted
to replicate the actual color of a Toyota top. Other colors available are tan (two different
choices), black, and gray.
The only item Ehsan forgot to include in my shipment was the windshield channel. Ehsan
quickly e-mailed me about this right after the shipment went out, and made arrangements to a
have a second channel placed in an order going out the next day to another purchaser here in the
US.
Ehsan includes all the metric nuts, bolts, washers, and screws necessary to fit the top.
He also includes a package of zinc plated turnbuckles, and turnbuckle receptacles. These are
not as heavy duty as the Toyota turnbuckles, so I plan on using Toyota turnbuckles instead,
which are, surprisingly, still available at the dealer. Ehsan also leaves the turnbuckle
receptacles unattached, so that the installer can properly locate, and install them. This is a
good idea, in my opinion.
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I haven’t yet installed my top on my 72 FJ40, as I’ve
still got some rust repair work I want to finish before I get ready to prep my body tub for
painting. I plan on painting the bows and hardware the same color as the tub.
I’ve now got a second soft top on order with Ehsan, along with about 25 other fellow
land cruiser owners. We’re trying to cut shipping costs by filling up a cargo container, and
have it shipped to San Francisco, where Tom Quinn will disperse the contents to the proper
owner. Projected shipping date is February 2003. |
Ehsan’s pricing structure for these initial orders was $500
for the complete top. I now notice that his price has increased to $700 (or $600 each if 5 or
more tops are ordered). DHL air freight is available for $300, which in my opinion, is a very
good deal considering it’s coming from Pakistan, and the package weighs over 90 lbs, and is
quite bulky. DHL delivers to your doorstep, just like UPS.
So, if you’re looking for a factory FJ40 softtop, Ehsan’s reproduction seems to be the
best choice, (or at this time the only choice) at acquiring a new factory softtop. |
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