Windshield Frame Footman Loop

My brother in law Fred wants to install a windshield hold-down strap, but his windshield frame does not have the removable center footman loop, or even the necessary screw holes to attach one. Lacking any info that would indicate that the center footman loop was optional, Fred and I are wondering if this is likely just an anomaly. When he bought his jeep from the family of the original owner, almost no modifications had been made to it, particularly to the body.

Here's a shot of his windshield frame. The red painted area is where he removed an aftermarket rear view mirror after the frame was repainted, before he installed the current OEM mirror:



To provide a point of comparison, here's one of mine:



Any thoughts?

 

I asked a friend who has owned jeeps for 50+ years, and is very knowledgable, his thoughts on this. Here's his response, which hadn't occurred to me as a possibility:

"There’s probably a bigger context to this issue. For example, If Fred’s CJ came from the factory with a hard top, the factory would not have drilled or installed that footman loop."

 

Some windshield frames, like the one my '66 Tuxedo, had a latch on the outside of the windshield frame which catches a large (larger than a footman loop) hoop in the center of the hood. Perhaps the factory did not drill the holes and install a footman loop if this type of hood catch was used.

I would think it would be pretty obvious if this type of catch mechanism was once on the JEEP, though.

I don't have pictures of this set up. Maybe someone else does.

 

Maury, What year is your Jeep and Fred's Jeep? Windshield frames went through a couple iterations between '64 and '66. Some have a diagonal welded in footman loop, as well as screw in one on yours. I assume both of your frames have straight-top glass?
What mirror/bracket was the earlier one on Fred's windshield frame?
-Donny

 

The latch on the w/s frame engages the tall footman loop on the hood when the hood is raised.This takes the place of a prop rod that came later. The footman loop on the inside top of w/s where the tiedown strap mounts is to tie down w/s in the folded down position.I sill have the original OEM strap on my '71.Would not want to drive around with w/s down without having the w/s tied down. mike

 

Did the factory install hardtops on the ECJ5's .I was thinking it was dealer installed equipment. mike

 

My CJ5 and Fred's are both '67s. Mine was built in August 1966, and Fred's was built in November '66. Both of the windshield frames have straight-top glass.

The old inside rear view mirror on Fred's was an el-cheapo modern aftermarket one. It was not the type that was available as a genuine Jeep-brand option for some time on the early CJs....like this one (which is pretty cool):

 

That's what I'm familiar with, in the 50's era.

Both are visible in the OP's second picture.

 

Here's a pic of the catch for when the hood is raised.

 

This shows the tall footman loop for the windshield saftety catch and the short footman loop for strap that holds the windshield in place when in the down position.