Thread: Top for my roadster

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Originally Posted by C9x

I think I have it.
Hiding the rear bow where it drops down toward the cockpit pivot point.

I think LB calls that the Gypsy top style.

It looks good, no doubt about it, but I thought that style would impinge on the side view looking out so opted for the more open appearance.

.

Not quite - yours fastens 4 to 6 behind the bow, the gypsy fastens at the bow, but it is still cut the same way. What I'm describing that I have had my upholsterer do was to make it have the same rounded shape as a cabriolet.

I don't think I'll have a visibility problem - I'm 6'4" and have Glide seats that will allow me a good sight position

See the Bop Top picture attached - this is the approximate configuation I have with L-B hardware. Also, attached is a photo of the interior - w/o seats.

I see what you're saying.

The Gypsy top follows the oak bow down all the way.

Your top form looks very nice.
Kinda 34 like which is the best look of all imo.


I'm planning on adapting 32 top bows to my 31 on 32 rails project.
Should be an easy project and all that looks like will have to be done vis a vis the top cloth proper is pull the top deck back about 2" before fastening.

All the 32 top irons require is the front horizontal bar be sectioned 2" and welded back together.

Everything else fits pretty good.

The pic shows a trial run with the 32's top.

I got curious about whether or not the 31's top - folded - would fit in the 31 trunk and did some measuring.
Looks like it will, but it'll just make it if it does.
Has to lie diagonally across the trunk, but I have unimpeded trunk space from behind the seat to the rear sill/trunk lid.

The top definitely won't fit into my 32's trunk with rumble lid - and no seats, just upholstery.

I'm liking the 31' s trunk option a lot better than the rumble seat option in my 32.

I just got the new issue of Street Rodder Magazine (November 2006). Well, I actually didn't buy it, I just borrowed it from my kid , and it contains a few articles on tops. One is about Carson tops making a comeback (lift off tops) and another article is about an Australian top iron kit. There is also an ad for a fiberglass top that you can upholster to look like a cloth top.

Anyone thinking of spending money to do this to their car should get this issue.

Don

QUOTE=C9x]I see what you're saying.

I'm liking the 31' s trunk option a lot better than the rumble seat option in my 32.



Suspicions confirmed - a '32 top is so close to a '31 it is almost like Ole Henry planned it that way.

While I do have a trunk as well, and have removed the angled floor that Brookville so kindly furnished after I specified and bought a flat floor, there is no way that I could put my top in there. I added support steel to reduce the amout of body floppiness, added a large Optima battery and holder, built a double bulkhead ~ 6" between panels to contain my American Autowire electrical system. I will be able to get a folding chair, a six cooler and a bottle of sunscreen in there.

Which brings up my question to you - where is your battery and gas tank going to reside? My '31's gas tank is a '32 style, using a Dagel's type frame mod, but I don't see a tank on your car. Will they use up most of your trunk?
I attached photos(hope they come out) of my upolstered trunk before stripping out for paint - not a lot of room, especially when I add the battery.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I just got the new issue of Street Rodder Magazine (November 2006).
Anyone thinking of spending money to do this to their car should get this issue.

Don

Don
I made one up out of steel - still fairly light - but by the time you are done, you will have spent about as much money, plus one heck of a lot of work (days) that Street Rodder doesn't tell you about. Eventually I'll finish it (I promised my upholsterer another challange) and probably sell the top irons I now have.

You still need a latching system, front and back, a header board that needs to be designed and cut out of a piece of dense wood like ash or oak and it still has to look right. I felt that I needed another 16 to 24 hours, minimum, of work on top of the 40 to 60 hours already consumed before it was ready for upholstery. I took the easy way out and went the LeBaron Bonney top irons route for the time being - with this top finished later.

Attached is a mid build photo with a temporary poplar wood header, no rear window panel and about 75% of the structure welded in place

Originally Posted by Irelands child

QUOTE=C9x]I see what you're saying.

I'm liking the 31' s trunk option a lot better than the rumble seat option in my 32.



Suspicions confirmed - a '32 top is so close to a '31 it is almost like Ole Henry planned it that way.

While I do have a trunk as well, and have removed the angled floor that Brookville so kindly furnished after I specified and bought a flat floor, there is no way that I could put my top in there. I added support steel to reduce the amout of body floppiness, added a large Optima battery and holder, built a double bulkhead ~ 6" between panels to contain my American Autowire electrical system. I will be able to get a folding chair, a six cooler and a bottle of sunscreen in there.

Which brings up my question to you - where is your battery and gas tank going to reside? My '31's gas tank is a '32 style, using a Dagel's type frame mod, but I don't see a tank on your car. Will they use up most of your trunk?
I attached photos(hope they come out) of my upolstered trunk before stripping out for paint - not a lot of room, especially when I add the battery.

People find it hard to believe, but the 31 and 32 cockpits measure just about the same with only 1/8" to 1/4" difference in all dimensions except cockpit depth.
The 31 cockpit depth is 2" shallower than the 32.
It wasn't difficult to get a good seating position with a mid 90's ChryCo soccer Mom van middle seat -- the true two passenger seat fwiw.
Many times you'll find the three passenger seat in the middle since the vans are set up to accept either seat in the middle.

With a fairly low and slightly tilted back seat base, you're looking through the center of the windshield which is about the right place for most.
Sweetie's 5'2" and she can see out of the 32 just fine -- it's seating position is the same height-wise as the 31.
There's more legroom in the 31 since the back cushion is just under the rear cockpit rail.
The 32's seat back cushion is too thick and doesn't go back into the trunk area which makes for a little less legroom.
Even so, the 32 is a comfortable car to spend the day in.
Live and learn.
The 31 also has a 4" firewall recess and the 32 firewall is flat.

I'm liking all the room in the 31's trunk as it now sits.
The fuel tanks go under the body inside the frame rails ahead of the 4 link crossmember.
There will be two and they will hold 7 gallons each.
A little more would be nice, but the 31's fuel cell is a 16 gallon model and I've never put more than 13 gallons in it.

Right now I'm deciding on the fuel filler.
The 32's is on the trunk deck sill just behind the cockpit rail left side.
That's a workable deal on the 31 as far as the filler goes, but a little measuring shows that if I run the license plate between the 39 taillights I can sink a well in there, hinge the license plate bracket and have a hidden filler cap ala 57 - and a few more - Ford.
There's a 10" drop so fuel should flow in ok.

Far as the battery goes, it will go under the body, in front of the rear axle, behind the 4 link crossmember and inside the inside the frame 4 links.
I have the same battery box setup in the 32 and it works well.

Dropping the battery on the 32 requires removal of four bolts.
I'm leaning toward a cantilevered open on one side battery box on the 31 that would allow the box to stay and the battery to be lifted out.
I'll be cutting the battery box out today - 1/2" x 1" rect tubing - so we'll see how that goes.

When I started the 32 I had a DieHard wet cell battery and due to lack of heat and being in a fairly cool area it only required water - and not much - twice over a 4 year period.

Now I'm running an Optima so life is even easier.

The pic shows a two chamber FlowMaster muffler - the short one - close to the battery box therefore the aluminum heat shields.
The 32 originally started life with a pair of glass packs that gave much more clearance between hot muff and battery.

If I could fit them in I'd run three chamber FlowMasters in the 31.
I have a pair of them on my 2002 F150 Ford SuperCrew and they have a mellow sweet sound reminiscent of a back in the day steelpack muff.

The two chambers on the 32 are too noisy.
Not to mention I've tried four different sets of mufflers on the 32 and they were all a little noisy.
My preference would be to run a Hemi Muffler.
They have a bit of sound, are a good performer, but best of all quiet.

It ain't about the noise, it's about the music....

C9
I'll send you a PM - we've hijacked this for our own discussion.

Sorry HiboyGirl

Originally Posted by C9x

I think I have it.
Hiding the rear bow where it drops down toward the cockpit pivot point.

I think LB calls that the Gypsy top style.

It looks good, no doubt about it, but I thought that style would impinge on the side view looking out so opted for the more open appearance.

Yes I drove a cabriolet Deuce and did not like the fact that the top prevented me from having decent visibility to my sides. I would favor a style that is more "open", like yours. I saw a for sale add in paper picturing an original HF roadster with a top that was quite open on the sides but the bow was not showing. Regretably I don't know who made that top. I did save the classified showing the photo of that roadster for sale (which was picture with that cool top on). Maybe I'll just call the seller and ask . It could also mean that this was a hard top, not a folding one.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I just got the new issue of Street Rodder Magazine (November 2006). Well, I actually didn't buy it, I just borrowed it from my kid , and it contains a few articles on tops. One is about Carson tops making a comeback (lift off tops) and another article is about an Australian top iron kit. There is also an ad for a fiberglass top that you can upholster to look like a cloth top.

Anyone thinking of spending money to do this to their car should get this issue.

Don

YES - Two cool facts:

1- I am delighted to see my good buddy Todd's coupe on the cover - he's a real nice guy always very helpful. he'll be at the Cruise for a cure event saturday, I am sure he will showing off the magazine hehe (I would too if I was on the cover ). The coupe is for sale by the way... I guess he wants to move on to the next project?

2- I am driving down to CW Moss TODAY to look at that Roadster Ute top, which they have on display there (although from what I understand, just the frame, not an actual finished one). I'll let you know my thoughts. I also did contact the manufacturer and he said to buy the street rodder magazine to see photos LOL - which is on my list of things to do this morning before I hit the road. The frame is under $500, but it does not float" meaning you have to use tacks on your body - not my favorite way to go.

Originally Posted by HiboyGal

Yes I drove a cabriolet Deuce and did not like the fact that the top prevented me from having decent visibility to my sides. I would favor a style that is more "open", like yours. I saw a for sale add in paper picturing an original HF roadster with a top that was quite open on the sides but the bow was not showing. Regretably I don't know who made that top. I did save the classified showing the photo of that roadster for sale (which was picture with that cool top on). Maybe I'll just call the seller and ask . It could also mean that this was a hard top, not a folding one.

One thing you can do when starting from scratch is to get the top irons mounted then install the oak bows by wrapping them with masking tape in the location you think you want them.
The masking tape makes it easy to slide the bows up and down on the irons so you can get an idea of how the top's lines will flow.

Once the oak bows are on, run several lengths of masking tape from rear cockpit rail to windshield header.
Covering half of the top will be sufficient because it's the side view you're checking out.

The side view of my 31 with masking tape that mimics the hood line will give you a good idea.
The tape will be fairly straight, but in this pic the grille shell came back a touch which allowed slack in the tape.

Once you're happy with the top's lines, install the oak bows with stainless sheet metal screws - with phillips heads.

I made a point to drive my 32 around for a few days after I'd decided where the oak bows should go.
Wrapping a little black electricians tape over the masking tape adds some strength and the masking tape prevents the black stick-um from transferring to the oak bows.
It was educational to have the top irons on and see how things like entry and exit worked out.
You'll find you have to do a slightly different maneuver when getting in or out of the car as compared to what you do when the top is off.

C9 and all of you guys: Once again you impress me with both your knowledge and your coolness (and yoru willingness to help others). I wish all forums were like this one! I previously was posting on 'another forum' (which I am not at liberty to mention hehe) and I had to run for my life, seems the only thing some of their members were interested in over there was to pick on you and they come across like total jerks. I am so glad I found this Deuce corner, where I feel welcome and I get great help from experienced Deuce owners!

You guys ROCK!

Here's another one that helps in the cold/rainy weather.

A pair of windwings.

These are made of Lexan as noted in a post above.
They mount to re-pro WW clamps from Vintique.

Note that the Lexan panels are not as long horizontally speaking as the stock 32 WW panel's.

Stock length WW's work ok, but impede entry & exit a touch.
The length on these works well, do not get in the way when entering or exiting and the nice part is, they still allow airflow in the summer.
I used to take the WW's off in the summer.

I also had a set of glass WW's and they were so heavy that they tended to slide/pivot down out of the WW clamps, especially in cold weather.
Lexan is much lighter than glass and the WW's on the 32 are about ten years old and as you can see still very clear.

One last cold weather hint . . . besides getting a heater.
Heaters do well even in an open roadster, especially so for the passenger since it dumps heat right in their lap and the driver also gets some heat.
The heater in my 32 is from Al's Carponents and works well.

The pic shows rear quarter windows that mount to the rear oak bow with longer sheet metal screws and a machine screw & nylock nut at the bottom.

Airflow tends to come off the WW's, turn in and enter the cockpit near the rear of the side window opening.
Taller people are not too bothered, but shorter folks get hit with cold air right in the ear.
The quarter windows keep the airflow out of the car

The Quarter windows you see were the prototypes.
Constructed from 1/8" Lexan.

They worked ok, but since they are center mounted, airflow caused them to buzz at highway speed.
Over a period of time they would probably start breaking, plus the buzz is a pain.

The ones in the car now are made from 3/16" Lexan.
The 3/16" is stiff enough to resist buzzing from airflow.

The quarter windows do a good job during the winter - down to 16 degrees F is my personal record - but are removed in summer to improve airflow.

I can see the coupe guys out there wondering why all the effort to set up a roadster for cold - or hot - weather running.
Kinda simple, cold weather comes on for several months here in Arizona and in fact in Central California where I used to live.
Kinda nice to be able to run it and not get eat up with the cold.

And . . . I have yet to see a hot rod coupe running in cold weather.
Here or in Sunny California....

Faith, you hung in there longer than I would have. You were taking a real beating.

Don

Originally Posted by Irelands child

C9
I'll send you a PM - we've hijacked this for our own discussion.

Sorry HiboyGirl

I don't think so.

Looks like there's some good info here that Hiboy Gal can take advantage of.

I like talking to folks who've done a particular thing on their hot rods.
It can help most times.

The voice of experience and all that....