Thread: Roadster Top Question

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I think that the answer is obvious, but I don't want to mess up an expensive top frame so I'm asking those who have walked this road before me. This is a Rodwell top, but I think that my question applies to any roadster top frame that one might buy, mass produced for the street rod market. The top is sitting atop the windshield frame, but the stanchions are hand tight, not yet tight to the body which has no bearing on my question. This first picture is from the front, showing that the top frame is biased outboard about 1.5" from the mounting tab on the body. The other side is the same, which makes the mis-match nominal 3".

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This is from the bottom rear, showing the angle outboard from back to front.
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And this is from below, showing the same angled condition static.
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It seems to me that the answer is that the bottom rear bracket, which is formed in a "U" shape to fit around the top of the body behind the cockpit, needs to be gently bent at the corners to bring the side pieces in to match the width of the mounts. Again, it's likely obvious, and it may well be that every top frame made is expected to be "tweaked" to fit but there are no instructions on the fitting process for either windshield or top. Hoping that someone who's done these tops before, Rodwell, RodTops, Chaver's or others that have this non-folding frame can ease my mind on the fitting approach.

After several hours of messing with it I cut it loose from the fixed body mounts on the sides to see how it would sit. Thankfully I had bolted the body mounts in place vs welding, because it became apparent that they were in the way. After another hour of fussing with it I coupled together an extended pipe clamp that allowed me to flex the top in to fit the body and found that the two fixed mounts needed to move forward.

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The drivers side measures 1" while the passenger measures 3/4" so I think the answer is to shift them both forward 7/8". Instead of being back from the door edge 3.125" to center of hole they needed to be 2.25". Not sure if it's a difference in the body or just a feature of the top but I'm on the path to getting it fixed. Wish I'd waited to do the body mounts until I had the top in hand and it would have saved a lot of frustration. The back edge is still sitting high by about 3/8" to 1/2", but I believe the key to that is getting the body mounts fixed, then using the windshield angle to "tweak" the top around those fixed points. At least that seems to make sense....

Yer on the right track Roger, I've had to do the same on 2 of Dick's top frames/
At least your body isn't painted, easy fix.

Yeah, it's not a big deal, just took me a while to get to the point of understanding they needed to move. I also put a slight downward bend in the bottom of the "H" section that forms the back lip of the top where it fits against the body - it was arcing up before as the sides came in and now is staying more flat. I'm still looking at the lip that surrounds the cockpit area. The back of the top doesn't come down to contact the gasket all the way, but it might improve once the side mounts are tied down. Broke a tap in the first side, so gotta run to town in the morning to get a new one. Seems I can either add a layer of foam to the top, or take the time to add maybe 3/8" of fiberglass to the back surround area behind the seats so that it meets the top better. The foam is getting the vote at this point

That's one of the problems with a popular model glass body..........................what was it splashed from? How many iterations preceded this one? All rhetorical, I think you're on the right track. Mock ups are our friend..............

Got the body mounts shifted forward, and enlisted my grandson Dillon who'll be 11 in August, to help hold and assemble. We dropped the passenger side stanchion down about 1/4" to get the windshield to fit the body better, then put the frame on to check fit. Quickly learned that getting the fabric snaps hooked with the frame on the car is all but impossible - when you flex the sides in to attach at the body mounts the top bow arcs to tighten the fabric so it came off again, snapped the fabric on and then back on the car again. Once in place we snugged up the stanchion bolts, and ran one of the mirrors in place just to see how it looked. The only thing left to do is drilling a hole through the rings into the pins on top of the stanchions and thread them to 10-32 for an insurance machine screw. I know that it's supposed to be OK as is, but I'll feel better with a screw in each post.

Profile view
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With the helper, Dillon
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Front angle
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Still a bit of gap at the back corners, but less than 1/4"
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Looks like you answered your own questions, Roger. Good job. I like the stance. What size tires are on the back - those big 15" ones that we can't find any more for less than a good ransom payment?

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

Looks like you answered your own questions, Roger. Good job. I like the stance. What size tires are on the back - those big 15" ones that we can't find any more for less than a good ransom payment?

Thanks on the stance. On the tires, I've got those big ol' 285/70r15's that only Coker sells on the '33 and knew not to make that mistake again. These are 16's to be at least a little bit more friendly on tire availability, and I went an 8" wheel & 75 series sidewalls for a slightly more "traditional" look here. Really selected them more by OD to get the right amount of rubber rake that I like to have.

Roger, I have the same size rear tires on my '34. Worse news, they are more than 5 years old, so none of the tire stores will do any repairs. However, they're in excellent shape w/ no cracking or other problems. I hate to think about the cost if anything happens to one of those. Depending on some ground clearance measurements when I get the car back this week, I may change out the (almost) new front tires. I don't like the sidewall height, and they're a little too tall. Tires and wheels is one of those areas where I didn't do enough advance planning.

By the way, I like the top also. I can't imagine a roadster in Kansas during July & August with no shade from the sun.

Yeah, I've heard the date issues on tires coming up more & more which is a problem for the collector car/street rod that's not a daily driver. The P285 wide ovals are still $225 each, and they carry about $50 shipping for a pair.

Tires are one thing I never expected to have trouble replacing.

First, Hoosier stopped making their DOT tires; I literally grabbed up the last two available from a warehouse, for my 78 Firebird. Now, I'm simply shocked at the price and scarce availability of of 13" tires for my Vega. Remember when you could score them for $12 apiece on sale? Now they are a specialty size, $70 ea!

Looking great, Roger!!!! Looks like you have a good helper there, too!

Times 3 Mr. Spears! Nice look to it! Did you have a lot of input to the rake of the windshield? or was that already built into what you bought?

Shake the helpers hand from us and give him a pat on the back with a "Good Job"!!!

Originally Posted by 34_40

Times 3 Mr. Spears! Nice look to it! Did you have a lot of input to the rake of the windshield? or was that already built into what you bought?

Shake the helpers hand from us and give him a pat on the back with a "Good Job"!!!

Thanks, Mike! The rake of the windshield is 37.5 degrees, and if you're not running a top you can tweak it as desired but it will affect the way the curved bottom of the windshield fits against the body. With the top one leaves the mounting bolts loose, mounts the top and gets it set, which sets the location of the windshield, then with top mounted tighten the stanchion bolts to get it all coordinated.

So I guess.. that means.. "You" made the choice??