A little different for a new post since the question was asked in another post, but I thought having one under the subject of tops would help keep it form getting lost and other folks could chime in.

Taken from the post on 32 Ford roadster windshield pulls by Don Shillady
My comments in blue.


C9x, On some other thread you advised getting a Lebanon Boney top with the idea of self installation. Today I visited a top shop here in Richmond to check out a beautiful '29 roadster that was brought back from a 1929 Shay replica that had been rolled over. It is now a beautiful fire engine red with a custom black top and side curtains but since it is based on a Shay it still has the Pinto engine and a Mustang II front end. Anyway that shop certainly does very nice work and I will take a summer teaching job to pay for a top/installation this summer

For ease of typing the 28-29 A’s will be noted as 29's and the 30-31's noted as 31's.
32's need no explanation.

Keep in mind the cockpits of the 29 and 31 A’s as well as the 32 roadster is virtually the same.*
Measurements in all areas are very close with the main exception being the depth of the 32 cockpit being 2" deeper.
One reason why the Deuce gang seems to sit a little lower in their cars.
Even so, the right seat choice will do much the same in the A’s, but that’s a whole other subject.


I have already purchased the stainless top irons and oak bows by working a previous summer job and had planned to buy the tan Lebanon Boney top and have a top shop install it. However, these guys warn that with my 2" chopped windshield the Lebanon Boney top will present problems and need to be cut down so much that it might be as easy to fabricate a top from scratch. What is your advice about the effect of the 2" chop on the fabric top? I have a feeling that I will end up using my whole summer pay for a custom top and that may be necessary, but if it is easy to adapt a Lebanon Boney top maybe I should know that?

The 2" windshield chop is pretty much a non-problem if you have the 2" chopped top irons to start with and the 2" chopped top kit.
You may want to talk to Lebaron-Bonney about what the differences are between a chopped and non-chopped fabric kit.
I do see they have both styles listed, but it looks to me like you could trim a standard top to fit 2" chopped irons.
That’s required if you lower the middle and rearmost oak bows anyway.


The top this shop put on their Shay (which they use as a shop advertisement) has the '34 type slight slope forward in the back which I like and they have neat side curtains. It sounds like they are in the $2000 range but maybe with a $500 Lebanon Boney top they could do it for $1000 making a total of $500 less.

It sounds like they may be using a 32 top and perhaps 32 top irons.
The 32 top irons are easily adapted to the A’s by sectioning the single top bars at the front of the irons where they connect, take out 2" and weld up.

The 32 tops vertical rear panel - w/glass etc. - has a bit of a forward lean and makes for a nice look on an A roadster.
I believe the 34 tops have even more of a lean forward than do the 32's and most of the A’s running a top that does lean forward are many times described as having a 34 style top.
More than likely it’s a set of 32 top irons and all or just a set of A irons cut so that they lean forward in the back.

Here’s a pic of my pals 29 roadster showing the straight up and down top rear panel.



A photo of my 31 on 32 rails roadster with the 32's top bolted to the body pivot straps and sitting on the 32 windshield posts - which is an easy modification requiring only a bit of grinding for proper windshield leanback.



Note that the top is 2" too long at the front in this photo.
You can see where the cut on the horizontal bar will need to be made.


Stock 32's - and those with 2" chop - have a bit of an overhang at the front, but this is way too much.
The windshield frame has yet to be finished and only the upper and lower horizontal part of the windshield frame is shown.

There is no chance I can do it myself, I have met my limit of skill on several parts of this project already, although I might try covering some 1/8" LAN plywood with leatherette for the kick panels and the interior of the rumble seat.

Ya know, the mind is a wonderful thing.
If you tell it you can’t do something a few times, it’s not long until you can’t do it.
It’s ok to recognize and make use of skilled labor at times, but installing a top is an easy project.

I installed mine in about five days, a couple hours at a time of easy work on hot summer afternoons while working the graveyard shift (midnight to 0800).
My power company job was a 24/7 deal so I worked 7 days of graveyard every 5th week.
If you’ve ever worked shift work, you know that many times you’re a bit of a dingbat in the off hours.
Body rhythms get out of whack etc.
Nuff said there.

Most shops I've been around order up a Lebaron-Bonney top and install that.
Very few shops make a top from scratch, but many of them will allude to building the whole top from scratch and charge accordingly.
I was quoted a little over $900. eleven years ago and I already had the top irons installed.
A bit high at the time for maybe two-four hours work by two guys installing a kit.
After a little research I got the top and accessories, back window, hold down wing bolts, snaps etc. for about $450.

The Lebaron-Bonney top comes with a good set of instructions.
Read em.
Get the pieces out - no sewing required - lay them out on the carpet and identify each piece.
Helps if you don’t have a long-haired white cat - like to never got all the white hair off.
Balled up wad of masking tape sticky side out works best.
Read the instructions again.


One interesting thing is that my wife is willing to pay for a good top rather than a cheaper half-baked job and she really wants side curtains; in fact I get the impression that If the car has side curtains it would go from "useless" to "fun" for her so that sure favors the full custom top.

Smart wife.
A good top is cheaper in the long run.
My top’s still hanging in there and looking good after 10-11 years and running quite a few highway miles at 65-75 mph - which are common speed limits out here in the Dez.
I’m still dinking around with what kind of Lexan side windows I’m going to do.
The latest is to copy a British sports car and set up a plug-in window in the door.
A little weather stripping would keep most of the wind out.

Does your wife wear hats?
Mine didn’t and finally started once the 32 was up and running.
A lot of gals don’t think they look good in hats, but I’m here to tell you that they do.
Lots of nice styles and colors.
And besides, what woman ever turned down a shopping trip?

When you order the top, you can have Lebaron-Bonney install the rear window, but it’s better if you do it.
In my case I had to set it up so the roll bar didn’t block the view from the inside rear view mirror.
Along those same lines, don’t order glass with the top.
Glass is too heavy and will eventually put a sag in the rear panel.
Get the rear window frame, use it as a pattern to cut Lexan and use that for a rear window.
My 11 year old Lexan windwings are still very clear and all I do is wash them when the car gets washed.

Pic showing rear window