| NATESBPD | -- 10-17-2009 @ 5:07 PM |
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I was wondering any tips or hints.. i want to put a new top on,, and have the new aluminum strips (that i have to bend) the rubber strip that goes in the track. What was the original top? Cobra short grain? Or Clonial?? Is there something that goes where the tacks go through..(seems to be a tar/rubber type material)?? Do you start with a side and pull it tight?? Anybody that have installed a top would really help me out alot!. ANY RESPONSE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!
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| trjford8 | -- 10-17-2009 @ 8:46 PM |
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In your photo it looks like someone had a metal top screwed down over your old top. If you want to put on a stock top youn will have to weld up all those holes. Bending the aluminum strips is a challenge. As an alternate suggestion ,if you are not going entirely original, I would use the soft top kit from Julianos. They are easy to put on and have good instructions. They are also water tight. I've installed three of their kits for friends and they are very satisfied with the look and the fact it does not leak.
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| NATESBPD | -- 10-17-2009 @ 9:03 PM |
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Yes.. made me mad.. i have the body in the shop filling all the holes and getting ready for paint... i will probably purchase the top material from MAC autoparts. I still have the original metal molding i may use as a template.
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| ians34 | -- 10-18-2009 @ 6:08 AM |
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I purchased all the bits from Macs to do my Fordor roof,I didn't fill the old holes as I did not see the point in welding them up just to drill new ones. You cant hammer the tacks through the steel as the nails are to soft and you will only distort the steel anyway. To mark the where to drill the holes inthe ali' strip, just put a piece of masking tape over the old holes and poke through it with a sharp tip marking pen. then just lay the tape over the strip and drill new holes. Only put evry third or so nail half way in while pulling the roof material tight. This a chore as you have to keep going around lifting nails and tensioning the cloth. Don't bang the nails all the way in yet. After you have it tight to the way you want it, use a scalpel and very carefully trim of the excess slightly back from the strip edge so that you dont get any ragged edges showing. Now you can finish hammering the nails down tight. Folding the aluminium takes practise, I bought and extra piece to practise on. I found the best way was to make a bending frame out of two pieces of wood and it worked pretty well. I would have to make a drawing for you. Basically get a nice piece of solid timber say 9" wide by about 2" thick. get your saw out and cut a groove about an inch deep and to the thickness of the strip,with a bend radius to suit your roofs corner radius. Insert the strip and bend through and around the groove. The trench/groove you have cut will stop the strip from lifting and distorting when you bend it. I hope this has helped. regards Ian groove
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| trjford8 | -- 10-18-2009 @ 7:53 AM |
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Nate, I would use the original metal moulding if possible. When you get the top material make yourself a wooden frame the size of the outside of the material. They always give you more material than you need.Staple the outside edges of the material to the frame. Then set the entire unit over your roof opening. The weight of the wood frame will keep the material taut and then you can install the tack strip.
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| 34billct | -- 10-18-2009 @ 2:48 PM |
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I went through the same agony and was seccessful. call me at 203 255 9271
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