Customs Carson Tops and other kinds as well

Speed Age May of 1953. How to is in the March issue, next up.

 

One I built for a zephyr I did.

 

Hard to see/understand from the picture; but what do the three longitudinal strips in the center section of the framework do? Is all the framework aluminum? Thanks

 

The March issue of Speed Age.

 

Great information here. I want to learn as much as I can about these tops and design one my self. Magazine spreads like that are awesome. More build photos please! If someone is good at posting links to other threads. That would be great too.

 

So far I have tried to cover the history of the Carson style top and some of the early craftsman. Most what I posted is pre 54. Now I`ll post different construction methods nd pic`s of bare framed tops. And anything else I come across. Here is the first Car I saw with a Carson style top. I knew Bob and knew Bud who covered the top. The car is still around unchanged. It went to a new owner in Wisconsin. And was told moved the car to his Florida home.

 

That`s Bob with the cup in his hand in the early 80`s.

 

Top by Martinez Industries

 

Ok, first dumb question. Were the original padded tops only for convertibles, or did they cut the tops off of coupes and sedans?

 

They've been making these tops since the 30's, so there was no need to cut up a coupe to look like a convert. There were plenty of converts around to customize.

 

Not a dumb question. This picture was taken sometime around 1941 inside the Carson Top Shop. They were putting out roughly 10 tops a DAY. See all the Roadsters, convertibles and one Phaeton. I posted this on page One. Even 2 sets of The highly sought after 37 Desoto Bumpers.

 

@Rand Man I think this is what you are looking for. The first one was done in the 70`s ? and Ray Grimm`s was done in the early 80`s. It`s difficult to make a sedan look like a true convertible.

 

Here is a 4-door convertible that`s on my top 10 list of customs. Eddie Duhon`s first built in the late 40`s. Please, someone post a color picture of it.

 

Here’s one I like, but my question was asked in mind of a 49-51 Mercury or baby Lincoln.

 

My other main question is: is a canvas material always used, or could one use Naugahyde?

 

Maybe it's just me; but I think fabric is part of the deal. Vinyl would seem odd.

 

I know what you mean. The photo I posted looks shiny, so I wondered. I need to find out who built that top.

 

George Barris had a 51 Lincoln Lido as his personal car. This top also looks shiny, like it might be Naugahyde. The Lido was a high end factory option at the time. Designed to emulate the convertible look.


I know a top like this is not what we think of as traditional and isn’t even a Carson top. It is something that actually happened at the time. Before I cut the top off a perfectly good car, I might see something like this could be done. I would only use the rectangular section of the 50 rear glass, so it would turn out more like a Carson. I’m just dreaming at this point.

 

https://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11...ustom_cars/gene_winfield/gene_winfield_paint/

 

This may have already been posted but I believe most all early Carson style tops were covered by Hartz stayfast cloth. Looked to be a high end canvas.

Mick

 

Eddie is the third from the right.

 

I read somewhere, the original Caron tops had a very fine knit marine canvas that is no longer in production. Off white in color. Similar to Hartz Boat topping called Stayfast. Now alot of the tops are covered with Hartz convertible topping. A vinyl type laminated material with a canvas type on it`s backside. Found on most convertibles . Awhile back, Street Rodder magazine built a 37 Ford Tub with a light colored canvas top. They did an article on cleaning the top after putting many miles on it doing road tours with Jerry Dicky doing the driving. It was very dirty. Kevin Anderson`s Blue Caddy has a canvas Carson style top. More similar to what was done back then. Not sure where he sourced the material. Not easy to keep clean.

 

More than likely, this material is a knit backed vinyl type material used on vinyl tops. You can stretch it a little compared to most vinyls which you can stretch alot. . The same material they is used on the Lincoln posted above as well. Comes in different textures and grains.

 

Haartz Stayfast looks to be available. I’m going to call and get a price. That might be a deciding factor.

 

Jack Greiner had Portland Top Company do this one in '47, at a cost of $65.00 and $12.00 for the side curtains.

 

Wayne Mahaffey from Salem Oregon took his '35 to LA, to have Gaylords do this one around 1950.

 

Also check the Hartz Twillfast line. The Stayfast line is found on American made automobiles like the newer Camaros. It is a subsitute for the Hartz Sonnenland German cloth topping found on High end European cars automobiles like Jags and Mercedes.

 

Sam Parker the current owner and restorer (if he still owns it, which I would think he would) fourth from the left, and Brian Parker sixth from the left.