Cool Carson Top Kustom Pics ....

does anyone have any photos of some nice Carson Topped Kustoms? I've searched the threads and haven't found one just for Carson tops. Is anybody still doing nice Carson Topped rides? E

 

Check out Rikster's WWW tons of great pics on there. Heres a few of them.
Shoebox's

http://members.fotki.com/Rikster/about/

 

How about this 1 ??

 

shoebox with a carson top

 

4 door merc with one. 4 door stud with one. Doing another carson on a 49 merc right now

GB & Thanks, Rick & Carol Erickson of EXK
EXTREME KUSTOMS www.ericksonskustoms.com

 

few more....

 

I built this a few years back

 

nothing at all cool about this one, in my opinion a large percentage of "carson top" customs built in the last 25 years suck just as bad.

 

How about,NO....

 

This is one sweet '40 Merc.

 

Now that is a carson topped custom!!! What a great car!

 

That green Merc has the top done RIGHT. I think there are more screwed "carson" tops out there than screwed up top chops. Do lots of research on Gaylord, (Forgot them, thanks Faded) Hall, Hauser, Carson tops from the day. Do not emulate a fucked up version of what someone thinks it should be today as there are many out there.. Doing one right is no easy task. Get the padding right, the material and stitching as well. Mail slot zip down rear window with a chrome frame is key. Did you say what car you were doing? Profile thickness of top is key as well. Too big of an opening just looks wrong.
Look on Riksters site, as I am sure he has a TON of good pics of the right shit. Good luck.

 

GAYLORD was the originater of the padded hard top. The CARSON bros gained the recognition for it. So if searching for search GAYLORD PADDED TOP.

 

I'm with you. The owner of the green Merc made the top frame, and brought the car to Cedardale Upholstry (Paul Reichlin - Rajo1 on the HAMB) for the top to be done. Paul did some pretty extensive research on padded tops...Gaylord, Carson, Hall, Hauser, etc to be sure that it was done with the correct materials and construction. He re-created a Hauser top on the car beautifully in my opinion.

I have a few more pics of the process....somewhere.

 

how bout this 56 olds built by bob cardwell of joliet collision

 

Some kool ones from japan that i recovered over the net in the last few years.
The green insane dodge has more of a "hard top" than a carson style top, but thought was worth seeing,and also the two 36-ish 'verts are pretty much insane, the heavy scalloped one w/ the vertical vette grille is from the Pharaohs and it has great proportions, while the "Kustomucho" one comes from Bat Mobile shop and has a really "crazy" sloped top, i might look for a profile pic to show ya, ill also look for more of the Pharaohs one.
Hope you guys enjoy this, meanwhile ill dig for sum US and Euro built ones.
Bonez.

 

The 40 green merc is beautiful,great stance and the carson top is perfect.what a car!

 

I always check out Carson Tops when I see them, this is the best one I have ever seen. It was in Paso Robles in 2007. Unfortunately I took these pics at night. This guy nailed it, nicest 38 Ford I have ever seen.







See Ya!
Randy

 

Here are a few more pics.









See Ya!
Randy

 

Wow, x2!

 

Here is my 49.

 

If any one wants to know my take, P.M. me.

 

I agree with Dragnut and Hudsoncustom, green merc is right looking if you want early carson style. Carson and Gaylord had somewhat different styles. Gaylord had more slope in the back and Carson had a slightly more abrupt break in front of the back window. Original Carson tops were soft from the back of the quarter window and rear bow to the rear body panel. The rear of the top sides snap to the quarters and the upper rear body. the rear window snapped to the upper rear body on a separate flap. Snaps were inside the carson roll and problems arose when the stay-fast material got old and schrunk. It was not a good idea to remove the snaps when the top got tight. on the inside the headliner stopped at the rear bow. The heavy glass and frame caused the rear window flap to sag. We use a steel frame around the rear of the back corners and across the back window to avoid the shrinkage problem. I think the key to the overall look of the top includes mininum material over the header and keeping the proper thickness of the top over the doors. Too thin looks bad and too thick looks like a big marshmellow. Very difficult to describe in words we have one that is 21 years old and still looks great. The car is 51 Mercury Convertible at Rik's site under Paul Bragg. I have extensive construction photos of a 51 Ford top and I will try to get them on digital when I get home and I will post them. tinguy

 

Ok, then edjamacate us, please. I for one would really like to know the way this was done back in the day.

 

A complete step by step photo series (257 photos) of how Tom Sewell restored the Carson Top on the Valley Custom built sectioned 1940 Ford for Ralph Jilek can be seen here. (click the top photo)



















Rod & Custom has an article on line of how Scott Guildner builds a modern day built Padded top....

LINK

 

Rikster I have to say that 40 is sick!!! and the info on the carson tops isweet. I amthinking of doing a carson style top for my 39 but I know it really needs to look correct in order to pull off such a look. like Dragnut said other wise you end up with a fucked up focal point on the car and it will automatically hurt the image of it.

 

nice topic