History The Medley Coupe

Car had a soft top on it and would like to keep it the way Tom ran it! When installing a new soft top is there anything that gets installed over all the bits and pieces called the roof line on these cars?

 

To revive POPS car thread... What fills the roof top gap on these cars? Metal sheet, wood, nothing? Thanks in advance!

 

Great thread! Glad to see her kicked up. Following along @hipojoe!

 

You mean the whole open top? The cross bows seat in some lengthwise bows bolted to the edge of the steel opening. Then chicken wire is tacked to the bows. Then a layer of fabric stretched over the wire. Then the padding. Then the top vinyl is stretched over that and tacked around the edges. Originally it had metal cover strips over those edge tacks, but originals are very hard to find nowadays.

 

Thanks Alchemy..... Could a modern upholstery shop figure out this thing, and how might I look for these elusive pieces of edge tach cover strips?

 

What is up there now? Bare steel edges, or is all the wood there?

Only you can determine if a pro can do a good job at what you hire them for. Do research and ask questions about their experience.

If you want original Model A top fabric trim strips I would suggest a wanted ad on the Fordbarn.

 

You may also try contacting the local chapter of the Model A Ford Club of America. It's likely a member or members have had to have their roof recovered and would know which area shops can be trusted to do it right.

 

The top on it was stitched by Tom himself with the interior upholstery which is still in the car today. The top appeared to be a very heavy canvas type material that was held on with little furniture nails, but at about 120 MPH the nails in the front half of the roof let go and peeled back like a can opener opening a can. It sat in my dads garage like that for over 5 decades before he decided to remove the once proud/beautiful top that Tom installed so many years ago. Now it sits with a wood kit installed with the wood running from left to right, nothing front to back. I imagine chicken wire imbedded in the top would prevent it from flapping?

 

The tight fit should prevent it from flapping. But it will probably balloon up a bit from internal pressure. Many do. Some guys cut a new roof skin and screw it to the top bows, which allows you to fully glue the padding and then the vinyl down and prevent ballooning.