Have been revisiting the idea of a roof for my roadster. in the 5 years its been on the road its never had a rood, and I will still drive it rain hail or shine. But always planned to build a roof... oneday... Anyway. I have just been idly looking though my TRJ books ( cant come at calling them a mag) and i always come back to the proportions of the roof on the Ken Gross roadster, and think that , that style of roof would be best for my car. Does anyone have any close up shots of the roof? or any shots at all for that mater. There is a good side shot in the article, but I would like to try to do a cut and paste onto my car using photoshop to see what it would look like. Also can anyone confirm how the tank is in his car. from the photos in TRJ it nearly looks like his tank isnt notched for the quickchange? As I am going to eventually put the QC in my car I am interested to know. If it was possible, I would love not to notch the tank but most people I speak to say you have to. thanks.
I've only ever seen them notched. Anyway, this how my roof sit from the rear. If I can help with construction pix or what ever... you know.
These are the only photos I have found from a search, and there pretty small. thanks X38, wont say no to some pics of how you put yours together. As I said, not racing into it. I have some tube sitting under the car now to make it from just gathering the info. will probably atempt it this winter.
This is a post I did a few years ago when building the top for my roadster pickup---Brian http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ight=how+to+build+a+carson+style+roadster+top
Hi flatoz, you couldn't have picked a better looking top than the one on Ken Gross car. It was patterned after an original Carson top in Dave Simard's collection. There's a great article in Street Rodder by Ken and Chuck Vranas about Steve Pierce building these tops. The two part article was in November and December 2006. There's lots of pictures.
Here's a shot of Ken's top Here's the Charlie Dolan roadster, the one in Street Rodder. This is Dave Simard's 36 with a Steve Pierce top.
Also, the tank is notched in Ken's car, about 2" not including the flange. 3 1/2" from the front edge of the flange. I went and took this picture this morning. You'll notice it's cut back to the top corner. The QC will fit without notching, but you won't be able to get the cover off and change the gears.
Here are a couple of tops that I have swiped off the net somewhere. More food for thought. The shape of the top is a critical issue. Some that I like... For me the common denominator is the slanted rear curtain giving it a forward motion feel. I like the slant of the window opening to be parallel to the rear curtain slant. The first one is the perfect top. IMHO I'm really concerned that when I get the upholsterer to make it that he won't get the window shape right. It's important to me.
I've never liked the Ken Gross top. It should be the crowning glory to the car but instead just spoils the overal package. To me it seems out of proportion and over stuffed. So many Carson style tops get over padded giving them a bloated, bursting at the seams look and this is one of them. The back corner of the roof should be level or lower than the top of the windshield and this one isn't (1). There is one large continuous curve that goes from the rear screen panel all the way over to windshield (2) which to me gives the effect of a fabric bubble top rather than a custom roadster top. I'd take the Pete Henderson roadster top every time.
Ken writes a column for Old cars Weekly. You may be able to contact him directly through them. www.oldcarsweekly.com or oldcars@krause.com
A Sid Chaver's Bop Top has as good of proportions as any IMO, and it takes all the guesswork out of the equation. Also takes a healthy dent out of the checking account too though.
Ken's top isn't one you whip on and off as your mood or the weather changes. I would rather have one like the Bop Top that you can remove in a few minutes to enjoy the open feeling and be able to replace it if the weather turns bad. Frank
Tommy, I agree, which is why I havent just built one anyway. have run the car rain hail or shine ******* and it doesnt bother me. what does bother me is getting the proportions right and the 'look' otherwise it will ruin the car. fab32, to be honest I dont want the top for the weather, I want it for the look, to complete the car. I could have one of those bop tops, but I am yet to see one that actually complements the car, they just dont look right to me. I always carry a good wet weather jacket anyway regardless of if its summer or not as you just never know... 4ever4, it is actually that continuous curve that I like, I dont like the other flat tops, to me this looks like the kind of top that was 'custom' for the day all the others look like cut up stock tops, I really like that curve, and its probably trying to mimic that , that is why I havent started to build one yet, being I havent sorted out how to pull that off. 327-365 thanks for the photos. and everyone else, thanks. I will see if I can find the street rodder mags to get the articles. the car hasnt had a top for 5 years, so I guess I'm not in a screaming hurry. but if anyone else has some good looking tops, please post them!
Here is the profile that I'm going to use. To my eye the top needs to have the second bow higher than the other two. (it adds head room too) This is my compromise... it will fold and allow the wind in the few gray hairs that still remain. It may not be beautiful at speed with the top folded but that is not my problem...I can't see it from the drivers seat...but when I get there, the top can easily be put up to restore the beautiful profile. I always thought it odd to see people drive to a show with a lift off top and then park the top in the gr*** behind the roadster at the show. Lift off tops are totally impractical for me. 9 times out of 10 you won't want to h***le with removing it. To me it kinda defeats the whole idea of having a roadster. Might as well buy a coupe....if you are a chicken.
I'll vouch for X38's top. It's a very handsome bit of work. I'll also state that X38 prefers to drive his roadster without the top! I also think the Ken Gross roof is a bit too 'rounded', I prefer the slighty break (like X38's).
Pete had the first Carson on a deuce. We had to go from pictures and Pete's description. We made a jig and bent the bows. From the inside the bows are exposed. We sell sets. Not trying to push 'em on anybody, just lettin' you know. Pete's top is my favorite too. Glad you like it. Put the same top on my roadster.-Mike
OK Guys, To set the record straight, I shaped Ken's top as he directed. He made many trips to my shop during the construction and stuffing period. The top is hand stuffed with horse hair, which is a very painstaking task. He wanted the car to have a immediate post war look, he knew what he was looking for and I gave it to him. If you look at Dave Simard's 32 in the recent issue of Rodders Journal, his top has a much less bulge than Ken's top has. I have made many of these tops and Ken's is the only one with that look...
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