My 34 Roadster is close to road legal, and I'm starting to think about making a nice and convenient top on it. As I see it, there are two ways: A carson top, or a foldable convertibe top. A foldable top would be most convenient, but this is an all new area for me, and I'm not sure where to start. My budget si limited, so buying some custom fitted top is out of the question. And since I have a home made Duval windshield, and the bodyplate between the seats and the rumble lid is home made as well, I guess that roule out many standard fit solutions. What I'm thinking of is to buy for example a MG Midget Austin convertible frame for cheap like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181176335629?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 And modify it until it fits my car and then cover it with canvas. What do you think?
I made a top for an A roadster once. I found a guy that had one I liked the look of and took some measurements. I bent the bows up from 3/4 steel tubing, made the header from a piece of alder. While mocking it up I just draped an old sheet over it to get an idea where I was going. After I had the shape, I took the car with bows on to an upholstery shop and had them sew up a cover with a plastic window in the back. It folded up just like an original.
Built this 1 outta 1/2 round tube in less than 2 hrs, whittled a header outta oak, took to trim shop and had covered Less than a days work and $500 buckaroos
I'm using a Midget hood frame on my 27T - it needs cutting about and narrowing. I thought about making it folding but the geometry is beyond me. I'm going to make a Carson style roof from it.
I saw two of those english tops at a local swap, $25 each asking. I looked at them several times that weekend for my 32 cabriolet/coupster....and since I had made a complete folding top for a 2dr convertible sedan, I knew it would be trauma trying to chop/or shorten an existing top, and still have it fold in a neat pile. And, get the styling correct would be a job. There are several threads on what you want by hambers. Just like was just posted here, or folding versions....all made from conduit. My advice is buy some hand bendable material just to experiment with, to see if you can get the folding areas to work like you need, and still have a good style when you drape some cloth over it. I find stuff at the local scrap recycle place for cheap. If you get a working pattern, then do stronger conduit.
Rather than a later MG frame, if you can get a Midget Mk1 or Mk2 frame, (up to 1966) you'll find it's made simpler, splits into 2 pieces (left & right) and is slipped into mountings on the body rather than bolted in Here's one on ebay showing the simplicity of design http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-MIDGET...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c34c45486
Found this on the H.A.M.B. Open the Link below. Jeff http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?do=discuss&group=&discussionid=649
We made this one on Flower's T roadster. It isn't that hard. This one has almost 8 years and a zillion miles on it
used M G B frame on my 32. Had to widen and lengthen it. made it removable by taking out 4 screws, but seldom take it off, usually just fold it down for top down driving. p m me if you want more info or pics
Here's one I built in a couple days out of necessity. Lift-off tops kinda suck because when they're off, you have to be able to leave them somewhere. But I also didn't have much of anywhere for a folding top to go either. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=367339
Theres a top iron frame kit on ebay for less than 300 that might work: Search 1932 FORD TOP IRON KIT Early Austin Healey Sprite(1961 to 65) frames were simpler and designed to store in the trunk and should be easy to modify: Search item 350836556494
I bought a mid 70's MG top frame on egay for $25 for my chopped 36 Ford cabriolet. I had to widen it 10" and lengthen it 18". I also wanted the top to fold down in the well behind the seat and be completely hidden by the tonneau cover when it was down. I had to hinge the last 4" of the 18" extension to allow it to fold down small enough. Once it folded down small enough to fit in the well, I played with the location / height of the cross bows to get the side profile that I wanted. I used white paper taped to the top bows to help visualize the profile. When I was satisfied with the profile, my brother, who used to work on an auto upholstery shop, draped junk material on it as a practice top and fastened it with duct tape and wire ties. We then folded the top up and down a few times to make sure the fabric would fold correctly with the bows. My brother used the practice top fabric for patterns and cut and sewed up the real top out of white material. I took a lot of photos and may start a new step-by-step thread on how we built it.
As a former roadster owner (8 years) Definatley make yourself a folding top, that fits in trunk to carry with car. I had a carson style bolt on and it does not do you any good in garage or motel room when weather surprizes you. It looks like have recieved some good ideas on how to. Good Luck! John
That's a good one, HRP. I talked to several roadster drivers at the LSRU in April and was surprised to find many had NO tops. Several from Cal. and at least one from Maryland. 1500 to 2000 miles with no tops. Now, that's hardcore.
I made the one on my 33 roadster using 3/4 steel tubing and an electrical conduit bender. Lots of work but inexpensive ( under $50). The top material in our area runs about $1500 which is split $600 material and $900 labor. Make your own. Here is mine with a Duvall windshield. The shape was determined using a plywood jig. Here is the final profile which looks like a speedster to me and that is what I was after. The top does not fold.
Staleg, Shoot me your email and I'll put you in touch with a friend who has a top maybe for sale. Steve ssteers323@gmail.com Boerne, TX
Didn't Dana just do a thread on this? And pewsplace, yes that top is pretty damned nice, good job, nice eye.
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