Hot Rods Model A closed car snap top canvas roofs lets see em!

I am currently letting my oak roof bows hang out but in cases of crappy weather want to do a removable canvas snap top. Let's see those creative closures!

 

Thinking the same thing. Show us what you got
Bill

 

Make a removable roof Then you can have a closed car or a roadster. Actually I think this was done somewhere?

 

Doing that is on our todo list, so I have been saving photos of tops I run across online that I like.

Here is one along the idea of what we are thinking of doing, except we will skip the spider web design, and the bright snaps. We think if we run a stiff rib that follows along the grove of the missing drip rail along the side, we can get away with running fewer snaps than this guy is using.

We are having a hard time deciding what to do at the front, trying to not have a bunch of snaps along the header like this guy would.

Lastly, it also looks like this is a two section top?

 

I am guessing he is thinking like I am. I want a roof I can run or remove and stash in the car. Which isn't easy to do with a small coupe.

 

Here's one I have in my Model A porn folder, seems to be the only one I've saved with a snap top.
I think this style looks a lot cleaner than the one posted above, more like the style you'd see on a coupe also...

 

In a coupe or sedan or truck, put wood in the recess and then glue velcroe to it. Make a top with straight sewn seams whith the other part of the velcroe. The snaps have the scalloped edge, and I have seen them pull out or get loose when they are snapped on and off alot of times.

Having the top easily come on and off is great for open air cruising, roll it up and it can be easily stashed, even in a truck or coupe.

 

I did it to my sedan. Built the opening out of square tubing and used a couple stock bows that are removable to keep the shape. It's Mercedes conv. top material with regular snaps around the perimeter.
Sorry I don't have any good shots of it on this computer.

 

Look at post #96 and see how scootermcrad handled this....

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=668910&highlight=modified+murray&page=5

Might not be the "in-and-out" (quick removal and storage) insert, but it sure is cool!

 

Was thinking the same thing!!

 

If you were to see this thing in person, you would swear there is no other way to do this satisfactorily! This car is SOOOOO cool! Glad it's in NC now! Awesome guy, too!

 

Would velcroe hold the top on going down the road at speed?

I don't know about the wood in the recess, but I was thinking about using DZUS fasteners instead of snaps, or a quick release pin that goes through and into the car, so you don't notice a bunch of snaps on the car when the top is removed. I haven't really spent time seeing if either idea is workable.

My main goal, I didn't want to screw with the original wood you see when the top would be off.

 

You would need a small flange at the leading edge, 3/4" or so tall and across the front to send the air up and over the material.

 

Here's another pic I found.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Derrick, The focus is off a little. We can't see the roof detail very well.

 

Here You Go.

 

I assume the Velcro holds pretty well?!?!?!

 

Is the leading edge of the top, above the windshield frame held down with velcro too?
I love the idea using velcro! Any disadvantages to using velcro regarding water leaks, air leaks, dust clogging the velcro, and probably takes to people to roll on/off?

 

I don't see any velcro, but I see snaps at each cross bow...

 

Down here, they call it a bimini top. I cant post a picture cause my computer crashed and im on a loaner, but when she made the top, she sowed in a slider rail on the top and I screwed the metal rail to the header. Top comes off in 1 minute, and no leaks and looks like it was a Henry original.

 

I was referring to this top:
Also, Ice man posted it doesn,t leak. Evidently its his rod.

 

Looks cool I think

 

I dont know who Ice man is but this was my car, the top did not leak it used snap buttons hidden and sewen into the seam on the top bows with the same on the sides backed up by velcro, it took one person to remove it. As you can see it is not loose fitting and stays in place at high speeds.

 

Bump

 

I saw Allstarderrick's beautiful rod in the Swedish magazine Gasoline (6/2011) and immediately noticed the roof. From those pictures it looks like button fasteners.

I 'm working on a prewar style 4-banger Fordor (family reasons) rod, and thought about the fasteners on the canvas roof of my old Willys MB Jeep - "lift the dot" fasteners. The have a wide "frame" so the risk that they will be torn off is minimal - and they are sort of period correct.

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I've seen Derrick's Tudor several times, the top is really nicely done, it made a magazine cover, I just can't find it right now. Bob

 

There used to be a guy that installed a slidable VW top. he had to curve the square framed tubing as the model a sedan roof has compound curves, It looked slick. He ordered the top VW supplier. The front edge needs to be thought about as rain will channel right in when driving...

 

Another very clever solution is the roof on a Citroën 2CV. Two thick rubber bands run along each side of the roof in channels. They are fixated at the back and when the roof is attached the bands are tightened by a small fold down steel frame up front. When the frame is lifted the roof can be attached from the frame and rolled back - incredibly easy to handle and no need for buttons etc. The drawback is that one will have to make a raised wooden or steel profile along each side that will raise the roof a bit - might look awkward on a Ford. I'm not sure if it will work with a straight roof - the 2CV is quite rounded.

This video illustrates it well http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x21dBXmrFAk

There is also one attachment point on the middle of each side - 0.20 in the video.

Marcus

 

Bump

 

Here is my new snap on top.