Everybody's good buddy Dana Barlow http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hotrod-folding-top-a-how-too-do-it-tech.857951/
May not fit the bill for what you're looking for but Clark here on the HAMB make a killer fiberglass top for a sport coupe he built a while back. Covered in upholstery you'd be hard pressed to know any better at first glance. There's a thread on it I just cannot remember the search criteria. Maybe some has it bookmarked.
Made this from scratch drawing heavily on Dana Barlow's thread on making his folding top. I got the lines right by covering it masking tape. The bows will be kept in the right position using Pirelli webbing. There's no mechanical connection between the back three bows and the front one - it's all done with the tension of the webbing. I still have to make the wooden header and then I will have it upholstered in either double duck or mohair.
I have been following me this with interest. Might want to make one next year. A lot of these look really good. I'd be interested in seeing pics of them folded down as well.
I was considering making one out of aluminum tubing, and Bimini hardware from a boat top. Has anyone gone down this road? I figure if it is covered with canvas, you'd never really see the hardware. Just a thought
Presently, I run a Bop Top with curtains on my roadster. Since it is a long-distance ride, I would like to find someone who has a similar-looking liftoff top with flanges for installing custom-made plexiglass panels. I know the Deuce is a roadster and not a coupe, but the wind noise from under the rear of the floating top and everywhere around the shitty curtains is not unlike riding a motorcycle. A rigid, liftoff top would be better than a folding top because I think I could seal it tighter. I just have to keep the roadster instead of buying a coupe because of LARS. I saw some really fine examples of hardtops at Pomona in June. If anybody knows of someone with a hardtop for sale, please have him contact me here. Gary Addcox
I bought 4 books on steam bending wood. Talked to numerous wood workers and received numerous and varied responses. I found the best reference to be "Wood Bending Made Simple" by Lon Schleining (2010) which includes a companion step-by-step DVD video. Made my own top bows using his technique.
I just built this top on my Roadster about a month ago. It is made of sheet aluminum riveted to conduit and then covered with vinyl top material. It doesn't fold but can be lifted off.
I made this lift off top and had the Upholstry shop cover with Harttz cloth. I added a metal visor as part of the top assembly.
When you see one like the above, you're looking at one that can endure going fast. The "V" notch lets a lot of air off. The slick, curved one can let you see it go away when you're headed into a SantaAna wind. This car needs one like the one it has.
My homemade steam bender. I used a 3' PVC pipe bent a little in order to keep the oak off the bottom while being steamed. My buddy had a propane burner (for deep frying a turkey) that my metal gas can fit perfectly. I used a piece of brake tubing across the center to hold up the wood. I drilled a drip hole to drain the condensation. Rags in the ends sealed in the steam. Here's a crude drawing and a picture. Worked Great!
Once I had the shape determined, I cut it out of plywood. While researching bending, I read that after the oak cooled it would spring back a little so I over bent it some. I got lucky that it sprung back to my original shape. I used 1/8" oak strips that once glued, held their shape. In the jig I used a strip of Formica around the outside so the clamps wouldn't damage the oak.
Thank you ......so you steamed 1/8" strips , then bent them ,then glued the together ? Sometimes I'm a little dense ....trying to understand ...
I love the proportions of that! I keep saying that A-pillars want to be at the midpoint of the wheelbase on cars of that era.
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