Need to make a tonneau cover for my roadster.Anyone have any pics or suggestions on what color, material etc? Thanks,Louie
LA32, according to my calculations (because I'd like a tonneau cover on my '27 Roadster) a 250$ Triumph TR2-3 tonneau cover could be modified to fit. The advantages are obvious (well, to me anyway). Strong zipper and center strap, good quality fabric and steering wheel 'pocket'. May be an option to look into? I know I will...
LA. I think a saddle color canvas would look good on your car. I am not sure if it is readily available, but another idea would be a oil skin. I used to have a western style duster made of it. Its basicly a brown weathered looking canvas that is coated with a oily substance. It repels water and wind. The oil is locked in the fabric and does not rub off on to everything it cames in contact with. Just my .4 of a nickle.
I am close to doing this on my touring, great post! I have a question also. What did they use to fasten them in the early years? Snaps? Those twist lock dealies?
On stock Model A roadster tops the snaps were used whenever a single layer of fabric was being fastened. The twist locks were used where the roll up back window in an A top overlapped so I guess the answer is both. Snaps don't stick up as far as the twist locks so I'd probably go with them.
I used black canvas from an awning (sp?) shop, was much cheaper than buying it from an auto upholstry supply place. And built mine on a steel frame that pins down with a single spring loaded pin.
Nimrod -- could you run some pix someday? I tried checking out your mechanism for attaching it to the dash a couple of years back at B'proof -- but couldn't get my fat head underneath. It looked really clean. Thanks.
Here's most of the fasteners used in covers and tops. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jhtml;jsessionid=NCGJG4CF1RPONTQSNOISCO4OCJVZIIWE?id=0001830010401a&type=product&cmCat=smxprod&rid=0180101070502&cm_ven=smx_prod&cm_ite=DDI%20Link&_requestid=50839 The Lift-a-dot is a common one and works well but the pin that goes in the body is uncomfortable if it's right under your elbow, like on a TR-3 (I usta have one)
I'm planning on using black Hartz? cloth like the roof on my sport coupe. Grained naugahide like a pickup bed cover is a PITA to clean. I want it for winter time opperation. I want all that hot air to have to pass by my fat body as it leaves the cockpit. I'm hoping to get hidden snaps for the top and the tonneau. Maybe some of the trimmers can help us out on the hardware.
Heres a couple shots of my tonneau cover. It really makes driving the car solo a lot nicer...it knocks the wind down, and you can keep maps or garbage on the seat without them blowing away.
The latch, just pins into a hole above the seat back. Two L shaped tabs hold the front of the cover under the upper dash rail.
I got the idea for stretching canvas over a steel frame with bows, from a 1949 photo of a '27 T roadster out at b'ville, I think it was Walley Parks roadster. I'll see if I can find the picture.
Hey Nimrod Cool idea..., I've used pins like that to hold my hood in place...! Seem to be strong enough!
Nimrod -- Thanks for posting, your roadster has always been one of my favorites. Tommy -- here's the LeBaron Bonney source for hardware: http://www.lebaronbonney.com/82.htm It may be those Deuce side curtain snaps my friend used, he said they were a bit pricey. I like Nimrod's solution.
thanks for all the great ideas and pics guys. My deuce has a bunch of snaps already in the body so I think ill try to use them to secure it but still gotta pick a color.Louie
BTTT, lets hear some other ideas, this post is too cool to let die. That solid Aluminum cover and Nimrods got me thinking of a hybrid for my touring. Light aluminum in the back covered in black cloth.the aluminum would add secutity and help keep teh cloth from billowing up. I think I will add a 2 piece soft cover in the front, I can close the passenger side only or both sides at night. Now I wish Fatlucky would come over here! I think his mom is holding him captive and feeding him xmas cookies as a sedative
I had an uphostery shop make one for my deuce roadster before I put the car on the road out of black hartz cloth. Here in Florida with all the rain as well as morning dew I don't know how I'd get along without it.The cockpit is small enough that only the snap fasteners are needed to keep it taunt. I had a zipper put in so I could keep the passenger 1/2 covered in rainy travels with no passenger. It cost me just under a couple of hundred. It also keeps the interior a little secure when its parked in a public place. I'd put up a picture if I knew how.
I had thought about an aluminum B'ville type tonneau. I like the look but I'd like it to roll up into a small pouch when at the shows. It would be nice to come out of the motel in the morning to a dry seat.
Here is a link to a site I found tonight. Killer prices on fabric and canvas! http://www.americanhomeandhabitat.com/catagories/fabric.htm
OK, I talked to the stitch guy that is next door to us. He gave me a cool waterproof option. He makes boat covers out of this tightly woven acrylic fabric that looks like the expensive Hartz cloth and is really durable and light. The hand is softer and thinner that Hartz material. I will gat teh name of the supplier. I do know it runs $28 per yard, 60 inches wide.
Heres a picture of the Walley Park built roadster that I got the idea from. Not the pictue I remembered (above from the right) but the only good one I could find. As far as cost for fabric, I think I paid about $20 a yard for the canvas I used at an awning shop (had any color you could want). Sewed it up with my mama's old beat up singer.
I got my fabric this week. Guy treated me right. $14 a yard! One of the other upholstry connections has snaps in stock that he will sell me as well as a UV resistant/rot resistant thread.. Got another question though. How many snaps would you use on a touring car? That redoxide A had 5 on the back panel. That is what I was planning for my touring. I am torn about the spacing down the side, any input? Cover will go over front and back seats.
Trent -- What color is the fabric you scored? All the boat covers here are bright blue -- same blue as the okie roofing material we use when the rain starts leaking in I'd like to score an off-white or natural (?) canvas color material. Does your guy have it?
I need to get the name, Dickinson Fabrics I think? I bought Black. I will look and post it here. My guy can get up 20 different colors. Real retail was $28 a yard. Might be able to order it yourself? I will lookinto it. I think they had an offwhite. They also had some cool fabrics that I will call "heringbone" although that is not right. I know about the Blue, the sample I borrowed was that same color!
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