I am postings some stuff about a lift off top I made years ago for my roadster. I had a folding top but it flapped more than I could stand. I pulled the cloth off and mocked up a solid top on the car. I used Masonite, foam, tape, carsboard and anything else I could find. I covered it with plastic and put some mold release on it. I don't think I had $100 worth of boat rosin and glass in it. Some plywood was added to the sides after forming. The header was the one from the folding top and was glassed in from the start. I used threaded inserts in the wood so I could attach it to the tabs in the body. I glassed in a piece of plywood with inserts so I could attach a rear window. The construction picture is the only one shot. The trouble started when I drove the car. I have a stock frame under the car and cowl shake movement vs. the back of the car plus the stiffness of the top tried to tear the windshield off. I had to add slides so the windshield could move side to side. The later frame mod stopped all cowl shake. I thought this might inspire someone to try making one. I only spent about a week on it. I had the outside covered in real convertable top material and the inside with headlining cloth. The Masonite sagged a bit during construction so it really looks like a covertable top.
Wow. it looks beautiful. But I'd like know more about where you put in the slides you mentioned? Or the frame trick used to stiffen the chassis, please? Again, the top looks perfect! Good job. Gary
I thought I had some pics but can't find any. The slide brackets were the old brackets modified. I made new L shaped pieces to go in the corners and cut the old blocks that the posts go in off the old brackets. I put a strap around the forward side so they would slip on the new L pieces. I had to relieve the header for clearance. The most flexible part of a 32 K member is the top flange. I have run tests and watched the deflection. I made a heavy plate that mounts using the trans mount holes. The plate got some 3/16" welded on to form a torque box that extended maybe a foot to the rear. Then sheet metal channel was welded to the outside corners to go back to the frame rails and got welded to some channel that was there for a mount for the rear suspension. Everything bolts in. The frame is now very stiff.
I did the same thing about 7 or 8 years ago on my 29 roadster. I found a guy at the Jefferson Wisc. swap meet that had a fiberglas top from a 32 roadster. I cut it and reinforced it with 3/4 square tube, covered it with awning material and it worked out great. Not to hi-jack the thread but I'll post a couple of pic's including the way I stiffened the chassis. Hope it will inspire others to try it, it was really pretty easy. Yours turned out great, and built from scratch..... awesome job.
The Jalopy Journal
