Technical Model A Tudor roof underlayment material

I have tried to research this till I’m blue in the face, and have really only found two sources of someone doing a Tudor sedan. One with chicken wire and cotton batting and the one on here using landau foam. One covers over all the metal even the sides and one does not. I am going the Masonite center filler that much I know. To all who have done it with the foam, how has it held up? I don’t want to do this crap again for sure. The dvds I have they used outdoor carpet on top of the Masonite. They also did every model A but a Tudor, just my luck. Gonna try and make a cardboard template this weekend and get the bows shaped until I can figure out what’s my best course to follow. If anyone who has done the foam underlayment could chime in that would be great. Pmd the op on the soft top install tech write up, but no response. Thanks so much, Eric.

 

A friend has an A sedan with the chicken wire set up. It puffs up at freeway speeds. I wound screw a steel insert in place and then glue on some thin foam and vinyl type top material.

 

Had to laugh, might check your Gar-goyle Spellar! See Billy Gibbons: Got's ta Get Paid.
Re: UnderLayment, the Cover rear portion will lift at speed. Bonding, sewn (down, stapled) hems, buttons, all try to prevent this. Buttons will pool water, if out in rain, wash spray, and such. On the perimeter, tacking strips that fold and hide nails/tacks, and finishing arrow points help. You plan to make a long lasting multi-layer sandwich, pattern it, best matls, and good luck!

 

1/4" baltic birch.

 

Tops been on the coupe for 20 yrs. Did it like Henry designed. Works great. LaBarron Bonney kit less the chicken wire. Get the small hole wire.

 

Called carpenters cloth, round these parts.

 

Thanks on the title miss spelling, didn’t even notice lol. Thanks for replies.

 

The original design called for a wood frame, covered with poultry wire (finer mesh chicken wire). This was covered with cotton padding which was covered with white muslin cloth. They used long needles to push the cotton around until it was smooth and even. Then the whole thing was covered with black imitation leather.

Practically all makes of sedan and coupe used this kind of roof until the mid to late 1930s.

There are plenty of vintage Ford suppliers who sell everything you need.

https://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_model_a/top-roof-kits.html

When car radios came in, some cars used the wire mesh as an antenna. If you do this be careful the mesh does not come in contact with the steel of the body, and run a wire from the mesh down the window post and under the dash.

 

Take your hand and push down on a chicken wire covering. I use 1/4 inch floor underlayment(screwed in) and Landu foam. Used for pads on vinyl tops. Use a good glue. When you are done, you can beat on the roof with no worries.

 

Securedownload[1] by insomniacshotrods posted Jul 6, 2014 at 7:38 PM

I don’t want it to look like my 29 did with the seam by the drivers door showing and the bow shapes could be seen, they did it all wrong on this one. I’m scared the foam will make it too puffy on the sides where it’s usually just metal that the vinyl covers. I did get the roof kit, just didn’t want the top to ballooning going down the road so didn’t want to use chicken wire.

 

Rusty, how did your roof turn out? Did you pad the birch and then glue down the material? Figured this was old, you've had plenty of time to finish and prove it out.
Marty

 

Yes it was padded and an original type material was laid down on that. The only problem I had was I got in a hurry installing the tack strip and forgot to seal under it and it leaked. I bought a hypodermic needle from the local ranch store and injected liquid electrical tape in all the holes.

 

Thanks for the response. Did you use like a 1/8" closed cell foam and I assume you covered the entire roof, not just your wood filler panel? Filler panel was screwed to the original bows? Did you glue the material to the foam and roof then attached it with the nails? I'm trying to find good information on how to do the top install. I am going to use a 3 ply marine fabric, water proof, abrasion resistant, UV resistant. Just trying to understand how to attach and finish the edges. I'm picking up a 30 Model A Tudor Thursday. It had a good top but the birds got ahold of it and tore it up. Headliner is still OK. Not sure it will be when I drive home 60 miles. I'm going to try and tape down a tarp over the roof to try and help save the headliner.....

 

I did the wood top screwed to the original bows after that I don’t know what the upholstery guy did on top of the plywood.

 

Did the plywood end up flush with the roof?

 

I don’t recall, it’s been to many years ago.

 

My top is done the same as your wood insert. I just recently replaced the vinyl top to get rid of a few ridges etc. I used the foam that came with the kit from MAC's and the finished top looks great but at highway speeds it now balloons. I am wondering if you experienced this and if so what was done to stop it short of taking the new top off and starting over. Thanks.

 

Nope haven’t had that problem