Carson style tops lets see what ya have..

I am toying around with making a carson style top for my 39 Ford,but would like to see what styles you guys have out there. Thanks.

 

Here's Dave Simard's '36. Steve Pierce did the top.



Dave had one made for Jimmie King's '39 Merc but I didn't get any pics. It should be out this year.

 

Carnut has a couple of photos. Is your 39 a coupe or a sedan?

 

here is my brothers 49 ford with a "carson top"

 

4 door convertible sedan. My convertible top is getting fixed and I think I want a Carson style top for it as well

 

sorry for bringing this out of the closet but how much did the a pillars get cut here

 

It's chopped about 5 inches.
CheaterJack

 

I built this car and top a few years ago...then it went to Winfield for paint and chrome. The car was originally a 4 door sedan. Sorry for the bad pics...it's all I have on this puter.

 

This one was done originally around 58 or 59 I believe.
car belongs to my step father.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238905

 

heres a couple i have had

 

Here is an article I wrote abot 15 years ago or so. I hope it will help you some or give you some ideas.


OK here is the recipe to build a Carson style top at home, I got this right from Tony "Build Your Own" Farnetti or Mr. Backyard Kustom.
You need Mig/wire feed welder, some metal PVC type pipe/conduit, some chicken wire, a hand or mechanical tube/pipe bender, some fiberglass and a lot of trial & error.
Bend the pipe to the angle you want running from the top of the winshield to the area where you want the top side opening to be IE: just past the door opening? Now do the same on the other side.
Now bend a piece of pipe around the back of the passenger area at the angle and shape you want and weld together with the side pieces, do the same with the front (over the widshield). You could do the front first mox-nix!
Now you need to bend and weld cross bows over the top to complete the frame, after you've welded them lay an old blanket on the top to see if you have the angle and flow you want, pull it tight and check, (you might need a second person to help you hold the blanket, however Tony does this all by himself).
Now that you have the frame together you need to add the chicken wire. Just lay the wire over the top and weld it to the frame. The chicken wire must support the fiberglass and upholstery so it must not only be welded in place right, but you must insure the wire flows over the top and between the bows the way you want it to IE: do you want it to kind of sag between the bows or do you want it to flow on top of them?
Next is to lay the fiberglass on making sure you don't bend or mash the wire and you keep the proper flow of your top.
At some point you need to weld on some kind of mounting tabs or hardwear to secure the top to your car. You might want to do this when you get the frame welded together or maybe after the fiberglass is put on. Each car is different and what you use is up to you.
Now comes the hard part you need to find an upholsterer to give your top that Carson Look. Good Luck!

I know there is more to it then that, but that is the jest of it (all I know
anyway) and I did get that info from my pal Tony. You just have got to do it if you want a Carson style top and can't pay to have one built. I hope it helps. Butch

 

This was on my dad's old 40 made out of steel and the one on his Merc was fiberglass

 

If you haven't already, you gotta go to this site to see the origins of the Carson Top. A lot of great pictures and diagrams of how the Carson top was made. Stuff from Carson and Gaylords back in the day.

http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/carson_tops__gaylor/

http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/carson_tops__gaylor/carson-top-shop/carson_top/

 

been doing some searching here on the forums and reading several peoples post of the top builds -- like brewsir -- and their are not to many posts on how to build a top, glad that you guys posted some info on the tops because i am going to be building a top for my 52 ford shortly

 

Did he buy the fiberglass Merc one? If so where???

 

Chris.The one on his dad,Don Curtians car was made by the great Illinois cusytomizer,Miles Mesa,who did two carson topped mercs that were killer.Miles was a forerunner in making all sorts of fiberglass merc parts in the 70s.
He was a true hall of famer.
He passed on years later.

 

That was actually made by Miles Masa from a mold he had. He only ever did 2 of them, one for his 50 and one for dad's 51.

 

I have created a new memorial site dedicated to my Father Miles Masa on Facebook. If anyone has any info or pictures please send me an e mail so I can post them ! [email protected]

 

Here is a picture of the 52 Bel Air Miles Masa did. I currently own this car and have so for the past 14 years in southern california.

 

Here is an in progress shot of the top I'm building for my 51 Chevy. It has a hand formed oak header, 1/4 inch steel rod all hand bent. the base is 1 inch box tubing on the sides & 3/8 solid rod again hand bent to fit the curves and dips of that area. It's secured with 2 seat belt latches on either side , 3 bolts int the header and 2 in the rear rod.



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my first one...

 

and more..

 

Here is mine i am building on my 36


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And a couple of photo shopped versions


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