Getting ready to have tarp made up for the 29, can anyone give me an idea of what this is being done for around the country? Sent from my XT1650 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Go to an upholstery shop that does convertable tops and ask them. Is it going to be zippered in the center? Also if you really want to do this there are going to be snaps pop riveted in to the body all the way around. Good luck and I like them.
Around here best bet is a boat/yacht yard. Also for the SS and bronze hardware. I am guessing you want a cockpit cover correct?
California Car Covers has roadster cockpit covers in stock. Prices range from $80 to $135. I believe So Cal Speed Shops also carry the same covers.
I had a boat shop do one for me on my old track roadster pickup along with a matching tarp on the box. I got male snaps from him that could be attached with 10-32 stainless screws into nutserts. I also made a bar that supported the passenger side cover when the drivers side was unsnapped. He used blue boat tarping. The car was Hugger orange. I liked the color contrast. It was about $500 10 years ago. I'll attach a couple pics from my desk top later.
I paid $600 for my Lake tarp/ Tonneau cover, to make a long story short I have two covers, a cloth one and one vinyl. the cloth one I use in the summer and have it rolled up with small leather belts behind the seat back laying on top of the body, if it starts to rain or I won't to wash it I just row it out and zip the drivers side in. For winter I use the vinyl cover because I can't roll it up its lined with white liner and I just leave it snapped on the passenger side which really keeps a lot of cold wind off me and also my heater is on that side, so with it on the warm air has got to go somewhere which is on me. I have a conv top but rather use the covers. You can't drive with the California covers on and they not very waterproof!
Cost is going to be according to the prevailing hourly charge in the area you are in and possibly to how big the name of the shop is. I'd go along with having a boat canvas shop do it. That would be a quick and simple project for most of them.
Off topic but tangent: I knew a fellow who had a friend who knew somebody who put a tonneau over the back seat area of his '61 Chevy post-less, bench seat, hard top. (new car, in the early 60's) It made using the back seat a pain but it sure did look outstanding. As I recall it had about a square foot of embroidery or airbrushing in the middle. I think there were a couple more around like that but it never took off into a fad of any note.
LOL I have to google it every time. I always use Naugahyde and those English snaps that have the little turn things instead of a regular snap. With a zipper down the middle, so you can tuck the driver side behind the seat. It was what my Ol' man did and always seemed to work real well. These days you can find a stainless zipper easy enough we used to use a heavy brass zipper and keep them lubed with bees wax. With a stainless zipper its not necessary.
Tonneau covers- boat top material works great. Twist fastners are called "common sense" fastners. When I build covers, I prefer the #10 plastic YKK zippers. They work the best for me.
LOL never knew what hey were called, I always look for a picture or explain how they work until someone understands. Common sense is a good name, anyplace where salt is part of the equation ( Pacific shore or mid west) it makes common sense to use them Oh I meant to say earlier around here it costs about 125 for a cover, if you know the stitcher.
LOL a lake tarp is something you sleep under. Well actually so is a Tonneau I suppose. I can remember the Ol' Man snapping my side and tucking his side behind the seat when I needed a nap.
I had one over the rear seat of my 62 Chevy II back in 64. It had an aluminum rod in a slot sewn in at the front to keep it flat. I always liked them.
My roadster had a race car one on in 1962. The driver area was zippered, but when you undid it, about 4 or 5 inches of the tonneau area to the left of the driver was still secured to the door. (Look at some old lakes roadster pictures.) You couldn't open the door. That made for an inconvenient daily driver that was now the roadster's purpose.
You'll get what you pay for. In your area there's a guy named Ken who does work from home. His day job is upholstery in 6-7 figure cars of the 30s. Has good product knowledge and can likely source whatever fastener you'd like. I'd use "Lift-the-Dot" fasteners like found on side curtains. Cool idea, go for it. Just don't go cheap, you'll hate yourself later, in the rain, in the spring when it doesn't fit any longer, at the hotel when it tears in front of your friends and...