I wanted to get out of the garage for a little while so I borrowed a digital camera and took some pics of my progress so far on my rpu's convertible top frame that I am making. It's being modeled after a model A convertible top iron (I think). This frame is a lot more time consuming than I thought it would be. Right now all of the bolts are tight (doesn't fold yet) so I can progress on the rest of the frame. All work is being done by a 4" grinder, a 110V buzz box (flux core), sand, a couple of wood plugs for the pipe, and a torch. The bumps in the bends are all on the inside with the outside of the frame smooth. The bumps don't bother me at all. I have a long way to go still. The pic of the model A top irons was stolen off the internet, possibly from this web site.
I got the top to go up correctly and fold correctly today. It was kind of a bitch figuring out the geometry of it, but then again I never took geometry in school. . Left now is to secure the frame to the truck, get seals, check the profile of it with some tape, and have it covered. The top is going to have a visor built into it. The first pic on the left shows it folded down, the middle pic shows it open, and the right pic shows the visor/header. The top literaly goes over the windshield and drops down about 3/4" over it. I think it's going to look sik.
Let's keep this going for a while. Looking at doing one for a '27 T. I've cabbaged a bunch of old school desks which had the tapered steel legs and the mandrel 90 degree bends. I'm toying with the idea of using these for my hoops. Anyone in H.A.M.B.-land done this? Possible? Plausible?
It sounds possible to me. The geometry is pretty simple once I figured it out. The two red lines need to stay the same length as do the blues lines. They form a perfect rectangle when the top is half way up allowing the mechanism to fold. The light blue line is half the distance between the end bow and the middle bow. Once I figured that out it was a piece of time consuming cake.
That looks great. I stole the same picture from the classifieds here as a reference to make one for my T when the time comes. Keep us posted. I wanna see it with the tape outline.
I want to see more ! I have a 37 Plymouth p/u that has a really good top , but I was thinking of cutting the top off and making a fold down for it . I know the 37's are rare but I can always weld it back on if I want to . I would like to know where on the internet you found out how to make a folding frame ? If anyone knows where can you let me know ! Keep up with the pictures ! Looks to be coming along very nicely . RetroJim
Excellent! I may build a top for my '27 T like this. A lot of good info for anyone that wants to fab up his own top. Take your time refining the shape of the top, so it doesn't end up looking like those clumsy overpriced Bop Tops. Here's a pic of a 30/31 top...
One of the things I learned when researching how to build the top for my roadster pickup, was that to get the proportions looking their "best", the radii at the ends of the two rear top bows should be the same radius as the rear corners of the cab (cockpit).
Good work there.! I did this also a few times on 2 roadsters and t-buckit,a bit def ways each time,first time was using a old boat bimini as a start point and the next 2 was from EMT tube with a eletricbender. To make them fold I found adding a hoop behind the main hoop,so main hoop is then leaning a bit forward ,makes it so you can fold it smaller[header hoop becomes same size as main hoop so all folds together in one pile. dosen't stick out as far in back when folded down. Also a rear window can be done with plxyglass or laxan buy making two frame works of wood or alum about 3/8 thick X 3/4in. wide that match each other and screw together of a opening shape you like ;screw window and top-coth between them with a little sealer ,cut away coth from inside after.
Retro Jim, I didn't find a place on the web that showed me how to build a folding top. I just kind of "went with it". dana barlow, I'm getting the feeling that you're a little smarter than me. . I'm real happy with the profile that this top is giving. I'm not interested in making it look like the average rpu top and I think I've acheived a good distinct look with it. Again, this top is a lot more work than I had thought it would be. When the top is up it isn't lining up correctly with the windshield so it's going to need more work there. When the top is down the header is getting caught on some of the other arms which isn't allowing it to go all of the way down so it's going to need more work there as well. Rome wasn't built in a day... The first pic is showing the tape lines from the side, second pic is showing tape lines from the front, last pic is a photoshopped of the truck at a distance with the tape line. Next up is to get the top to line up better with the top of the windshield. BTW, when I'm sitting in the truck and look out the windshield I can just barely see the top/visor.
I got the top to sit on the windshield straight. I had to rework quite a bit on the corner's of the top frame where the top meets the windshield. I also installed the latch for the top. Next up is getting the top to fold all of the way down. For the seals I'm using Ford door weatherstrip. It slides onto the edge of steel from 1/16" to 1/4" thick.
I'm considering making the visor steel and maybe drilling some holes into it. I photoshopped a pic of it. I'd like some opinion's on that visor. In the future the axle will be drilled as well, as well as lowering the headlights, lowering the frame horns, moving the shocks, moving the steering dampner, making a...........
I likie that visor deel you came up on the ragtop for better driver site,very cool. Just and idea here for a fast rear window; rear window in rag top that is,was looking at some of these alum license plate frames and thinking that two of them could be screwed together back to back with clear and rag between. There is a number of designs and if ya needed bigger fast ,maybe more then one window on the rear of rag top.
License plate frames, now that's creative! I've decided/figured out that I don't have the skills to make that visor out of steel and keep it all straight so it'll all get covered with cloth. I have beeen working on this thing for far too long. I finaly have the frame going all of the way down and all of the way up. I have tons of metal and paint finishing left to do. If I had a clue as to how much work this was going to be I would have built a non-folding hardtop!
Buddy, don't beat yourself up too bad!!! What you have done looks really good. I consider myself a pretty damn talented guy, and I chickened out at the thought of making my RPU top a foldable unit. I think that what you have looks great.---Brian
The Jalopy Journal
