Thread: Top for my roadster

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As noted, there are several ways to do it.

The BopTop and Topster tops are good looking - and fairly expensive - but their failing is they don't overlap the sides of the car.
That would allow rain that falls straight down to enter the cockpit.

Stock style tops hang out over the side window area and keep most rain out whether parked or running.
As well as keeping water out when you wash the car.

A better solution is a pair of top irons from Lebaron-Bonney (they make nice ones).
The price is fair and you have the choice of painted, part polished stainless or all stainless.
They come in standard height and 2" chop.

If you have a 3" chop, the 2" chop top irons will still work because you set the wedge angle as well as the top height over the passengers your own self.
Just depends if you want a wedged top - which is best - or a straight top.
Straight tops tend to balloon up due to airflow and wedged ones have downward air pressure on them at speed.

Top height and wedge are adjusted by where you place the middle and rear oak bows on the top irons.

Get a Lebaron-Bonney top kit as well.
Available in a variety of colors and fabrics.
Ask them for samples.

The top kit is easy to do by yourself at home.
The toughest part will be installing the rear window cuz you only have one shot to get it right.
L-B has an option to install the rear window at the factory.

The great majority of upholstery shops order in an L-B top and allude to the fact that it's made on the premises.
And charge accordingly.
I got one quote for $900. about ten years ago and later on saw a car with the same top as mine they'd done.
At the time my top cost a little over $450.

The top is lasting well and Sweetie & I enjoy it.
It does fold down, but most times we take it off and leave it at home when running topless . . . which ain't too often here in the hot Arizona sun.

Shade - and a little privacy - is another nice part about running a top.

The really nice part about the L-B top is that the rear window cloth etc. unsnaps, comes inside and gets snapped up under the top.
The big opening makes for a lot of airflow and you still have shade.

Took me about ten hours of easy two hours a day work to get my top installed.

Tools required were the usual hand tools plus an upholstery hammer to drive tacks, a staple/tack remover (available at Sears or any hardware store, Stanley makes them) a few single edge razor blades.
You can also use an air staple gun and install the top like the uph. shops do.

L-B supplies a box of copper tacks, order a second box cuz more than likely you'll have to backtrack a bit here and there.
If you run out, you can get aluminum carpet tacks at Home Despair.

Key point is, don't use blued tacks.
They rust and the rust will quickly stain the top material.
It's not too bad with a black top, but a tan or white top will show rust very quickly.

I strongly recommend you do not buy window glass for the top's rear window.
Use Lexan (a polycarbonate trade name, don't use plexiglass).
The glass is really too heavy for the cloth although the glass in my top is doing ok, but I feel that the lighter Lexan would be a much better choice.
Lexan resists scratching quite well.
I have Lexan windwings on my 32 roadster.
They get washed when the car gets washed and that's it.
No special care required.
They remain unscratched except for where some clown at a car show dragged his diamond ring across it to test what material it was.


Here's a pic with the rear window snapped open.



And one with it closed.


A three quarter rear view.


And one just for fun showing the view from the cockpit.
Running Route 66 north of Kingman, Arizona.

Originally Posted by C9x

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C9 - I fully agree with your assessment of LeBarron-Bonney. I do have a couple of complaints of them tho. (http://www.lebaronbonney.com/)

1 - S-l-o-o-o-w and I only live 150 miles from them. ANY order takes a minimum of 2 weeks, usually 3 or more. They say 4 - 6 weeks on a top - my guess would be 6 to 8. My top bows took a month to get to me even after several phone calls and them telling me all was on-hand. Even then the order wasn't complete, with my upholsterer waiting with $90/yd fabric in hand.

2 - Limited selection of materials and colors.

They offer several Deuce top configurations - from Deluxe (restoration type) and 2" street rod version all priced complete from about $2025 to $2095 (this from their current 2006 summer catalog) then you need to add side curtains from a local upholsterer.

L-B top irons are made by Girtz http://www.girtz.com/carparts/ . The bows and other hardware can then be purchased from L-B (they are the least expensive) then have the upholsterer make up the top and side curtains at the same time.

IMHO, am not fond of the tops that only come to the rear bow - prefer to have a top go to the body to bow fastener - but personal preference dictates the final design.

Originally Posted by Irelands child

C9 - I fully agree with your assessment of LeBarron-Bonney. I do have a couple of complaints of them tho. (http://www.lebaronbonney.com/)

1 - S-l-o-o-o-w and I only live 150 miles from them. ANY order takes a minimum of 2 weeks, usually 3 or more. They say 4 - 6 weeks on a top - my guess would be 6 to 8. My top bows took a month to get to me even after several phone calls and them telling me all was on-hand. Even then the order wasn't complete, with my upholsterer waiting with $90/yd fabric in hand.

2 - Limited selection of materials and colors.

They offer several Deuce top configurations - from Deluxe (restoration type) and 2" street rod version all priced complete from about $2025 to $2095 (this from their current 2006 summer catalog) then you need to add side curtains from a local upholsterer.

L-B top irons are made by Girtz http://www.girtz.com/carparts/ . The bows and other hardware can then be purchased from L-B (they are the least expensive) then have the upholsterer make up the top and side curtains at the same time.

IMHO, am not fond of the tops that only come to the rear bow - prefer to have a top go to the body to bow fastener - but personal preference dictates the final design.

They could be busier nowadays than they were ten years ago when I ordered my top.
The stuff I did order - about three different shipments - came within a reasonable time.
Living in Central California at the time.

Got an idea what Girtz top irons cost?
Their onlline catalog doesn't show prices.

At the time I ordered my top, they had what I considered a reasonable choice of materials and colors.
'Course, I wanted black and that made it easy.

Not sure what you mean about the top ending at the rear bow.
Any chance you're looking at a top with the rear window folded up?

My pal's 29 A roadster runs the same top and material as I do and in summer, most times the window is snapped up like is shown on my first pic above.
It is a good option and I encourage anyone who's doing a roadster top to get it.
Airflow with the window open is greatly increased and that makes life easier on a hot summer day.

See my responses in the quote

Originally Posted by C9x

They could be busier nowadays than they were ten years ago when I ordered my top.
The stuff I did order - about three different shipments - came within a reasonable time.
Living in Central California at the time.

**** Possibly - tho when I have ordered, no matter what time of year, they don't seem to have any sense of urgency. They are in a HIGH employment area and possibly have problems getting and keeping good help

Got an idea what Girtz top irons cost? Their onlline catalog doesn't show prices.

**** They quoted me about 10- 15 % less than L-B, but I had already ordered my hardware so no longer have notes.Gotta call 'em.

At the time I ordered my top, they had what I considered a reasonable choice of materials and colors.
'Course, I wanted black and that made it easy.

***** Black, Green, Brown, Beige, Navy, Neutral???, Dark Brown with various combinations of each. I was concerned with the quality of the material - I got all of their samples - also, their brown was 'wrong' for my car


Not sure what you mean about the top ending at the rear bow.
Any chance you're looking at a top with the rear window folded up?

****I meant behind the top bow (please don't take this the wrong way, but like yours ) My preferance is cabriolet appearing, hiding the rear bow

My pal's 29 A roadster runs the same top and material as I do and in summer, most times the window is snapped up like is shown on my first pic above.
It is a good option and I encourage anyone who's doing a roadster top to get it.

**** Absolutely agree - tho I have A/C in my roadster (but the reason for that, well that's another long story). My rear window is fixed but the high heat days in Upstate NY are few

Airflow with the window open is greatly increased and that makes life easier on a hot summer day.

There are quite a few choices, but, IMO, it has to be what suits the individual car and its owner, and it seems HIBOY GIRL has a bunch of viable options to choose from.

HiboyGal and the rest of the clubbers, I called LB and they told me if I had a wanted a material different than theirs that would tell me how many yds. and they would make me a top and side curtains out of my material. That should open up alot of other options. I'm getting to old to go topless in Texas.
Jim

Originally Posted by Old Hippie

HiboyGal and the rest of the clubbers, I called LB and they told me if I had a wanted a material different than theirs that would tell me how many yds. and they would make me a top and side curtains out of my material. That should open up alot of other options. I'm getting to old to go topless in Texas.
Jim

Jim,
I asked them that very question about a year ago and was told that they were currently not manned up to do custom top work but hoped to be able to offer that service in the future. I'm glad to hear that they have returned to that service that they built their original reputation years past. Now, the question of quick shipping ......

The mailperson (being politically correct) just delivered my new L-B catalog. The complete top prices just went up - a lot. Now $2180 to $2240 for a deuce.

They have some fabric specials, see their website:

http://www.lebaronbonney.com/osc/cat...oducts_id=4701