New roof for the wife's mustang

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03-24-2008, 10:16 AM
41willys

4 Attachment(s)

New roof for the wife's mustang

I built Shirley's Mustang II roadster (tube chassis, no top, no door glass) about 10 years ago and she hardly ever drives it for fear of getting caught in the weather. I decided to put a convertible top on it and got this far before I had one of the local interior guys give me an estimate on putting a new canvas top on the frame and he said a miniumum of $2000+ with no guarantees, because it would have to be made from scratch to fit the framework I remade from a jensen Healy I know he is good and the cheapest around from experience.
I now think it would be easier and cheaper to graft a complete sheetmetal roof on it.
I am trying to decide wheather to use a 66 fast back roof, a new 05-08 roof, or build one from scratch. One trouble is I can't seem to find either and old top or the new generation sheetmetal.
Any suggestions?
John
03-24-2008, 10:39 AM
mrmustang

Can you take a better shot of it from the side, show the whole car, maybe outside?
03-24-2008, 11:11 AM
Flipper_1938

Are you gonna put glass back in the doors?
03-24-2008, 11:18 AM
41willys

1 Attachment(s)

I will post a a better side shot tommorrow.
I already have the passenger door remade so the glass works.
Since the doors are 6 inches shorter and 5 inches shallower than stock I had to make new curved runners for the glass as well as all new lifting mechanism. I will show some shots of that tommorrow as well.
John
03-24-2008, 11:23 AM
mrmustang

I'm thinking more a 79-86 coupe for the removable hardtop.
03-24-2008, 11:24 AM
41willys

5 Attachment(s)

here are a couple of shot of the new door latches and the runner as well as the extent that I had to change the upper part of the door for the glalss.
03-24-2008, 11:26 AM
41willys

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmustang

I'm thinking more a 79-86 coupe for the removable hardtop.

I had thought of the earlier notchback top but I like the looks of the fast back better. I had not thought of a removable hardtop.
john
03-24-2008, 04:29 PM
Dave Severson

Removable hardtop would be kewl......Maybe shape one up with some light aluminum or sheet metal.... Could work the metal and finish it, or shoot a mold off it and make a 'glass roof?????
03-24-2008, 07:26 PM
bluestang67

I'm going to tarp my stuff LOL dont need a convertible . 41 great job doing that Ghia up like that . Car looks sweet even i would like to get a drive in it . I thought all top makers cut and sewn there stuff to fit the frame .
03-25-2008, 05:47 AM
41willys

3 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluestang67

I'm going to tarp my stuff LOL dont need a convertible . 41 great job doing that Ghia up like that . Car looks sweet even i would like to get a drive in it . I thought all top makers cut and sewn there stuff to fit the frame .

thanks, It is a blast to drive. I thought so too but this guy says that typically they buy premade tops and install them, except of course for one off stuff. the biggest trouble with my frame is that there were never provisions for window rubbers so I had to build all of that in. He would have had to cut and sew to match my frame and he had no reference points for anything, which is very labor intensive.
It is a mute point now as you can see by the photo I got happy with the sawzall last night.
03-25-2008, 05:50 AM
41willys

2 Attachment(s)

for you photo shop guys- here is a line drawing of the original Ghia and a sketch of the current body with a fast back top.
Maybe you can switch some top configuations around to see what looks best?

John

Notice that when I rebuilt it the new body configuration has a 6" longer front fenders, smaller doors , it has been section 5", front wheels moved forward 12" rear wheels moved forward 6", cabin shortened 6" I built two of them at the same time one for racing and one for street. the drag car has no doors.
03-25-2008, 06:10 AM
mrmustang

From the header of the windshield to the back edge of the rear compartment is how far (measured from the highest point), then that point down to the rear decklid (essentially a 90 degree measurement on two planes)......

Bill S.
03-25-2008, 06:33 AM
41willys

Bill,
without measuring (will do it tonight) i can guess that it is around 55" long and 16" high
03-25-2008, 06:43 AM
mrmustang

Quote:

Originally Posted by 41willys

Bill,
without measuring (will do it tonight) i can guess that it is around 55" long and 16" high

Measure it tonight and get me the width at the header panel as well.
My thoughts are to find you a factory hardtop that you can modify like this one from a late model Triumph Spitfire.....

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/spitfire/images/200b.jpg

Bill S.
03-25-2008, 07:26 AM
bluestang67

1 Attachment(s)

41 unless she has the top with her and help to install your about in the same boat right if rain sets in . When i was looking at this bar work you had installed i seen tee tops , carried in the trunk and easy enough for her to install on her own . You would still get some what of the roadster feel partially open top .
03-25-2008, 08:53 AM
41willys

Denny and Bill, I think Bobby hit it . Shirley's problem is she likes to drive it to work but is afraid of the weather changes having been caught in the rain. She really liked the convertible feel with no top so would be torn between having the top on or leaving the top. A convertible soft top would really be the answer but she doesn't want to spend several thousand just to get it covered. I had even thought about just a snap on canvas top over the bars themselves but would still have to deal with the window seal to the top. I can buy a mid 80's convertible top complete on ebay for less than $200 but I would still have to remake the bars and mechanism to fit and then it may not have enough room to fold down into the big wheel tubbs. Then I would still have to have the canvas remade or at least repaired to fit. That is why I had thought of a permanent top and the fast back was to give it different look after 10 years on the road.
John
03-25-2008, 09:14 AM
Flipper_1938

i'd be tempted to part the car out and use the killer pile of parts on a new project....something that started out as a convertible.
03-25-2008, 12:27 PM
41willys

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flipper_1938

i'd be tempted to part the car out and use the killer pile of parts on a new project....something that started out as a convertible.

I suppose that is an idea. Athough I have hundreds of hours in the chassis and body mods now and the over look is so much better than the looks of a stock mustang II that it would be a shame to chuck it at this point.
03-25-2008, 01:00 PM
Flipper_1938

Quote:

Originally Posted by 41willys

I suppose that is an idea. Athough I have hundreds of hours in the chassis and body mods now and the over look is so much better than the looks of a stock mustang II that it would be a shame to chuck it at this point.

I recently "recycled" a camaro that I built as a hot rod in the mid 90's. It was a neat car, but it was due a complete overhaul (paint and interior). It was worth more to me as parts than it was a complete car (yes, I tried to sell it whole).

Re-painting it (using good materials) would have just put me farther in the hole with it.

I decided to build something I wanted instead of what was there.
03-25-2008, 02:48 PM
ford2custom

Quote:

Originally Posted by 41willys

for you photo shop guys- here is a line drawing of the original Ghia and a sketch of the current body with a fast back top.
Maybe you can switch some top configuations around to see what looks best?

John

Notice that when I rebuilt it the new body configuration has a 6" longer front fenders, smaller doors , it has been section 5", front wheels moved forward 12" rear wheels moved forward 6", cabin shortened 6" I built two of them at the same time one for racing and one for street. the drag car has no doors.

I like the bottom sketch it resembles the 66 Mustang fast back, if you could make that work you could buy another convertible with a folding top to get her back and forth to work. Just another idea, if I had the talent I would try the GT 500 look that you sketched.

Richard
03-25-2008, 07:04 PM
bluestang67

Ford2 you hit it that fastback look is sharp and it is one of my favorites :toocool: . Seen roofs for sale cut it and shape it like pic would look sharp .

41 i just read that in 76 77 they where available with fastback with T-tops if you could locate a parts car whole problem is solved . This would be a easier mod i think.
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/photo...hp?photo=19031

Quick search of parts link sells new weather strips for the T - top
http://home.hiwaay.net/~mustang/74-8.htm
03-25-2008, 07:10 PM
Dave Severson

You could always play with some different shapes for the roof by using some of the big thick styrofoam blocks glued together, then whittle away everything that doesn't look like a roof!!!!! Not real difficult to go from a styrofoam shape to a fiberglass mold!!!!