I am working on installing a new to on my '28 business coupe. I want to knew how the top is secured around the edges.

Will anyone be so kind as to post a few close up pics of the front, back and sides showing how the cloth top is secured?

It would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

SteveG

The top on my '29 coupe was tacked to the wood framing all the way around.  The finish trim strip around the perimeter was also tacked using small round-headed tacks about 3/8 to 1/2 inch long.  I can't send a picture 'cause the top is off now.  But you might want to look at a previous post of mine on page 4 of this General Discussion forum.  It's titled "I need some advise..."; top wood repair discussion starts on about page 6 of that post.  I'll check my picture file to see if I have a photo of the original fabric top.

I'll try and take some for you this week. I have the original top on my 29.

Thank you so much for your post!

I'm thinking the cover goes under the gutters, above the door. It looks like an elongated U shaped metal strap secures the back. I am not sure how the front is held down.

Your pics will be invaluable to me. Thanx for taking the time and effort. The chances of you doing the same job, at the same time is amazing.

I look forward to your next post.

SteveG

I found your later post and am now studying it now. I made some of the same parts as you. I am now repairing or replacing  the thin struts across the top. I will send some pics in a couple of days when I'm ready to attach the top.

Thank you
SteveG

Thanx Dave.

I look forward to seeing your pics of your top. Will be a BIG help!

SteveG

Just to let you guys know I am following these posts also since I will be doing this at some point soon.  I am very interested in the body construction over the doors.  I don't think there is much left of mine.  Pictures are a big help especially for some of us with missing parts.

Tks Chet...

My 2 cents: I remember the '28s and '29s had a wood chine all the way around the roof and it rotted from water ingress and I filled it out with body fill. I remember the rain gutter was the last thing tacked  on the sides. The front roofing cloth was tacked up to the wood overhang and the metal cadet visor was then screwed in place. I put lots of black RTV silicone rubber in at the last edge of the roof cloth all around to stop water getting in now. Especially under the visor as the rain would be driven into the cracks when driving down the road. (Just wiping off the excess will make the RTV disappear.)I don't believe any caulking was put in any place by Chrysler. That and the sun killing the top material was the reason for the water ingress.   

SteveG:  I found the pics of my fabric top prior to removal.  It was not the original top but was secured around the perimeter in the same manner as the original.  I am sending 2 pics, one of the left front corner above the A pillar, and the other is the left rear corner above and behind the door.  I have about 12 more pictures but they are large format (3MB) so if you want to see those too I can send them to your email.  If others here want to see them I will just go ahead and reduce their size and post them here.  Let me know.

Chet:  I still have the wood exposed on my coupe so if you need more pictures let me know what parts you want to see.  You probably remember that I posted quite a few pics of the top wood in the thread I mentioned above ("I need some advise") (spelling error mine).  It's now on page 4 of the General Discussion.

Old Man:  You remember right. 

Quote from: kimmc on March 04, 2014, 12:24:35 PM
Chet:  I still have the wood exposed on my coupe so if you need more pictures let me know what parts you want to see.  You probably remember that I posted quite a few pics of the top wood in the thread I mentioned above ("I need some advise") (spelling error mine).  It's now on page 4 of the General Discussion.

Old Man:  You remember right. 

Kim, 

Many thanks, yes I know the thread very well and appreciate all the pictures you posted.  I didn't suspect that there was this wood trim.  In the picture below showing the side piece it looks like a quarter round wood molding.  Is there any way to get a tracing of the molding's contour.  Also the pieces that trim the back are they also this same type of wood trim ?  If so is it one continues piece or is it a number of pieces glued together.  What type of wood do you suspect it is ?

Old Man,

Great catch I would have never suspected a wood trim.  This actually explains a lot.  Any ideas on how it was originally finished ?  Painted black I suspect ?  In your post you also said " I remember the rain gutter was the last thing tacked  on the sides"  What did the rain gutter look like.  Is Kim's photo accurate or was his top replaced at some point in the past ?

SteveG, 

Thanks for starting the thread.  I have been playing around with this car for almost ten years and I am always learning something new about it.  The more I learn the more things on the list of stuff to fix some day.

Chet...

Is there any wood trim under the piece above the windshield ?

Chet:  Hi Chet.  You mention "a picture below"... I didn't get a picture or are you referring to an earlier picture.  All the wood is oak.  The perimeter of the top of the cab is all wood framing beneath the sheet metal.  There is so much wood that if you removed all the sheet metal, there would still be a wood structure remaining that outlines the shape of the car!  The top perimeter framing is many pieces glued and screwed together.  I had to do a lot of fabrication and fitting to reproduce the repair parts I made.  I can try to get a cross sectional shape of the side and front main wood pieces but none of these are a consistent cross section from front to back.  But I will do the best I can for you.  It is probably a good thing that all this wood is covered by either the top material or the interior headliner and fabric of the sides.  I am still a little confused by what you are referring to as wood "trim".  The wood framing is not 'trim', but rather a substantial wood support structure.  But maybe I misunderstand what you are referring to.  I'll take some more pictures and try to do some sketches.  My fabric top was not the original, but the original "gutter" metal and metal "half-round" to finish the back edge of the top were retained.  The wood framing had both black paint and plenty of overspray from the original green body paint.  The raw edge of the top fabric was finished with a fabric belt also tacked down and apparent in the photos.  I'm going to post all the pictures I took of the top before I removed it.  It will take about 6 posts I think.

more top pics... Kim Mc

still more pics....  Kim Mc

more....  Kim Mc

last two.... Kim Mc