*Mr.ModelT has a question on Model A Roadster Tops*

[MrModelT]

Hello All!

I'm in the process of adapting a '28-'29 Model A roadster top to my '26 roadster. I have a top on my car now (set up for the 12"-14" chopped windshield), but the home made bow assemblies just don't look right for a period "Gowjob". I happened to stumble across a complete, original Model A top assembly not long ago and have begun to work out mounting and how it needs to be altered to fit.

The '26-7 T roadster and '28-9 A roadster tops are both basically the same design and they both use the same style straight Poplar bows. I KNOW I will need to narrow the top to fit...

My question is.... how do I remove/replace the rounded wood corner pieces in the top irons? ...I know how it's done on the T top irons.....but the A's are much different.


Her is what I'm working on:






Thanks!

[Brendan1959]

I am keen to know as well, I have a set of A irons which I have repaired, the tack strips in the radius part of the bow was damaged in one so I removed it all. I am not sure it was made of wood, I thought perhaps leather, I took a part of it to a leather supply, the fellow there says its not leather, and said lit looked more like masonite. I barely burns, more like smolders. I sliced up some masonite and tried to bend it "snap", tried to steam it and it grew. I tried hard wood, steamed it, to hard to bend, I think I will end up with pine or hard wood laminations. Some one must have done it?
Regards
Brendan

[Rich in Tucson]

I have used a moldable epoxy wood filler product called System Three SculpWood. It takes nails and tacks well and seems to be holding up well on a driver. Accepts paint/colorant. Don't know what is available locally in Australia but these folks do ship.

http://www.systemthree.com/

[Brendan1959]

I had a sniff round the web in Aus, not much luck with the sculpwood, I thought of making some filler out of fiberglass resin and micro baloons?
Regards
Brendan

[MrModelT]

Rich! Thanks for the reply!

I will look into the Sculpwood, sounds like a decent alternative. Would you normally bend the the irons open (like on a T) to put the stuff in?

[MrModelT]

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Brendan,

I'm not sure what it is either....but it does look like Masonite....just steamed and bent to fit possibly.

[Ted in MN]

Make a stack of thin pine slats. Shape to fit the opening of the bow. Soak in hot water or steam. Push in and they will follow the curve of the bow. I did this in 1961 and they have held up nicely.

[MrModelT]

Originally Posted by Ted in MN

Make a stack of thin pine slats. Shape to fit the opening of the bow. Soak in hot water or steam. Push in and they will follow the curve of the bow. I did this in 1961 and they have held up nicely.

Thanks Ted!

I have some repair work to do yet on the irons first, but getting this thing ready for upholstery is next on my list....want the correct folding top before I drive it to Bonneville next year.

[Brendan1959]

OK i decided to fill the irons with a wood filler I used about 1.5kg. nice and easy just mask around the opening and jammed a little bit of foam at each end to keep it in. Over filled a bit then sanded on my linisher. Took about 2 hours all up.
Brendan