[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I doubt there are any videos showing this. I also am not really sure what tips or tricks I can share with you. In a nutshell, to do a good job requires someone who has some experience. Likely the more times you do it, the better you will be.

I will tell you that my experience counters others, so just take mine for what it is worth. I have learned that doing this on a hot day does not really matter, -and in certain instances will be counterproductive. Think abut it this way, when they were originally installed, Ford did not wait for a hot day nor did he build a 'hot room' just to install roofs. Just realize you are using the hot day to bandaid something else that wasn't done correctly.

With consideration of the 'hot day' mindset, one of the things that likely affects this to some is the use of synthetic materials. I know my pictures are crappy, but if you look carefully you will see that I only use real cotton batting for the underlayment. The synthetic does not compress well on the edges. It also makes the top look "poofy" around the edges. This causes the leatherette to stretch unnaturally.

Next, use tacks instead of staples. We steam the leatherette prior to installation to relax the fabric and remove any wrinkles. Next we find the centerline in both axis', then measure strike points in both the leatherette and the sheetmetal. This allows you to hit the marks without overstretching and it allows you to make corrections as you go instead of trying to correct it in the corners. Generally we set the tack about ½ during the initial layout. Once we have the leatherette mock fitted, we remove the tacks and re-stretch if need me. Once everything fits, we set the tacks and trim. Again, use natural cotton instead of synthetic and you won't need to over-stretch it or use excess heat.

And finally, look closely at the picture I posted of the top wood. Notice how the sheetmetal has a perfect fit to the wood. The sheetmetal is not nailed into compression or forced into fitting. This fit is a product of using custom fabricated wood that was made using original prints. As far as making the drip mouldings fit, this is just a patience thing. It takes time to finesse it where both pieces fit each other correctly.


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