Tonneau covers

Charlie Chops 1940 · February 23, 2009, 11:13:54 AM

I'm getting the roadster ready o have a couple tonneau covers made. One for the box and one for the cockpit. The cockpit one will be split. I put 10-32 nutserts in the sheet metal where the snaps will go.The canvas shop guy has male snap parts that have a 10-32 screw embedded in them. The other choice is rivets or sheet metal screws - neither of which I like on snaps. Seems like they always fail somewhere.

I made a cross support midway back on the box and another front to back in the cockpit.

I'll be taking the car to him in the next week or so - updates after it's done.

Charlie

Bruce Dorsi · February 23, 2009, 11:57:38 AM

Beautiful workmanship all the way around!

Are those seat backs HOT when parked in the sun?

Charlie Chops 1940 · February 23, 2009, 02:32:46 PM

Tolerable - and they transfer the heat out to your back pretty fast. I used the car for transport in the pits and back and forth to the starting line at Bonneville last year and it wasn't uncomfortable - no more than any open car soaking up the rays.

Quote from: "Bruce Dorsi"Beautiful workmanship all the way around!

Are those seat backs HOT when parked in the sun?

sirstude · February 23, 2009, 03:16:46 PM

Charlie, it looks better every time I see the pictures!

When are you going to make an umbrella mount for it, so you can be cool like all the other pit rats at Bonneville?

Charlie Chops 1940 · February 23, 2009, 04:24:14 PM

Funny you should ask...I picked out the tonneau material this morning and made sure we'd have a yard and a half or so of material left over just for such an occasion.

I'm looking at making a Bimini, if that's the right word, top in the manner of ones for a jeep, spanning the top of the windshield to the roll bar. I will have to have another 1-1/2" of glass to see out of though. So the first step down that path is another pair of windshields and a header of some sort and a way to attach it in front and in back from inside or outside of the car. Tape mockups tell my I can't get in or out of the car with the top attached. Ain't that a kick in the butt? Too much Charlie, too little roadster, but I haven't given up yet.

Quote from: "sirstude"Charlie, it looks better every time I see the pictures!

When are you going to make an umbrella mount for it, so you can be cool like all the other pit rats at Bonneville?

jaybee · February 23, 2009, 04:57:48 PM

I'll bet you're thinking of a bikini top http://www.bestop.com/index.php?s=8 and that sounds like a great option. In fact it looks like a great option for any open car with a roll bar.

moose · February 23, 2009, 08:18:18 PM

looks good Charlie. The style top you are refering to is called either a bikini or bimini. Used a lot on boats. How quickly is the cab bar removeable? looks like it is screwed in. Just buttom head screws?

Tim

Charlie Chops 1940 · February 23, 2009, 09:01:07 PM

Hi Tim,

Yeah, I've heard it called both. The cab bar is a phillips screw in fron t and s/s allen button heads in the back. A couple seconds if the tools are at hand.

Charlie

Quote from: "moose"looks good Charlie. The style top you are refering to is called either a bikini or bimini. Used a lot on boats. How quickly is the cab bar removeable? looks like it is screwed in. Just buttom head screws?

Tim

Charlie Chops 1940 · March 17, 2009, 05:49:34 PM

Here we go. Just picked up the car this afternoon. I am very pleased. $503.50 for those who want to know.

The picture of the cockpit shows the drivers side to be a little loose looking. He mad that one a tad loose so it's easier to s,ap om. The pass. side on the box is taut like a hospital cornered bed.

Charlie

phat rat · March 17, 2009, 06:01:19 PM

Hey Charlie lookin good

jaybee · March 17, 2009, 06:02:45 PM

That looks REALLY good!

Uncle Bob · March 18, 2009, 09:05:57 AM

Very nice finishing touch.

purplepickup · March 18, 2009, 02:58:58 PM

Nice! Looks like excellent quality...especially for the money. Is that covertible top fabric?

Charlie Chops 1940 · March 18, 2009, 04:17:18 PM

Thanks guys. It's a boat material that I would say is similar to automotive top material but tougher. He says it won't shrink or stretch. Time will tell.

The devil is in the details. Each of the roll bar tubes have a sewn collar and then a slotted flap with velcro. There are two zippers for the drivers side removable part with a velcroed flap over them too. The slot for the roll bar is in the passenger part.

I felt that the price was excellent considering the hand made crafting of both covers. Only somewhat related...the top for the '40 was done 20 years go for $1100 at a labor rate of $15 per. Tops are trickier....but....

Charlie

WINGNUTZ · April 17, 2009, 12:36:33 AM

Could you show me the 10-32 inserts and how they work?