top frame ideas wanted

[Northstar T]

I'm starting to think about building a top frame for Northstar T, and am looking for inspiration and ideas. I've searched, but come up with very few bare frame photos, so post em up here if you would, and when I corral all the ideas together and morph them into one of my own, I'll post the build up on my build thread for all to share. deal? I did find this one, and I like the quasi C cab look.... but actually I'm open to all ideas at the moment.

Thanks,
Russ

 

[butch27]

I like it. Gives plenty of viewing area on the sides and NO big bolt through the side of the car.

 

[RPM]

Are you planning to cover it with cloth or fiberglass?

 

[Northstar T]

Are you planning to cover it with cloth or fiberglass?

cloth. no question....... I think.

Russ

 

[Rick]

I'm starting to think about building a top frame for Northstar T, and am looking for inspiration and ideas. I've searched, but come up with very few bare frame photos, so post em up here if you would, and when I corral all the ideas together and morph them into one of my own, I'll post the build up on my build thread for all to share. deal? I did find this one, and I like the quasi C cab look.... but actually I'm open to all ideas at the moment.

Thanks,
Russ

Any other views of that top?I was gonna finish mine this weekend but i do like the shape of that one better.C-Cab look is kool.I guess i'll just incorporate the sides into mine.The Tubing to use is 3/4 od with a 5/8 i.d.and a 3/4 conduit bender works great.

 

[Northstar T]

Any other views of that top?I was gonna finish mine this weekend but i do like the shape of that one better.C-Cab look is kool.I guess i'll just incorporate the sides into mine.The Tubing to use is 3/4 od with a 5/8 i.d.and a 3/4 conduit bender works great.

I don't have any other pics of the frame, but I'm pretty sure this is the same car below. I found the pics on line somewhere months ago.
I'm playing with some 5/8" .065 square tubing for mine. easier for me to work with and it will have pads on the frame anyway.
.
Actually I'm working with some 1/4" copper tubing right now, cause it's easy to bend and rebend to try different ideas on the main hoops

Russ

 

[Whiplash]

Hey Russ,little old me down under again, see it is your fault for renewing my interest in this family. :good: And you have hit upon a subject that I too have researched on this site a few times. So Oregon weather I believe is very similiar to ours in the Auckland North Island area so I wonder if you would be better with a fold down top or one that very quickly pulls apart to be stored somewhere discreet in the car so that if the weather turns to custard you have your roof with you or vise versa the weather doesn't start out too good then turns into a scorcher? That is the problem I have found myseelf in when have left home with the roof in place and then wish I could remove it but no where to store the thing. :tan:

 

[butch27]

I have seen a fold down top on a bucket in Indiana. It was actually made from "flat" stock aluminum. Trying to find the pic .

 

[lkeuten]

I'm thinkin 3/4 inch emt conduit. It is cheap, easy to bend, and can be migged, tigged or brazed.

 

[rooster57]

I have used conduit for several projects and its seam is its weekness. Any welding on the seam is like a canopener effect. Being gavanized makes it harder to work with i like to spend a bit more and get a good quality tubing like rick has suggested. I love the top shape in the pics. MA and PA T made a top that turned out great . He may have used conduit but payed attention to the orentation of the seam mabye he will post here. JMHO

 

[Northstar T]

Hey Russ,little old me down under again, see it is your fault for renewing my interest in this family. :good: And you have hit upon a subject that I too have researched on this site a few times. So Oregon weather I believe is very similiar to ours in the Auckland North Island area so I wonder if you would be better with a fold down top or one that very quickly pulls apart to be stored somewhere discreet in the car so that if the weather turns to custard you have your roof with you or vise versa the weather doesn't start out too good then turns into a scorcher? That is the problem I have found myseelf in when have left home with the roof in place and then wish I could remove it but no where to store the thing. :tan:

I've puzzled over making my top a fold down quite a bit actuially. I do see a way it could be done, but it would end up folding back on the pickup bed in a rather large lump and not be very attractive. is the convienience worth the extra design/construction effort?? would I really even use that feature or would I still prefer to just drive home and remove the top on roadster days?? I guess it would be a good conversation piece at car shows and cruise nights...... but perhaps not much more. ya.. I'm leaning towards making this a ridgid frame removable top at the moment..... subject to change.

Russ

 

[butch27]

I think the original Ford "T"s top folded down into a big lump also.LOL

 

[Whiplash]

Hi Russ and yes that is the one thing that would spoil the look of the car when the top is down. The other concern you would have is that your pickup bed is a short one so the top would hang too far out over the rear of the car.Looking at that last picture of yours mocking up the roof you have got the right lines. Do you enter through the door or climb in over on the drivers side? When I'm well enough to go back out to the workshop I'm in the process of fitting opening doors to my bucket and then final paint and upholstery.I want to use a glass type rear window like modern convertibles that unzips and folds up into the top bow before the whole top pivot's back to rest on custom made brackets so that (1) the top clears the roll bar and (2)the top isn't sitting directly on the bed cover and (3) the seat belts that are bolted to the roll bar have a slot where the zip arrangement for the rear window panel is also included. (4) Like modern converts have a matching zip up sock that covers the top in the down position like I have seen on some restored convertibles. Heck I don't want much do I and just because I can picture it in my head doesn't make it easy to manufacture. Oh well just floating ideas. hthedrama:

 

[Gerry]

Hi
this is a very old pic of the T. Hood folded down as you can see. It was just a full bow with another one that hinged forward. Trouble was it wrecked the paint when it was down as it rubbed everywhere.
I tried to make it smaller and tighter when folded by using a couple of leather straps but it still rubbed all around the back of the body. The main bow could be moved through the fixings in the body to tension the hood when up and to tuck it in when it was down.
about 1972

Somethnig to think about if you go for a folding hood. Where will it contact in the down position
Gerry

PS Those are Dunlop intermediate racing tyres on the rear. 2 ply sideways so you dont curb them. The frivolity of youth!!!

 

[putz]

Could it be built where the sides slide into one anther to shorten it up like they do on some boat tops when folded? Pins are installed to hold them when open.

 

[Whiplash]

Brilliant idea Putz as that got me thinking about the medical chair in the shower for mother to sit on that has adjustable legs with a spring loaded ball bearing arrangement to hold at the required setting.To adjust one only has to push the ball bearing in and push or pull the tubes to the required length. Gerry I was thinking of building brackets that attach to the body at the rear corner of the body that look like a cup arrangement to support and fix the roof in the down position. A bracket like what can be seen on many old restored tourers etc.

 

[Northstar T]

who has a link, or sugestion, as to where to pick up decent cloth at a reasonable price. I'm thinking the Hartz cloth would be nice. the only source I've found online so far is over 90 bucks a yard (60" wide) and it will take 3 yards. I'm wondering if it's worth risking that much mula to attempt to construct the cloth portion myself or not. yikes!

Russ

 

[Gerry]

Why not pick up a pair of old curtains (Drapes) from a yard sale. They can be huge and low cost. It will allow you to practice stitching, cutting and you should end up with a pattern for the expensive stuff. Make mistakes at will on these as you are not worried about cutting wrong, getting the stitching wobbly etc. I tried stitching up an interior on an industrial machine and its not easy. You see people running a seam like it no bother at all. Try and do it yourself and suddenly you see whare the skill comes in. Just keeping it straight is a art form in itself.
Bet you already thought about this though
gerry

 

[Northstar T]

I hadn't thought about drapery material actually. good idea Gerry! but having done the tarp thing already I think I'd just wing it with the real deal. seems like different material would stretch differently, so a pattern might not really help all that much. [famous last words]

Russ

Why not pick up a pair of old curtains (Drapes) from a yard sale. They can be huge and low cost. It will allow you to practice stitching, cutting and you should end up with a pattern for the expensive stuff. Make mistakes at will on these as you are not worried about cutting wrong, getting the stitching wobbly etc. I tried stitching up an interior on an industrial machine and its not easy. You see people running a seam like it no bother at all. Try and do it yourself and suddenly you see whare the skill comes in. Just keeping it straight is a art form in itself.
Bet you already thought about this though
gerry

 

[Ma_n_Pa T]

Russ, we sent you a PM

Jerry