Hi Jim,
It has been a while. Judging from your photos, it is most definitely time to replace your coupe's top insert. I also agree that your original tack strips look to be in good shape. Hopefully the underlying perimeter wood is all good as is or can be made so with some help from a modern wood filler.
With LeBaron Bonney gone and Mac's pulling out the soft-goods side of their business, there's no obvious choice for a source for a kit for the job. Perhaps the basic materials could be sourced from a Model A supplier or you could just obtain the four required materials individually for a DIY job. You can get new chicken wire at Tractor Supply, likely the sheet padding from a upholstery supply house, and the long/short grain black vinyl ought to be available with a little searching on the internet. (Based on my experience, I recommend that you not include SMS Fabrics in Oregon on your list of possible material sources unless you want to wait months and months for them to deliver.) Carpenters were at one time the only source for the rubber insert for the fully installed tack strip, but I do not know if they still provide it. It works, but not all that well as it is not am accurate reproduction; it is too narrow.
I have no idea how the Ford workers used tacks to first install the outer fabric over the padding and chicken wire and then the tack strips without occasionally missing the head of the tacks and whacking the tack strip or worse yet, the paint on the roof adjacent to the tack strip. I'm not that accurate with a tack hammer and it is not a job that lends itself to the use of a stapler, at least not on a '32. So I use small (#2 or #3 wood screws) instead of tacks, but with Robertson heads so that your screw driver doesn't end up doing damage like a misplaced tack hammer strike.
I've done several new roof insert installation and while some may prefer the benefit of a second set of hands, I've found that it is job easily accomplished by one person mindful of the two Ps, patience and perseverance.
And yes, the outer fabric extends out around the perimeter so that the tack strip is installed directly on top of the fabric. I use a good liquid sealer beneath the edges of the fabric, on top of the installed fabric, and in the valley of the tack strip after the screws are in place.
