30/31 Roadster Pickup Folded Top Support

Oldengine

Oldengine

Junior Member
We recently acquired a 1930 Roadster Pickup with a new Brookville body and bed. It has a nice top installed but when it is folded down there doesn't appear to be any good method of supporting it. Henry must have made provisions for supporting the folded top but we have not been able to find out what it was. Photos or an explanation would be a big help.
 
The original open cab pickups the tops never were intended to be folded down they could be removed but they were always in the upright position.
 
The 1928 and 29 open cabs were fixed frame tops that weren't made to be taken down or off since the top material was permanently attached to the back of the cab. A lot of folks modify their open cabs to put snaps. twist locks, or cinch fasteners on the back to at lest allow the top to be removed.

A folding frame top would have to have a rear prop set up fabricated and well attached to allow the top to fold back. It could be set up to fold up and lock when needed then folded down for bed clearance with top up. It's a thought anyway. Phaetons have saddles mounted on the rear to hold the top irons with the top down.
 
Everyone is correct how the open-cab 76A and 76B tops were fixed and not foldable. Since you are needing a toprest, could you fabricate a crossbar horizontally across the front of the bed and use the front stake pockets in the bedside to support your folding top? Easily removable when the top is up.


BTW for others, I actually have a brand new, complete 76B top iron assembly that I had planned on patterning & jigging off of to reproduce a few of these. Time (-or lack thereof) is catching up with me so I probably will sell it at either at Hershey or Model-A days at Gilmore. Maybe someone else can reproduce them.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
I actually have a brand new, complete 76B top iron assembly that I had planned on patterning & jigging off of to reproduce a few of these. Time (-or lack thereof) is catching up with me so I probably will sell it at either at Hershey or Model-A days at Gilmore. Maybe someone else can reproduce them.
Click to expand...

There’s a lot of pent-up demand for those.
 
Hello, I have a 31 Deluxe Roadster and find it’s easier to remove the top than fold it , the top when folded is supposed to rest on the rails people mistake for grab handles. Perhaps you could set something up as suggested,like a phaeton would have. Could imagine truck drivers of that era complaining about the company couldn’t afford to buy a truck with a “real” top.
 
If you build a set of sideboards for the pickup bed at the height you need the top will rest nicely on them.When I went back to the stock fixed top on my 30 I sold the folding top and gave the buyer the sideboards I had built also.In over 20 years I folded that top down just once,the day I fitted it and built the sideboards to hold it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top