'36 Phaeton Top Boot

[J Witt]

I'm trying to understand how the top boot is fastened to the car once the top is down. I'm talking to LBB about buying one of their boots and they supply it with the car body snaps loose. The user must install those.

In particular, what type of fastener is used for the two rear mounting points (along the back edge of the top) for the boot? Also, what type of fastener is used for the forward edge of the boot along the rim of the back seat (what would be the package tray in other body styles).

My car has grommet snaps around the back edge of the top and Lift Dot fasteners along the back edge of the seat.

I didn't get a boot with the car, and it looks to me that one is necessary to drive the car with the top down.

Thanks,

John

 

[35ragtop]

Hi there,
here are a couple of pics from the original Ford brochure that may help.
with my 35, I bought the LB top and boot, very nice product. I installed a snap fastener in the centre of the boot so that it would not flap on the highway. It clips behind the seat. The sides snap to the folded steel irons.
Hope this helps.
dave

 

[J Witt]

Thanks for your pictures. I have a copy of that brochure, but your pictures are a little more clear.

Here are some pictures (should have put them in first place) showing existing fasteners.

The first two show the inside stud and an example of the Lift Dot that mates with it. This car has a tonneau cover that attaches with these.

The last photo is of a dual grommet fastener. This type is what I think should go in the two attach points on the back edge of the top where the boot attaches. I may be wrong, just guessing here. It would also be possible (I think) to use a single grommet here, taking one of the top ones loose to attach the boot.

What do you think?

 

[35ragtop]

The stud shown in the second pic is the same style that LB supplied to go into the hidem welt on the outside of the top at the rear. The boot came with two fasteners already fitted and they clipped onto these studs.
Clear? if not i can take a pic for you.
regards Dave

 

[J Witt]

Dave, I think I understand, but nothing beats a picture to clear up my misconceptions

Thanks very much.

 

[35ragtop]

Here is a pic of the rear showing the two studs sticking out of the hidem welt.
this was correct as per LB,s instructions if I recall correctly.
The wind tends to get under the front of the boot when travelling at speed so you will need to clip it to that vertical stud you have.
On long trips if touring, I put the straps that hold the top down onto the rests, around the boot ends too. Just for extra security for the cover.

 

[J Witt]

Your attachment is somewhat different from mine. On my car, the edge of the top is attached with snaps, so it appears the top would be removable, something I have never done.

I think the answer appears to be to put two new studs right through the existing top material, screwed into the tack rail. The top would not be removable without removing the studs for the boot.

Thanks again for taking the trouble to post those photos,

John

 

[J Witt]

I finally ordered a boot from LeBaron Bonney and should have it in hand in a couple of weeks. I'll take some pix of the install just to add to the available reference material.

 

[VeryTangled]

Hi Everyone. J Witt, I'd definitely be interested in your follow up report. I've been following this thread, and have a '36 Phaeton.

I really don't run it with the top down because I like the shade versus the sunshine. I have a boot, but it's the one that came with the car and dates from a long time ago, seventies or earlier. The same generation as my curtains.

Before my dad passed in '13, and I became sole caretaker, we had the top replaced with an LB kit, fitted by Al Preuitt's shop in Glenn Rock PA. We didn't have a new boot or curtains made, and I can't remember what they told us about whether the boot would fit or not.

I should try it out someday, but I bet it would be about three times as fun as fitting all the side curtains!

 

[J Witt]

Hi Jeff,

Yes we phaeton people really know how to have fun, the roadster guys are right in there too. LBB said it would be shipped in a couple of weeks. Most fun was putting the top down on my '12 Touring.

The 36 top is not too bad, especially with two people. Be careful about letting the side iron fold early and hit the top of the body just aft of the rear doors. I put a folded towel in that area on both sides, particularly if working alone.

Actually we tend to have the top down more in the winter than in the summer. Georgia does have sun!

 

[J Witt]

The top boot arrived today from LBB (3/2/17). Buying it turned out to be somewhat of an ordeal as they apparently do not have anyone who understands how it fits on the car. After several tries at getting technical help, it emerged that no one knows any longer since the person who did know has retired.

The boot looks nicely sewed up and there are a lot of fasteners, however NO instructions, so it will be a trial and error proposition. They did send all the individual bits I asked for, some extra fasteners to hopefully fit it to my car.

I'll probably start on it this weekend, and take some pictures to post.

John

 

[J Witt]

I got this thing installed finally after taking a fair amount of head scratching time. Here are some pictures of the boot in place. It turns out that the hardest part is getting the phaeton top folded neatly enough to get the boot on over it. I still have some work in that department, as the whole thing looks somewhat lumpy.

The two fasteners shown in the top folding instructions do not appear to be necessary and makes putting the boot on harder. These are the two that are installed on the tack rail.

The last picture shows the tonneau cover in place over the top boot. Some wrinkles there, but I'll have to see how it rides. Looks ready for Bonneville!

Hope these photos help some other lost soul. Thanks to everyone who responded.

 

[VeryTangled]

Hi Everyone. John, I've been busy and just caught up to your updates just now. Thanks a bunch for adding your findings.

The covers really look great in the last shot! Just from those photos I can see it's a very, very, nicely cared for car.

 

[J Witt]

Jeff, thanks for the compliments. Hope to see you in Virginia this summer.