Phaeton Top Bows
- Thread starter bsoultz
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Classiccanuck
Senior Member
I saw a video a while back, they used long thin shims cut from a piece of 2x4 and glue, slid them in one at a time till snug.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
I'm not sure about a video but I can tell you that based on several sets of irons we have restored, the thin strips laminated does work well however it is not as simple as it seems. Also, I would NOT use plywood, and the wood must be installed tightly inside the socket for there to be any strength.
First off, we steam the hardwood strips just to make them a little more pliable. Then we coat them in a water soluble wood glue and then we push them in. The last couple are not steamed since we keep driving in the strips into the center of the strips. This must be done fairly quickly so the inner and outer strips conform to the proper shape. Then, even though we have a fixture to hold them while drying, they sometimes will try to "straighten" in the curved area which might require some heating and bending of the socket afterwards.
Once allowed to dry for several days, to cut the laminated pieces to the proper length (to allow for the roof bow) we cut the end of the socket off and then TIG weld the end of the socket back on. Keeping the wood wet during this keeps it from charring. Then everything needs to be fitted to the car and heated in certain places to make everything works as it is supposed to when the irons are folded. For the bow tubular rivets, we use screws to hold everything in place during mock-up, and afterwards we remove the screws that attach the bows and use brake line tubing and a 3X rivet gun to make tubular rivets. What we have learned is this is crucial in holding the irons to the bows where they do not move/loosen when the top is folded and raised a few times. Hope this and a few pictures below help you.
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First off, we steam the hardwood strips just to make them a little more pliable. Then we coat them in a water soluble wood glue and then we push them in. The last couple are not steamed since we keep driving in the strips into the center of the strips. This must be done fairly quickly so the inner and outer strips conform to the proper shape. Then, even though we have a fixture to hold them while drying, they sometimes will try to "straighten" in the curved area which might require some heating and bending of the socket afterwards.
Once allowed to dry for several days, to cut the laminated pieces to the proper length (to allow for the roof bow) we cut the end of the socket off and then TIG weld the end of the socket back on. Keeping the wood wet during this keeps it from charring. Then everything needs to be fitted to the car and heated in certain places to make everything works as it is supposed to when the irons are folded. For the bow tubular rivets, we use screws to hold everything in place during mock-up, and afterwards we remove the screws that attach the bows and use brake line tubing and a 3X rivet gun to make tubular rivets. What we have learned is this is crucial in holding the irons to the bows where they do not move/loosen when the top is folded and raised a few times. Hope this and a few pictures below help you.
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Great Lakes Greg
Well-known member
Here is what I did and what you should avoid; I had a friend of mine who builds dog sleds for a living, steam bend some solid pieces of wood to the contours of the top bows. It sounded like a great idea at the time, but getting the big chunks of wood into the bows without bending the crap out of the metal was impossible. Thin strips, as shown, is the way to go.
Classiccanuck
Senior Member
it was a short clip I saw on utube few yrs back