top material installation
- Thread starter LarryinWA
- Start date
Aerocraft
Well-known member
What worked for me was to first mask off the top sheet metal so that excessive sealer would not work its way on to the paint. I then put a few tacks in the center of each side and the front and rear of the top. My "tacking plan" is to work from the center of a side to the corner to push any wrinkles or excess off of the material at the corner. By tacking only six or eight inches at a time, I work from the center of a side to the corner, using 3M "Super weatherstrip and gasket adhesive" (part # 08008) as the sealer and only lay the sealer under the area that I am working on. By working from side to side and around the top six or eight inches at a time you can keep the grain straight.
Some of the top material supplied by the parts houses is easily stretched out of shape and one must be very careful to not stretch it so much that the grain is distorted. Although this is another issue and will raise some comments, I will only use the top material supplied by LeBaron-Bonney since it has a substantial fabric backing and works very well for me. Gar Williams
Some of the top material supplied by the parts houses is easily stretched out of shape and one must be very careful to not stretch it so much that the grain is distorted. Although this is another issue and will raise some comments, I will only use the top material supplied by LeBaron-Bonney since it has a substantial fabric backing and works very well for me. Gar Williams
Last edited:
Steve Plucker
BANNED
Larry,
Hope you placed a strip of "dum-dum" (as Ford called it) between each of the four major top wood peices, front and back header peices and two side peices,and the metal part of the roof. This will insure that NO moisture will get through after tacking of the top material.
After tacking of top material, I placed a liberial amount of sealant on each tack head. Then after placing the four peices used to install the trim parts, another liberal amount on each tack head followed by the gutters and front and back trim parts.
Most restoreres do not do this however it was that way on my 29 Standard Coupe when I removed all the old wood so I went back with it that way.
Pluck
Hope you placed a strip of "dum-dum" (as Ford called it) between each of the four major top wood peices, front and back header peices and two side peices,and the metal part of the roof. This will insure that NO moisture will get through after tacking of the top material.
After tacking of top material, I placed a liberial amount of sealant on each tack head. Then after placing the four peices used to install the trim parts, another liberal amount on each tack head followed by the gutters and front and back trim parts.
Most restoreres do not do this however it was that way on my 29 Standard Coupe when I removed all the old wood so I went back with it that way.
Pluck
Doug in NJ
Well-known member
Dum-dum is a rubbery putty that does not harden. Today they sell it for sealing gaps in electrical wiring, like where wires pass through a hole in the side of a house.
Butyl rubber tape is similar.
Doug
Butyl rubber tape is similar.
Doug
pat in Santa Cruz
Well-known member
Marco's site has an excellent tutorial on a tudor roof. Most of the tips will apply to your job.
http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/roofinstall-1.htm
http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/roofinstall-1.htm