making a full soft top.

[YDBD]

No worries, that's what this forum really is for.

This pic is a scan from a photo album. Has our buggy with the hardtop and side curtains but check out the red and green buggy's soft tops.

_________________
'56 pan Dune Buggy since '69
don't live in the past...but when I did:
'67 bug
'64 baja
'60 dune buggy
'73 Personenkraftwagen Type 182 "Thing"

[62kellison]

I really like those tops.That green one has swing open doors also.I am really digging that!.I may have to add swing open doors that zip up.Maybe a conduit frame around the door that pops apart(for storage), when I want to remove door and have the top down...Sean

[Cammie]

I spotted another "rule"...then had to tweak my roof drawing very slightly to suit it
Line 3 "mirrors" the angle of the windscreen.


This would certainly give you a definite angle to work with when mocking up frame work and side patterns, but I think curves 6 and 7 are probably more important to the overall look. Line 3 was out by a few degrees in my first drawing and it wasn't noticeable.
There must be a "rule" for line 4, but I'm not sure what it is. It could be that its following the angle of the buggy's rear.

But it needs to be a greater angle than line 3 (in the same way that in a 60's muscle car the slope at the back is more than the angle of the side window)

...anyway these are just my opinions.

[62kellison]

Cammie,opinion or not,i am going to follow these "rules" when mocking up my sides/top.Fingers crossed its today.I am dying to finish!!.The weather up here has been horrible!..We had been getting the remainder of that nasty hurricane/ storm that hit in Florida. It worked its way up the coast.The street drains cant handle it where my garage is.My (rented)garage been flooded on and off for 2 months,or this Top would of been done.Time to rent a different garage!!.In the meantime I will keep at it in my backyard weather permitting....Sean....

[62kellison]

Cammie ,did me a couple beautiful photo shop tops!!.I like the second pic a lot.unfortunately I was committed already with most material.i think I came up with sort of a cross between the 2 today.This was ALOT HARDER than I thought it would be.By myself in the wind was not a way to do it.But patterns R done.sowing will begin.worst case scenario--I buy another 100 dollars worth of vinyl and try again until its right.I have learned a lot..Sean...

[62kellison]

[62kellison]

I highly suggest having a buddy or your wife help hang the pattern material with u if doing it outside in the wind.Also if I do it again I will buy more 2 sided seam tape so I can overlap/underhang each seam properly by a half inch.I am using painters tape and butting the edges together at the seams .Then I will add a half inch for seams on my final tracing onto my vinyl.This may be my down fall in the long run we will see.I mistakenly only bought 2 rolls of seam tape(2 sided) and have been saving it for my final seams on my vinyl.I think doing it this way made it a lot harder for me doing it alone.i used a piece of dollar store foam board to trace my "sill" plate on the passenger side.Then I flipped it and used it for my upper roof line,(Thanks Cammie)as u can see in pic....Sean...

[Cammie]

That's looking really good Sean! When I worked up your original drawing I was worried the back might be to box-like, but that works well. I guess I didn't take into account how the fabric hangs.

[62kellison]

Cammie,I just got lucky.lol….thanks....I will say if u do any of this u need a ton of room(and a smooth hard surface) to lay out your material.i don't have much room inside.Thats another reason y I didn't lay 2 sided seam tape on my pattern material seams.If this comes out like crap, I will lay out my pattern material properly(and use seam tape) with 2 people on 4x8 foot sheets of plywood.......I have half a mind to scrap this pattern and start over again.ITs bothering me that I had to "cut corners" because of no help or room to lay out my material.BUT,I will proceed and we will see if it gets me on final fitment.I couldn't wait for nicer weather or help.i had a small window yesterday to get it done.shoulda,coulda,woulda.lol….Bottom line :I should have laid 2 sided seam tape and underhung the patterns at 1/2'' inch allowing for seams.Not butting the material to each other and adding a 1/2'' inch to material later..WE will see.....Sean..

[62kellison]

Seamstick basting tape for vinyl,thats what I should of used on pattern material to hold it together.I will be using it to hold my final vinyl seams together and help waterproof my seams when i sew thru it.I also have HH-66 vinyl cement I will brush along the underside of the top along the seams when I am done.(stuff is supposed to be amazing).I will be using a half felled seam on the main sides of the top piece.but using a regular stich sowing my angle cuts together on the sides.I will show in pics to come.way to much material to push thru my little machine to make French cut or full flat felled.(also lack of sewing machine experience).maybe on a future top I will do more complicated seems.I want to apply "KISS" to this top.......KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID...Sean..

[trynne]

Looks good. The seam stick is a must for the actual fabric seams. I now have a really nice Seiko walking foot machine but I started out with a $100 portable walking foot and made it work for a good long while. See if one is available locally on Craigslist ??? Here's my project sewing Fiero Seats Half felled seams will work. Use a nice new sharp needle to help with thicker material. I once made the canvas for a pop up trailer using a Kenmore portable so it can be done. Just feed it slowly.


https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569446&highlight=fiero+seats


And here's where I'm at....

[62kellison]

trynne, thanks for the info.I will look into one.The fiero seats came out nice!.I wanted a set and couldn't find any.I settled for miata seats with speakers installed.I did buy the heavy duty recomended thread and needles(10 pack) from sailrite.i am thinking about a nice big beautiful new sewing machine for the wife.Of course I would benefit for future use. She does have a new heavy duty Singer machine.So I should be good for now...Sean..

[62kellison]

got all patterns made,time to sow.geez I hope this works!!.lol..Sean...

[62kellison]

There is a 36inch wide strip that runs from windshield to back snap area that the sides attach to....Ure guess is as good as mine on how this comes out.I better hope I measured everything right.

[62kellison]

Hey guys,I ordered my window/clear vinyl material for doors and rear window.I dont know how good this stuff is we will see.just trying to keep track of all materials for anyone interested...Sean..

fabric.com order:

30 gauge clear vinyl, 2yds, $9.95/yd.... $21.00 + 4.99 shipping=$25.99 total.

*minimum order on this product was 2 yards, but it was on sale for the price above, it's normally $10.50/yd

[Cammie]

Looking great.
I,ve been following a couple of threads on the Hokey Ass Message Board about people doing roadster roofs on Model A and Model B Fords.Some of them have done removable rear windows so they suffer less from parachute effect at higher spees. It might be worth considering having a removable velcro window, particularly as the plastic can yellow with age.
Cheers,
Iain

[62kellison]

Iain,i have been thinking about that a lot.especially to let the air thru in the summer when I am just trying to block some sun.I been thinking about zip out windows on the doors and the rear window.I am just hoping this all fits right after its sown together!!...lol..I will be happy with a functional top.(It does NOT need to win any beauty contests)..IF it does fit right(functional) I do believe I will make all windows removable.Fingers crossed...thanks...Sean...

[Cammie]

There's a lot of info here, not all relevant to what we're up to, but all good reading. I didn't think I should mention a link then not give it out:

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/building-a-foldable-stowable-roadster-top.1113268/

Cheers,
Iain

[62kellison]

Iain,thanks ill check it out.I got top sown together and dry fitted.will post pics shortly....Sean..

[62kellison]

A lot left to do still,binding,trimming attaching front windshield bar,tightening etc.But the giant pieces r sown!!!.My wife sowed while I helped hold,push,pull the material.what a PAIN IN THE ASS!!...Sean….