making a full soft top.

[62kellison]

Rope holding it up for now.I have nylon straps I will be using.adjustable.Sean...

[62kellison]

Sailrite.com Material List: ( Qty. ) Total Cost:
HH66 vinyl cement (1) $9.95
Inside Eye End Nylon Black 3/4" (5) $3.25
Jaw Slide Nylon Black 3/4" (2) $3.60
Dura-Skrim Patterning Material 74" (3yds) $8.85
Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape (1) $5.95
(For Sailmaking and Vinyl)
Seamstick 1/4" Basting Tape (1) $3.95
(For Sailmaking and Vinyl)
YKK Finished Zipper #10 (2) $20.80
(Black Double Pull Vislon)
Weblon Regatta Black Vinyl Fabric 62" (6yds) $101.70
Sewing Machine Needles (1) $3.95
System 130 #18
Thread V-69 Black Polyester (1) $6.95
UV 1oz. 350 yds
Flat Mount Plate Stainless Steel (2) $13.90
(7/8" to 1")

Sailrite Total: ……………………………………....................... $182.85
Shipping ………………………….……………………………………………….$12.11
Order Total .............................................................$194.96

[62kellison]

Home Depot Material List: (Qty.) Total
1/2" Conduit Bender (1) $30.00
1/2" EMT Conduit-10ft. (2) $20.00


Home Depot Total................$50.00



JoAnn Fabrics (joann.com) Material List: (Qty) Total

Dritz 1"x60" Nylon Strapping-Black (4) $13.96

Dritz 1.5"x1.25" Strap Adjuster-2pcs (4) $7.96


JoAnn Subtotal...............$13.12
Shipping........................$4.99
Tax...............................$0.82
Total.............................$18.93

[62kellison]

Ebay Materials Order: (Qty) Total
153x Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Marine Boat Canvas 3/8"Sunbrella Snap Cap Button.................(1) $13.25

Total:.......$13.25
Free Shipping

*This is a 50 piece snap set, tool included, they will be used for the cover and body

[62kellison]

I have Not bought the clear vinyl (glass) for windows yet.I will cut holes and insert windows after I am done with top and doors..You are free to buy or choose whatever materials u want.This may not be the "Right way" but its going to be my way.Total cost of this top is expected to be about $300 bucks.I chose a vinyl material not canvas.it is supposed to be for convertible tops....I hope this thread Helps someone.I also bought the cheap plastic connecters (eye ends,jaw slides).I did this because I wasn't sure if they would fit the 1/2 conduit pipe.Now that I know 3/4 inch connectors will work on 1/2 conduit,I can spend the extra money on steel connectors if I choose.This is an experiment that hopefully will work.You Never Know unless u try...more to come...Sean

[62kellison]

There are 3 VERY IMPORTANT videos that I watched.They show me how to install zippers CORRECTLY,seams etc....I will post them...….Sean https://youtu.be/816cfEKdHiE

[62kellison]

https://youtu.be/2BvIr1mNYiE

[62kellison]

https://youtu.be/Eq4lz2vZRhw

[62kellison]

Unfortunately the "good" weather that was predicted for the last 3 days has been rain. Everytime I get started it rains. The 2 bay garage I rent 1 town away has also been flooded for a month. In any case, I managed to get 1 strip cut that will run down the center. It is 36 inches wide by 85 inches long. I am making it 35 inches wide with a 1/2 inch extra each side for the seam. I made it a little long to account for folding rear edge under, (seam) maybe 2 to 3 inches wide (snap area). We will see. So the hard part is now: (A) The roll is only 52 inches wide, so u can not do the top in"1" piece. (B) Even if u had a wide enough roll u need some sort of triangle cuts, or relief cuts (Darts). You can not wrap a rounded roof without it bubbling up all over on the corners (rear area over rear bow). I am VERY surprised someone hasn't made a PDF or online patterns yet. I wish I knew how to make a PDF so I could share a pattern. I am still taking pics I am NOT an Upholsterer or Seamstress by any stretch of the imagination guys so bare with me. More to come. Any advice or info on side cuts or angles is welcome....Sean.....

[YDBD]

yup those are hard. Last on I made was my Bimini for my sailboat, came out ok but had wrinkles, especially on the rounded corners of the bar.

Chalk is good for drawing.

Stick pins are your friends, lots of them.

Mine also had snaps at the corners of the windshield and at the rollbar. Also the top had a wrap that was velcro'd around the rollbar.
_________________
'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]

YDBD ,thanks for the info.Very much appreciated.This is a hard task for someone that has not done it before.(well for me it is)....All Ideas,Threads(no pun intended) and info has been very helpful to get this far..lol..Sean

[trynne]

62 kellison Be sure to sew a French seam when attaching the center section to the sides. I would also use the seam sealer Sailright sells there so it won't leak. Sailright has a how to video on how to do a French seam. Basically the two 1/2 inch seam allowances are spread apart and a strip of material is sewn to this backside 1/4 inch on each side of the original seam. Much stronger than a single stitch seam especially if you use woven belt type material which Sailright also has but can be found locally at fabric stores. Good luck !

On the perimeter of the top I would` also sew on a wider belt fabric which wraps around the edge like binding on a carpet. They sell a attachment which feeds the belt onto the fabric edge t it can also be done with lots and lots of pins.

[trynne]

6ooops

[62kellison]

trynne ,thank you for the info.i will watch the videos.u can never have to much info.Thanx ....I just started to make the side patterns that come off the center section with sailrites pattern material....Sean...

[62kellison]

[62kellison]

I used a small drill bit to start a pilot hole for self tappers.There is a small hole on the side of the eye ends.It worked great to hold bows(pipe) to eye ends.I also put 1inch increments marked along Bow for the jaw slides.so both sides will be even and I can adjust to my liking,also to tighten/adjust top.I started laying out pattern material.i have 2 sided tape but felt like using painters tape.i also have cut my front bar that installs in windshield to 41 1/2 inches long.I already had/have a 36 inch wide vinyl piece cut for the center of top,but am using pattern material from sailrite.com to make side pieces for top.. Sean.....

[62kellison]

My nylon adjustable straps and adjustable buckles will be here Friday from joans fabrics.Then I can hold bows together and down to back of buggy properly.As of now I been using whatevers laying around for straps.I want the nylon straps because I have the rear bar set at the height I want.I don't want them moving while stretching material over them....Sean...

[trynne]

There is a Sailright video on making a motorcycle cover that you should check out. It shows the making of "darts" in the patterning material which you will need to do over the rear corners of your top. Are you planning on side curtains?
My brother and I built a Manx in the late 60's and it had a hardtop with the Manx curtains and a Stewart Warner gas heater in back. Kept it dry and nice and warm even on the coldest Chicago days ! Lotsa fun driving the Buggy in snow.

[trynne]

Can't help myself from kibitzing here. I would make a suggestion regarding how to fasten the rear section to the body. You see tops with a bunch of snap fasteners across the entire back-looks like crap ! Instead use the anchors used on MGBs. These are a nice chrome two post fitting which are teardrop shaped and rounded over with a "slot" facing rearward. You sew a pocket across that bottom seam and into it goes a 1/8 thick piece steel about 1 inch wide. The steel is exposed thru 2 semicircular holes in the pocket on the seam towards the front of the buggy right where you have the anchors mounted to the body so the steel slips into the slots and holds the entire rear down in place with a nice smooth and straight look. The fittings are available thru Moss Motors . If my gibberish isn't making sense let me know I'll draw it up and PM it to you. It looks like the fittings would need to be placed on the top horizontal surface of the buggy but would still work and whatever "skirting you need to extend the top could reach further down and back.

[trynne]

Can't help myself from kibitzing here. I would make a suggestion regarding how to fasten the rear section to the body. You see tops with a bunch of snap fasteners across the entire back-looks like crap ! Instead use the anchors used on MGBs. These are a nice chrome two post fitting which are teardrop shaped and rounded over with a "slot" facing rearward. You sew a pocket across that bottom seam and into it goes a 1/8 thick piece steel about 1 inch wide. The steel is exposed thru 2 semicircular holes in the pocket on the seam towards the front of the buggy right where you have the anchors mounted to the body so the steel slips into the slots and holds the entire rear down in place with a nice smooth and straight look. The fittings are available thru Moss Motors . If my gibberish isn't making sense let me know I'll draw it up and PM it to you.