[Tigers] Over Engineered Soft Top

Sun Aug 23 17:58:29 MDT 2015

MessageJoel,
I have attached pictures of my car’s original top frame.  The frame was replaced by a junk-yard donor about 40 years ago and has resided in my basement unrestored and unmolested (except by rodents in my basement) for all that time.  The strap that connects header and stays is in two pieces and the two pieces are not of the same material.  The piece that spans from header to front stay is somewhat elastic and stretches a bit when the top is erected.  The second piece spans from front stay to back stay and is rigid (won’t stretch).  In the pictures, the strap between front and rear stays is intact but the strap (the elastic one) from front header to front stay is mostly gone.  It looks like the first strap is pop riveted to the top of the header, loops under the front stay and then is pop riveted at the top of the stay along with the second strap.  The second strap loops under the rear stay and pop rivets to the top of the stay.

When I replace my top frame I replaced the straps with a length of nylon seat belt material.  I didn’t attempt to find an elastic replacement.  Back then the car was my daily driver and I considered the replacement to be a repair, not a restoration.  In taking the pictures, I noticed that the front stay was wrapped in gray vinyl.  I had forgotten about that.  Depending on how particular you are about your restoration, you may want to go shopping for some gray vinyl.

-Good luck

Will - wseay at embarqmail.com
______________________________
"I think not therefore I am not" (anon)

From: Joel Martin via Tigers 
Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 6:43 PM
To: rfraser at bluefrog.com ; tigers at Autox.Team.Net 
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Over Engineered Soft Top

Thanks Ron

It appears this was a 'canvas or cotton fabric' tan strap 2" wide by about 10" long from the 1st stay to the back 2nd stay attached with the 2 rivets and the small metal part, which I found but the fabric will need to be replaced.

My question is the header rail to the 1st stay, which looks to be about 36" long.  This would make this a 2 piece strap.  The 1st stay would have basically 4 wraps here, one from header to 1st stay and then 1st stay to back or 2nd stay.  Does this sound right?

Also the 1st stay was covered in foam then wrapped with grey fabric over almost the entire stay??

I am going with the old covers painted machine grey and send the SS chrome versions back.

The cantail velcro will have to be made by upholstery shop.

Getting closer on this.

Thanks again.

Joel Martin

1st picture Metal part on bow    2nd pic - header

Metal part
length = 1.95"
width = .5"
thickness = .050"
material - steel

Ron
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Ron Fraser [mailto:rfraser at bluefrog.com] 
  Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2015 11:28 AM
  To: rfraser at bluefrog.com; 'Joel Martin'; 'Ross Hulse'
  Subject: RE: [Tigers] Over Engineered Soft Top

  Joel
      I just looked at some of the parts I have.

  Webbing is about 2" wide - looks like cotton fabric

  Header has 3 pop rivets with no metal piece - a piece of foam covers the rivet area.

  Bows have a small metal part with 2 pop rivets.

  Looking at the Alpine Parts List - Body Fittings - Plate D - header looks like it has 3 notches for webbing - this is also the cable style top.

  I'll take some picture and measure the parts later today.

  Ron Fraser
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Tigers [mailto:tigers-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Ron Fraser via Tigers
    Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2015 11:02 AM
    To: 'Joel Martin'; 'Ross Hulse'; tigers at autox.team.net
    Subject: Re: [Tigers] Over Engineered Soft Top

    Joel
        Alpine Parts List shows some of this - Body Fittings
    http://www.tigersunited.com/resources/factory_parts_list/Alpine/alpine_part_list.asp

    My soft top is stowed under the hard top so I can't get to it very well.

    Metal plates just distribute the load of the pop rivets to the webbing - rectangular piece of metal.
    Not sure I have an example - I will look.

    Velcro is on the canrails and on the soft top.

    Ron Fraser
      -----Original Message-----
      From: Joel Martin [mailto:jmartiniii at yahoo.com] 
      Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2015 9:52 AM
      To: Ross Hulse; tigers at autox.team.net; Ron Fraser
      Subject: Re: [Tigers] Over Engineered Soft Top

      Thanks for the responses.

      The rootes manual only shows a diagram for the cable tension soft top.  What do I need to look for in a Velcro verses cable tension top frame?

      Notch is for webbing that pop rivets to the header and the bows with metal plates.  The webbing is how long and how wide?  Ron indicates, I interrupt, attaches to the header (1), middle bow (2) and then the rear bow (3) if I am reading this correctly.  Metal plates are a mystery at this point - not sure if I have these or not.

      So if the Velcro frame, does the Velcro attach to the 'cantrail' RH and LH which is about 24" long for securing to the top which has Velcro already sewn into it?

      Thanks again

      Joel Martin

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On Thursday, August 20, 2015 3:00 PM, Ron Fraser <rfraser at bluefrog.com> wrote:

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