Soft top, tonneau cover ideas ?
 

Hello guy's, I have a question for all of you that can get caught in the rain with a Cobra. I went on the hot rod power tour in a couple of states. Although it did not rain, the sky's looked as though it could have. I heard many cars were flooded in Little Rock. (what a nightmare for a cobra) !
My car is a Lone Star and they do not make a soft top. You would have to have a trailer for a hard top so, that's not the answer.

What I may try is making a tonneau cover to help with rain as I'm traveling. That way, with my car cover, virtually no water could come inside. The problem I have is, if my cars sitting in the rain, it pools in the middle. Does anyone have a idea for a support system that's compact enough to put in the trunk ? (no,...not a umbrella) ;) But, something along that line. And, I permanent bracket attached to say, the tranny hump, is not good either.

When I had my boat, I bought four flat stock aluminum bows that came with brackets on each side of the hull. When you install them, they created a arch. Put the cover on and it works great but, a dealer told me these are not a good idea. The bows put too much pressure on the fiberglass and can spread the sides apart. I ended up just using two wood 1x4's on top of the windshield and to the back of the boat and put the cover on. In the winter, I put a length of lattice panel on the 1x4's and it worked great. So, I may do this for the cobra. (just kidding)

The main area I'm concerned with is the convex shape between the quarter panel hump to the roll bar. Even with a tonneau cover, wouldn't it still let water in ?

Anyway, any ideas other than a tonneau cover ?

If anyone has perfected anything (or close), photo's would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin,
Put your snaps where you want on the body and then take a piece of clear plastic and make a pattern of the tonneau cover needed to cover your cockpit. Don't make one with the zipper down the middle as this will be where the rain will come in at. The pattern should be taken to a place that can make your tonneau cover but at this time with out the snaps inserted. When the cover is finnished take your car to the shop and then starting on one side they will put a snap and attach it to your installed snaps on the car one at a time. By doing it this way and pulling it taught it should fit like a drum when completed and no water will collect on it, as the body lines of a cobra are higher in the middle to start with.

Kevin,
There are very inexpensive kits made just for supporting boat covers wherever they might sag. (Not bows, adjustable height stands) I bought one at Walmart.

Greg

tonneaus
 

The second post is close, but depending on the splash of your body, you may not have enough height. A thin fibre glass bow running f to r solves it when driving or when stationary. Tension alone will hold it bowed , if cut to the right length. No zipper means it pretty much cannot be used when driving . A zipper with an over and/or under lay; like pants zipper, allows you to zip in half and drive with it in place ; deflecting rain. I have done it in my AK, so I know it works. The tonneau set up this way is also helpful in cool weather to keep a driver warm.

My Lone Star is 4" longer in the wheel base. I wonder if I would need support with a tonneau cover ? I don't think I'll make it with driving in mind. Unless, I made a rain suit that covers all my body and across the cockpit. ;)

Greg- I'll search for the stand. Thanks.


Question, what material is better, vinyl or leather ?
Wouldn't leather shrink,.... and be more expensive ?

I just heard from one owner from a different post, said his cover came from a couple that did a fantastic job and cost $220. That's great.

Kevin

I have purchase 3 tonneaus from the Deal's for the CArbon CArs here in Austin. The snapless cover we made with them will fit the CArbon CArs, Original 427's, and Kirkham. I'd suggest getting with them and having one made for your car. Save your energy for tougher challanges.

The Deals are great people to work with and provide a high quality product.

Later,
Richard

Can you post their website and or email ?

Thanks Richard.

Agree totally, thats where I had mine made for my RUCC. They sent a pattern to develop a custome fit, and it worked and fit perfectly, great folks to deal with, the Deals' that is.

They support theirs with 3 sewn in plastic rods so they do not collect water in the center. Only difference with theirs and the sippered / snapped ones is that you cannot drive with the cover on.

Jim

Jim- and others, that sounds like the way to go.

What holds it in place on the dash ?
Does any rain come in from the fender/roll bar area or, anywhere else ?
What lines underneath ? Don't want something that will scratch the paint.
I assume it's made of vinyl and not leather ? Leather may shrink ?
I've heard the pro's, any con's ?

Here is the information I have. You might search the list for "snapless tonneau" and find more information. He is probably more visable on the Factory Five site as that is what he drives.

Phillip Deal
wpdeal@gmail.com

On mine it locates in the steering wheel pocket, around the roll bar and rear view mirror. It has a bungee cord on each side that most hook into their exhaust opening. Three plastic / fiberglass rods support it. The under side is a soft felt line nmaterial as well as behind the eyelit where the bungee cord attaches. Mine seems to fit and stay in place very well. Have not had it in the rain yet but looks like it will work great. Assuming you will need one custom made you can make it a little larger to ensure a good solid location and fit.

wpdeal@gmail.com This was the last email address I used.

Here is a copy of the answers to similar question that I had. I hope it helps.

http://www.ffcobra.com/forums/showth...hlight=tonneau

Answers to your questions:

Sizing: We'll prepare a cloth pattern & instructions which you would fit to your RUCC. For
non-FFR Cobras this is the only way we know the final product will fit to your/our
satisfaction. This is the process we've used for Hurricane, Classic, Kirkham, etc.
All have been satisfied.

Color: Always Black vinyl ( we did make one Blue cover as a special favor).

Ordering: When we've answered your questions, you just tell us to proceed and we'll
get a pattern prepared and mailed to you.

Cost: $220 which includes S&H.
This cost represents our normal $170 including S&H price + $50 to cover cloth pattern
prep/shipping and Kay's productivity to proceed slowly on a new and one-off-cover.

Timing: When we receive your fitted pattern, delivery can be about 4 weeks or less.
Currently the list is manageable but expands rapidly when weather warms.
Most importantly, our schedule is dictated by our own "road" schedule in our FFR
and our primary duties as Grand Parents.

Padding: Our vinyl has a soft, fuzzy underneath that provides the paint protection you and
we all desire. If its important, I can mail a swatch or include one in with the pattern.

Payment: Our process is pretty simple. We prepare the cover to the info you provide and
ship the cover via UPS. You make sure it fits and is what you wanted and
expected and then you just send a check to the address we include in the
package. Easy Enough?

Process:

For a customer with an FFR, we can always go out to our car and resolve an issues. For those non-FFR kits, we rely on a cotton pattern that you have fit to your car. Your car may be wider or longer, your windshield placement and your roll bar legs, dash mirror and steering wheel locations may be in slightly different from FFR. And you'll be able to judge the "lay" of the pattern on your car and how it rolls up at the wheel well arches. Your fitting of the pattern resolves all these issues, and assures you/us the final cover will be satisfactory. To make the fit, you'll purchase from Lowes/Home Depot, four of the 48" long orange driveway markers they keep near the For Sale signs and mail boxes. These will be placed appropriately across your cockpit front to rear and support the pattern. The final cover will have our rods cut to length and sewn into place and bungees & hooks attached.


Jim

My cobra sits on a Corvette frame that has a much longer wheel base than the normal 90 inch and if you have your cover custom fit and pulled taught water will not collect and nothing will be needed to support the cover. I had mine made at a local boat place that makes custom covers for boats.

I'm now very excited about the cover, especially since I can make my own pattern for my needs. I'll now contact them.

Jim- thank you for the wealth of information.

CobraDan- I'm curious about your build so, I'll send you a email.

Kevin

You guys are the Greatest.
It is always our pleasure to help if we can.

We just returned yesterday from a beach vacation here in our beautiful South Carolina and we left the FFR at home because of gas prices. It was a long week without MARIAH's company.

Phillip

FUNFER,

I usually have the best luck with the low-tech approach.......Might I recommend a simple bathroom plunger sitting on the tranny tunnel with the handle lengthened or shortened to fit your tonneau cover requirements ? Works well with my boat cover.
Cheers,
Steve:D

Can anybody think of a reason for why a non-zippered toneau won't work if you unsnap all the connections on the driver's side and tuck the whole left side inside the interior?