Cobra Rag Top

[Blue Cobra]

Any suggestions on where I can get a top made for my Cobra in the Northern Puget Sound area? Since I’m going on the 2003 Glacier ride, and the GICR taught me that the wives of Cobra's which carry tops were happier, I though that I should look into it.

What sort of pricing should I be ready for? The snaps are already mounted on the body, all I need is top, frame and side plastic flappy things. Suggestions are appreciated.

BlueC

[Michael C Henry]

I have a top and sidecurtains I bought last year from EM.I'm realy imtimadated about the conversion .I had planned to have John's Custom Fabricating in Coos Bay Oregon do it last summer but engine crapped out.He seems quite nice and sometimes picks up and delivers.

[Bish Wheeler]

Kev,

There is a great place up here in Mt. Vernon. He just did a new interior and seats in my car. First class and does a great job on tops.

Give me a call and I'll point you to him.

Bish

[KobraKarl]

blue cobra, i'm in the same spot , i have the snaps ,but no top.
i talked to several shops last year and mostly got a lot of shrugged shoulders for my trouble....... are there back roads to Mt. Vernon?

[Bish Wheeler]

Hey guys,

I'll bet we can get a group discount (I need a top too). Seriously!

Bish

[Blue Cobra]

Bish,

I'll go with the group purchase approach, especially of we can save some $$. Since your local in Vernon, do you mind giving them a call and getting some pricing? If nothing more you should at least get a finders fee for bringing in our biz.

I would assume that the top guy would appreciate the assembly line approach to makeing 2-3 tops at once, although they may vary a lttle for each model of Cobra. It will also let him pratice on making your top first and mine last so he has perfected the job by the time he makes mine...he he he.

Let me know how you want to proceed or I'll ring you on the blower and we can talk off net.

Regards,
Kevin

[Excaliber]

Blue,,,,,,ha ha,,,make yours last. Good call.

Ernie

[Zderf]

Does making a top include installation of the snaps ffor fabric and sockets for the frame?

Howza bout the side curtains?

If I could get the whole enchilada... I might jump into this fray as well.

Zderf

[Bish Wheeler]

I just talked to Jeff. He is up for it, but has never done a Cobra top. He said before he would undertake it, he needed to do some research.

My car is built by A&C and they do offer a top, the frame and side curtains, so Jeff is going to call them to (a.) find out what they charge (b.)see if the frame is any good (c.) see if they will sell bits and pieces or, (d.) just buy the stuff from them and then he will do the installation. He will also find out if this rig will fit other cars. I Have the feeling this is not going to be as simple as changing a windshield. The determining factor, if side curtains are going to be included is the rake of the wind shield. There isn't a one of us, I don't think, that has the same angle of rake as any other.

Anyway, he said he would get back to me asap and give an opinion.

Bish

[jayem]

Bish, Just having the top on takes care of 90% of the bad weather. I rarely use my side curtians. Jay

[Keith Vincent]

keep some of us lurkers poster as to the progress of this subject. there might be a long list of interested partied. If Bish and Zderf get one, then I'm going to have a harder time telling Patti that we don't.
K

As to Kevin, heck he won't even buy a horn for his.

[Jack21]

Any shop that makes tops for boats, should be able to make a top (and tonneau cover) for your snake. CR has a factory top that's decent. Local boat shop made tonneau.

Where you are, there should be plenty of upholstery shops that make tops for boats.

Can attest to the fact that Cobra spouses appreciate top, sidecurtain, and heater equipped cars. Oh yes! Sidepipe heat shields too!

[Rich]

I want a video of Zderf getting in and out of a Cobra with a soft top.

Rich

[Bish Wheeler]

Rich,

LOL, you are so right. Sorta like a smiling Trap Door spider backing into his hole. Heck I'm not sure I can get in with a top on.

BTW, Jeff, the guy I am talking to about the top, is primarily a boat top maker.

Bish

[Blue Cobra]

Bish,

Sounds like you've found the place. Keep me posted on the pricing and feasibility of A&C top being fitted to my Contemporary Classic. My window rake is typically greater than most when I look at other Cobras.

With the roll bar forcing the ragtop to look funny, in my estimation. I would think you wouldn't have that much trouble getting out. Now Fred may need to be folded in half, or maybe a plastic dome could be placed above the drivers seat???

Count me in with the buyers on this deal.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Michael C Henry]

A year or more ago every body poo pooed the top idea as not nessacary. I had a 56 bristle with a top .I drove that car everyday to work(Tacoma to Renton) all sorts of weather. A top, sidecurtains, and a heater defroster ,would go a long way to make a lot of so so weather days enjoyable. A lot of days start off and end differently. and it maybe raining here but just a piece down the road the sun shined all day.
If it works out I have a top and sidecurtains that need instalation . want someone that has a familiarization with these cars and a knowledge of what to look out for and abbility to compasate. I'm scared that if I tried it ,my car would whistle with all the extra holes
EM still hasn't done anything with their web site. Hope they comback .Their stuff was allways top notch and as advertized.

[Walt Tomsic]

My, my...isn't this an interesting turn. After all the crap I took on the GICR for staying warm and dry with my little rag top. And now all those "macho macho men" are tripping all over themselves to get tops on their cars.

Laughing last and laughing loudest,
Waldo the rag top slab boy

ps...expect more gloating at Red Hook

[Zderf]

I'm feeling good for you Slab Man.. Its just about time you have something you can gloat over that merits the envy of us topless fat bodies!

YEAH!!! YOU BE FEEL'IN GOOD!

Hope to see your even bigger smile at the Hook!

Yours Always,

Zderf

[Buzz]

Fitting & installing the rag top isn't all that difficult. I ordered a "semi finished" top and bow assembly from Unique and asked them to install the female snaps in the top in a more or less typical position. The front of the top was left unfinished so it could be cut to the right length at the windshield and glued onto the front header bars. I installed the main bow ferrules behind the seats and, with the top taped in place over the bows, marked and drilled the holes in the body for the male snaps. Once the snaps were installed and the rear of the top secured, I marked and cut the length at the front and glued the fabric onto the header bars. There is lots of room for adjustability by screwing the main bows up or down to tighten the top. Fits like a dream. The side curtains had me a bit worried, but the Weavers sent along a drilled template bar that made it a snap. There is a bit of a gap at the front edge of the plexi windows, but I plan to glue some soft weatherstripping on to fix that problem. The only place I actually got some leaking in a very heavy downour recently was around the plates at the bottom of the windshield posts. I just took care of that with a bit of silicone sealant. Even if you encounter a big conflict with your windshield angle and the shape of the side windows, careful trimming of the plaxiglass can set everything right. It seems intimidating at first; but, like installing a wiring harness, it ends up being a lot easier in practice.

[Buzz]

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