Correct tonneau stud pattern for 427 cobra

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by Dcmgt

Dan - I agree that most of the variations in these cars today are from what was done to the cars after they left Shelby American. It's standard procedure for a manufacturer to use fixturing, etc to make cars uniform. However, between tops and tonnaus, I have a number of originals (and you and I both know how to tell originals) and some will fit my car and others won't. Yes, I know when these cars were new the tops/tonnaus were also sold as service replacements which probably required installation of the lift a dot plates, which could have been put in different locations. But that can also be viewed as a convenient excuse when no proof exists these particular tops/tonnaus came to be that way. Also, as mentioned before I have heard from at least a couple of others over the years that they have seen slight differences. Variations do exist in these cars. Just look at the example of our friend who recently restored his small block car (never wrecked) to extreme, exactling standards who couldn't find a side curtain to fit one side of his car among several he had, requiring in the end he modify one. One of these days I will put the studs back in the original holes in the body for the other car here and check the tops/tonnaus on that.

Mike, I will add one more element that can affect the fit. Shinkage. I had to have a new tonneau made about 5 years ago because the tonneau that came with my car in 1986 (and fit for several more years) had finally shrunk from non use. Even leaving the old tonneau in the sun on a hot summer day would not relax it enough to again fit the car. The first studs to no longer fit were the outboard studs on the rear cowl.