Soft Top Install

[bad_sss]

I'm going to install a Cobra Restorers soft top and side curtains on my FFR. Any suggestions, comments, or suprises I should look out for? Thanks..........

HEY DAN,

ARE YOUR CERTAIN THAT THE C/R SOFT TOP WILL FIT A FFR ???

I KNOW THAT THEIR TOP WILL FIT AN "ORIGINAL" AND AN ERA CAR BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE ERA AND FFR TOPS ARE DIFFERENT.

JUST SOMETHING TO CHECK.

HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK

[Double Venom]

Dan,

As good as CR's tops are, Blackjack is right....I think.

I have a FFR in our shop now, (Was it you who called me about this?) It appears that it might fit, but-- the sidecurtains will not be secure and the top will have to be loose. If you modify the frame work on the side windows and have the windows re-made, it might work.

Just my present thoughts.

DV

[DavidWard]

If you don't like the FFR top, go with an Everett-Morrison top. It's an easy bolt-on install. There are some pics here of an E-M on my car.

http://community.webshots.com/user/wardtd

David

[bad_sss]

Thanks for the input. i was able to get the "correct" top from these guys, including the "correct" side curtains. Wish me luck.

[Michael C Henry]

I have an older EM that was built for Navada weather.I'm also looking at going with an EM top, hardwhare and sidecurtains.I could read alot into the Photos and still miss the important stuff.Are the zip in side windows w/the top and sidecurtains something seperate?How important were your mods, or just preferances? How high is your roll bar? Did you have problems clearing the rear brace?It looks like you got it tight,how did you acheive that?Any regrets or things you would do diferently?The extra bracing or supports ,one of a kind or available?Tell me a story to get me off the dime.Oh, bye the way, your pictures are the way better than EM shows.

[DavidWard]

Originally posted by Michael C Henry
I have an older EM that was built for Navada weather.I'm also looking at going with an EM top, hardwhare and sidecurtains.I could read alot into the Photos and still miss the important stuff.Are the zip in side windows w/the top and sidecurtains something seperate?How important were your mods, or just preferances? How high is your roll bar? Did you have problems clearing the rear brace?It looks like you got it tight,how did you acheive that?Any regrets or things you would do diferently?The extra bracing or supports ,one of a kind or available?Tell me a story to get me off the dime.Oh, bye the way, your pictures are the way better than EM shows.

The window frames are separate - not part of the top. They mount into two ferrules on the doors, and a flap extends down the door and is installed with snaps. The windows then zip into the window frames, not to the top.

I put the extra bows in to tighten the top up. It's just like all soft tops for these cars, just too much space between the windshield and the rear bow. This allows the top to raise if the windows are closed, and to flap a lot if a window is open. No matter how tight it is installed, drive it a few miles and it loosens up. With the extra bows installed, it now raises about a half inch in the center, and none over the windows. All the flapping was eliminated when a window is open.

I don't really know the roll bar height, but it is a standard FFR bar, which is taller than most other makes. I can measure it tomorrow - remind me. Forgetfulness comes with age, I guess! I had to bend the rear main bow towards the back just slightly to clear the roll bar.

The extra bows and the frame they mount to is not an E-M option. I made the frame from 3/8" cold-rolled steel rod, and the two bows were made from 1/2" aircraft tubing. The tubing is available from McMaster Carr.

BTW, the soft top mounting instructions on ERA's web site are the best I have seen anywhere. They will work for any top, not just ERA's. Thanks Bob Putnam!

David

[Michael C Henry]

I found the ERA website and found the instructions. Youre right they are detailed.The instructions started with doing this at room temp or warmer. It'll be a while before It gets warm around here so I have time before I'll start.Did you show any manufacture youre mods?The pictures were great. How did you attach to windsheild and bows? It is stiil relatively easy with no tools,Right?More pictures please.How much stock did you go through to get the cruves correct.?

[DavidWard]

Originally posted by Michael C Henry
I found the ERA website and found the instructions. Youre right they are detailed.The instructions started with doing this at room temp or warmer. It'll be a while before It gets warm around here so I have time before I'll start.Did you show any manufacture youre mods?The pictures were great. How did you attach to windsheild and bows? It is stiil relatively easy with no tools,Right?More pictures please.How much stock did you go through to get the cruves correct.?

I sent some pics to E-M, but never got a response.

I drilled two 3/16 holes in each windshield bar and mounted with 10 x 24 stainless screws. At the rear, I mounted to the same point where the two rear bows are joined - just used a longer screw.

No special tools required. I used a hand drill, but a drill press would be nice for drilling the holes through the 3/8 rod.

I bought two 6' lengths of the tubing, so I only wasted what was cut from the ends of the tubes. I did bend and rebend slightly a few times to get them like I wanted. I mounted a short section of 2" steel pipe to the work bench with spacers underneath so the tubes would slip under and give a good round surface to bend against. It wasn't that hard to do - just took a little time to get both ends of the tubes looking the same.

David

[bad_sss]

I started the install on my top, and found that it is four inches short in the back, due to the height of the FFR rollbar and rear brace.

From the bow to the front it lines up perfect, it's the back measurement that's the problem.

I took the top to a local soft top guy, and I am having him insert the extra meterial into the top. (manufactured by Robbins and sold by Cobra Restorers). There is a seam that the top can be delaminated at, and that the extra material can be put in.

The conclusion is that if you want a soft top on a replica, the best way is to have it custom installed. The kit manufacturer probably will offer a top, but will most likely cost more then a custom, and not fit as well.

[bdriver]

I know that this is an "older" message stream but -

has anyone put one of these Cobrarestorer tops on a car that is closer to the original - any issues with the sidewindows or fit of the top?

[rdorman]

The body of my car was splashed from an original. I bought the ferrells, bows and windows (side curtains) from CR and took all the parts to a top shop. They provided top notch material and rear 'glass'. The thing fits tight as a drum and NEVER flaps even with only the original bows. I have hit 100 with it on and no problems (even though it says to limit the speed to 60, yea right!). If you don't already have the tensioner on the windsheild, put one in. Also, if the ferrell are not in the door get a template from your manufacturer for the top guy. Makes them nervious drillin holes in our cars! If the ferrels are in make sure that the spacing is correct for the CR side curtains.

Couple of tips. A little foam rubber weather strip under the side curtain frame where it meets the body make a world of difference and you can not see it. The way my top is made is so that the top of the side curtain when you close the door actually come just inside the top itself and then up against a 'padded' portion in the top so that the side curtain is 'sandwiched' between the two providing for a little better seal. The other spot that might leak is front of the curtain where it meets the windscreen. I tried round foam rubber slit length wise through a radius and slid on the front of the curtain. While it does make a difference I am not sure I like how it looks. To put the top on I find the easiest way is to put the top on the bows (be sure the hinged bow is to the rear!), slip the bows into their mounts, slip the frame into the slot on the windscreen, do not snap down the side clips on the windscreen, snap the lift-a-dots in the rear and then the windscreen clips. Leave the top on for a while after you have it make so it will 'take shape' and put it on everyonce and a while so it will keep it.

Of course with any of these if you are going to drive in heavy rain you will still want to keep a towel handy!

Custom top is expensive. Much more so than say the one you can get from superformance. But it is also very nice!

Rick

[Michael C Henry]

If you check the dates these entries are a long time apart. I ordered a top and side curtains from EM in Jan of 03. I still haven't installed the top .After many changes I've decided that the windsheild will remain at the same angle and it doesn't match the sidecurtains and probably the top. The top may be usable.This winter EM said they will take my side curtains back and make another set to match a pattern that I provide.If I get this car running again I'll be looking for pro help.I called John's custom in Oregon this winter and he sounded interested.I thought I was closer than it turned out to be.I think I'm enough of a mechanic to relalize what someone else can do better and knows more about.I'm intimadated.

[bdriver]

rdorman and Mike H. - thanks for your input. I purchased a top "kit" from Cobra Restorers and it doesn't fit a Kirkham - after a little song and dance from Cobra Restorers - I am working with a second contact who is attempting to work around the roll bar fitment - as for the side curtains - they will take a major mod and will prove to be interesting. Mike H - I too am using a professional - the first one threw up his hand and called the Cobra Restorers top a toy - certainly the instructions are a joke.

Again, thanks for the input - at least I know that I'm not the only one working the issue.

Bill