Tonneau Cover Pins for All Doors

[Blas]

Here’s a nice little evening project for people with tonneau covers that flap around on the doors while driving. They will also help secure the tonneau cover when the car is parked and wind and rain are in the forecast.

Usually the doors don’t have any fixed connectors for the tonneau cover, because they would be quite uncomfortable to rest your arm on if left in place while driving… So easy on and off is a must in the design.

I have sized the post length to work with all Superformance chassis but you can easily purchase a longer or shorter length “Screw Post” to work with your particular cars side screen door ferrules.
All the parts are off the shelf. (Parts list below makes 1 pin assembly) (Menard's had everything but the male lift-a-dot)

(1) - 2” Screw post – just like you use on notebook paper to make a booklet. They come in many different lengths – 2” worked perfectly in my case.
(1) - #12 x 5/8” bonding washer – a metal washer with a rubber washer together.
(1) - male end of a standard button snap - use some JB Weld to permanently connect it to the lift-a-dot pin - careful not to get any adhesive on threads of the lift-a-dot pin.
(1) - lift a dot male pin with standard 8x32 threaded end, not wood screw type.
(1) - 5/16” nut - glued to the end of the screw post - used as a grip for easy removal and installation of the pin assembly. (JB Weld worked well here)

Of course you’ll need to add the receiving end of the lift a dot pin to your tonneau cover, and that procedure will differ with each manufacturer’s tonneau design.
Photos of the assembly and the parts are in my Photo Gallery on Club Cobra. Just click the little camera under my avatar above. Check them out.
Remember to make a spare because you will surely loose one under the seat one day when you really need them.
Post a photo when you build them.
Cost for each pin assembly is about $4.00

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/15212

[mudhenk27]

Very clever, Blas

Bill

[WildBill1965]

Cobra Valley has been selling these for a couple years now but no jb weld, threaded in!

[Blas]

WildBill1965, Perhaps you should read the directions below again. The JB Weld only holds the pin assembly parts together, the entire pin assembly is easily removable, because your arm would be resting uncomfortably on the pins if left in place while driving.

[WildBill1965]

No Blas, not epoxied threaded into the pin and the pin is removable! You don't have it installed unless you need it! SS pins, you misread my reply!!!

[GEE TEE]

The Cobra Valley site says the pins are currently being re-engineered.

[timsullivan]

Great stuff here Blas. Thanks.
-Tim

[Blas]

No problem, I've got emails from a lot of people who have made them already.

[my427cobra]

Great idea Blas. I might try a wing nut instead of a hex nut when I do mine if I have enough clearance to turn it.

Thanks.
Greg

[Blas]

I don't think a wing nut won't fit over the end of the main post.... Let me know if it does.
Apparently someone has rated this a BAD thread.... Thanks for the extra star

[Mark IV]

Not to hijack Blas' thread, but here is the solution we came up with (and I don't claim credit for inventing it, we just improved the idea a little).

These go in the first and second door ferrules as the third is close enough to the Tenax fastner on the scuttle. They are aluminium and fit either ferrule so they don't need to be indexed.

We are figuring out the costing on these and what they would need to sell for. Even if they were free to us, how much can we make selling them? Would anyone pay $50.00 for the set of four with the Lift-The-Dots for the tonneau?

[timsullivan]

Mark: Yes, I'd pay that kind of money for them. Can I buy a set?

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by timsullivan

Mark: Yes, I'd pay that kind of money for them. Can I buy a set?

PM me or email rick(AT)timemachinesauto.com and I'll provide details.

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by Blas

No problem, I've got emails from a lot of people who have made them already.

That may well be, but none of them took the trouble to post details on here.

Well done.

Paul

[66gtk]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Not to hijack Blas' thread, but here is the solution we came up with (and I don't claim credit for inventing it, we just improved the idea a little).

These go in the first and second door ferrules as the third is close enough to the Tenax fastner on the scuttle. They are aluminium and fit either ferrule so they don't need to be indexed.

We are figuring out the costing on these and what they would need to sell for. Even if they were free to us, how much can we make selling them? Would anyone pay $50.00 for the set of four with the Lift-The-Dots for the tonneau?

These are genius. Did you ever get around to producing them for sale?

[DesertMK4]

Why not just use regular snaps on the doors rather than lift-a-dot male posts? That is what I did and it works just fine. I put two on each door with a male lift-a-dot on the dash in line with the door.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by 66gtk

These are genius. Did you ever get around to producing them for sale?

Trust me, we are not "genius"!!!

I will talk to my machine guy again and see what we will need......we had NO inquiries.

[66gtk]

Originally Posted by DesertMK4

Why not just use regular snaps on the doors rather than lift-a-dot male posts? That is what I did and it works just fine. I put two on each door with a male lift-a-dot on the dash in line with the door.

1. Your side curtains wouldn't work
2. Your arm resting on the snaps while driving would not be very comfortable.

[Rick Parker]

You could also machine a grooove in the post for O-ring thus creating a slight interferance fit (?) and then do away with the clip?

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

You could also machine a grooove in the post for O-ring thus creating a slight interferance fit (?) and then do away with the clip?

Not enough to keep the pin from popping out when the tonneau catches wind.

We could put a male snap on the post and then use the female on the tonneau.