I was looking at Twillfast or Sunbrella (my neighbor sells it, and they apparently have some fabric that's good for marine/automotive tops). I only hope that my sewing machine is up to the task.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps
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I was looking at Twillfast or Sunbrella (my neighbor sells it, and they apparently have some fabric that's good for marine/automotive tops). I only hope that my sewing machine is up to the task.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps
Sunbrella is great fabric, but not waterproof. It's water resistant because its treated with a water repellant solution that wears off pretty quickly. It would definitely be easier to work with and much less expensive, but I think the Twillfast would be money well spent. There are less expensive vinyl coated fabric constructions in a variety of colors if you wanted to go with a material made for convertible toppping. I'm partial to the look of the fabric outside though. Mine is made from Stayfast.
Twillfast is amazing and you can tell by working with it that it is of superior quality. I got my neighbors front axle and drivelines rebuilt. Today is also my wifes 60th birthday. No shop time today. So hopefully tomorrow I am back at top number two. I am anxious to make some changes. I received the new metal strap locks yesterday too. Thumbs up..
Good to know about the sunbrella--I didn't realize that it was waterproof because of a coating.
Ya'll had me curious about sewing in a window, so I found this youtube video that makes it seem really easy. Uses binding, double-sided tape, and two hems, so it should be pretty much waterproof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF7i-iAgzZc
You could also use Seamark. It is the same Sunbrella fabric made by Glen Raven, but coated with PVC and the same water repel formula. The PVC is meant to be the inside so you’ll have the canvas look on outside. Seamark is much lighter than Twillfast and also waterproof.
That's the fabric I was looking at from Sunbrella (seamark). I think I like the idea of a waterproof fabric that doesn't need recoating.
That is a great video on windows from Sailrite. The double side tape is a great re-positionable solution. I have been looking at making an all new top for a 1978 Fiberform cabin cruiser I am restoring. Their method will help a lot. I have been concerned with how to do a few things there.
That long arm sewing machine is the shizz. But at 5000.00 dollars I will have to settle with my Pfaff 145. It has been a struggle to work the entire top through the smaller throat. I am experimenting with reverse stitching instead of trying to rotate a huge mass of material. I would like to make a table that surrounds my work area. Out of Masonite so it is slippery and smooth.
I have been working on top number 2 for several days. I hope to be done by tomorrow. I am having the general feeling that I don't want to make and sell these. They are a lot of work and take at least a week to make. And some parts of it are challenging. Maybe when I catch up with some other things I may feel different. I dunno...
Thanks for posting the video. I need to spend some time on you tube watching others and how they handle some of the methods.
... I'll bet you would be willing to make them if given the "right" price. :-) I bought a bench seat from a guy 5 states away that would NOT ship under any circumstances. 3 emails later ....... It was shipped to my door.
Ha ha... I get it. So I feel like someday I will probably be willing to make tops to sell. I should have been more specific, that right now it is not something I want to make additional time for. I can see it later. But I really want to get my truck ready to paint. I have a very small summer window for that. Plus I have had a lot of broken stuff come my way via neighbors. I am trying to squeeze them in also. It has been a very busy winter so far. So comma All that is left on this second top is flaps and snaps. So far 5-6 days on each top. Maybe I can get that down to 4 someday. I want to keep my sewing skills up. So I am not bailing long term. :)
How in the heck do you ship a bench seat? Amazing...:D
4 degrees last night and the night before. :eek: Cracking rubber bands here!
I finished the second top. It took me just as long and I was able to make some needed changes. New and improved. This top goes to eightyduece to install on his truck and test it out. Then provide me with feedback on any issues or ideas. Because he sent me the OEM top I needed to tackle this idea. I could not have done it without his efforts.
The corners fit better. I have remade the pattern 3 times now. :lol: I discovered ending the bottom corner seam like a bell bottom pant leg makes it lay on the corner just great. I fought that for a while. One of many changes. So is that a quarter in the picture you say>? Why, yes it is! How about a little Zone history for all the new (er) folks. Back 10-12 even 15 years ago, when the BS board was pages long with daily ramblings, jokes, ribbing, shocking comments from Sisson, phrases like "metric poop ton" were common. A perfect description describing great quantities of everything from piles of surplus tires to how much dessert you had at Thanksgiving dinner. Pictures were posted with the obligatory quarter present. For size reference. A long ongoing joke really. I forget who started that. It was fun. It made for some of the best memories from that time era. Times were good. So in good humor, I am bringing back the quarter. At least for today. :happy10:
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
Cool new metal buckles. Strong and they lock well. The first top got plastic buckles. They pull apart way to easy. This is a big improvement.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
This yellow tape will not ruin the window. The blue masking tape left a ghost image and cause 4 broken needles trying to replace it in top number 1. If any of you make a top, cover the window like this or you will find a metric poop ton of scratches after all the handling. :D
What no quarter?
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
So I am going to make another. But I want to get my rocker replaced on the cab first. Then apply some learning to the third one. I put the A in amateur.
Grateful for it all.
Cheers...
Fantastic work sir! Let us know if you want to start selling them.
I will do that. Seems I am always behind what my goals are. :D
Pretty dang impressive. The real test is when I get it on my truck and do 95mph down the highway...wait maybe 70. Haha, I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival. I will post pictures. Thanks again
I sent you a long email. Sorry as I had just finished 4 big cups of coffee. :D
I will get it boxed tomorrow, and probably run it into town Tuesday. Judging how strong the material is, I'd say 110 MPH should be OK.:D:D
WOW!! that is super nice!!!! Sign we up!!!!!
That's funny, when I took some pics of the 1/72 M715 and M725 models I built a few years ago, I made sure to still add the obligatory quarter in a pic for those old time Zoners. :lol::lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps
https://i.imgur.com/lRL8BCe.jpg
That thing looks sharp. Honestly, I'd bet that you'll get around to selling them before I hear back from New Life.
As I've said, if you're willing to just cut the panels (out of something cheap), I would pay for the materials, your time putting this together, and shipping, so I can make one here. I totally understand if you can't, but excellent job on this one.
That picture is so awesome! Very cool stuff Dave! And the quarter even. Even the wife laughed when I showed her. Gotta love it.
Tops... Hmm I picked up new masonite boards yesterday to get the changes made in the patterns. If I wait that won't be good and starting over is a pain. I will probably get started on another soon. Don't know when, but hopefully soon.
So Ebay has a newly sewn green canvas top for sale. it was 375.00
I can say that with the much more modern and better material that any tops I make will probably be just under or around double that. Keep in mind the Twillfast sells for 135 a yard. 3 yards needed with no mistakes and an average of 5-6 days to make. I don't know if that will scare anyone off stating that. But it should probably be said.
Looks like they chose a bigger window also. If these guys would make them in black, they could probably do it cheaper than I could.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/M715-Kaiser...YAAOSwZj1gCGYX
Thanks for telling me about this thread, Al. Looks like really nice fabric!
It is the best stuff made for a top of any type. It was great to talk to you today. Yes, get Nick and come on out. Liz and I would really enjoy a visit!Quote:
Originally Posted by Binford
Let me see if I can remake my wood patterns. Then if and a huge maybe I could trace everything out on kraft paper. The biggest issue would be all the detail that you need to know. Stuff I copied from eightydueces top. If you don't have a top to copy, than I would need to inform you of what to do. It would involve a lot of notes all over the patterns. It would take quite a while to prepare. No promises but give me a week or so. If I feel that you could make a top from my plans I will PM you for an address. No promises... Mkay?:)Quote:
Originally Posted by jwiltx
Hey!!!!!
Hey what>?
I will send you a PM...
I'll take a maybe, especially if it gets me closer to a top.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps
If not, I've got a coupon for Joann's, and I'll male my trial tops from canvas before moving up to the fancy stuff...Lol
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Getting a server error trying to respond. So .....Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps
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LOL YES! that's my name. Weird. How did you know that? Absolutely yes I'll take one for that price. I'm willing to wait until you need ... my truck is still being "rebuilt" and is out of town. But I'll definitely take one now or any other time. If I had my wishes I'd really like one with the rollup rear like I have on my truck now. And pay more for it. But I'll take what I can get!!
Getting a server error trying to respond. So .....Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps
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LOL YES! that's my name. Weird. How did you know that? Absolutely yes I'll take one for that price. I'm willing to wait until you need ... my truck is still being "rebuilt" and is out of town. But I'll definitely take one now or any other time. If I had my wishes I'd really like one with the rollup rear like I have on my truck now. And pay more for it. But I'll take what I can get!!
Odd I got a server error trying to send this .. but it posted anyway. Same thing with my Private Message.
heres a pic of the rollup rear ....
Well I guess the cat is out of the bag...;) I am making a top for Teking. I guess this means I am making them now. Price undetermined so far. ;)
I suspect New Life might be quicker. I will do my best.
Well, so far, I've struck out on hearing from anyone that makes anything for this truck. OD Cloth still makes tops, but they only make one color, and no variables. I've called and emailed New Life with no response. There's no rush, but if you decide you want to make more, I would gladly pay for your work.
I agree with teking--a zip out or roll up window would be a nice feature, but not a deal-breaker.
Well if you can wait than that would be good. Even if it takes me forever, you will still hear from me. I have had a few parts requests come in after a long dead spell. I will work on getting more material. I can't add custom features yet. I am still trying to master the construction and what to do in what order.
Later I could probably spend some time on things like the roll up back.
I'm not going anywhere. So hang tight. :)
If I was closer, I'd give you a hand with all the other stuff you have to do...lol. Seems like you've got a lot on your plate, but with how yours turned out, I'm willing to wait.
Also, for anyone who's been following along, I heard back from New Life Canvas (through their facebook page). They have a 6-8 week lead time, and if you want any color other than OD green, it adds 20% to the price, but they can do it.
Al, you da man!
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Something is wrong Bill. It looks very loose. I had to pull like heck to make the snaps on mine. The middle bow was a bear to pull snaps down around. The side panels required a serious pull down and around the bow side to make the lowest snap. That made it cover the top cab edge.
It looks like a loose fold above the drivers side between bows. When on my truck it was tight as could be.
The side panels came all the way down on my cab side. It looks to high and not laying right in the picture. When the metal buckles were tight as heck, I still had 1/2 inch of strap I could still pull above the footman loop.
You could bounce a quarter off the top when on my truck. I absolutely hope my truck top parts are not modified by a previous owner or just plain wrong.
It would not surprise me. Dang me.
The one thing you should do is run your fingers across the top of the windshield frame to get the flap to lay back towards the middle bow. I can see it is not all laying back evenly. Same with the back flap. Flip it forward over the bow towards the middle bow.
Is it loose at all? It really looks like it.. Can the side panels be pulled down to cover the cab side? Would you please tell me what is not right. Every single thing!
It looks WAY different from being on my truck. I am not happy with that fit at all. No more tops are getting made till I know this top is perfect. Bill, if we need to make it over I will. Please send me a PM and I want to know why it is laying different.
EDIT:
This is how low the side panels were on my truck. Note the door frame bottom edge with the snap around the corner.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
EDIT #2: I am recalling the used canvas top you sent appeared shrunk and it would not fit. My first pictures of that were wrong and later I found it appeared to be shrunk only by 2 plus inches and not 5 in the pictures. This is a clue that maybe my truck is wrong. There has to be an explanation for the difference.
They had a 6-8 week lead time 12 years ago. I put all new canvas over my entire first truck. It was a very long 8 weeks. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by jwiltx
Honestly, I would have them make you a black top. I suspect you would be very happy with it. Something is up with eightydueces top. It is not fitting his truck like it fit mine. We will get it sorted out. But something is different and it looks loose compared to my install.
I hope Teking sees this. Gotta wait and see what is up.
Bill, I studied the pictures closely. It looks like the door frame snap just behind the windshield is not snapped. The flap on the back should get tucked between the bed and cab. The back looks like it is not pulled down all the way. The buckles look very tight. I am thinking the back needs to come down. Sitting up that high, there is no way I could have reached the bottom snap near where the door lock would be on a civi rig. Is that a healthy loose spot between bows on the drivers side?
To say I was stunned after 15 seconds of looking at Bill's picture is an understatement. I called him this morning and got some details. Clearly there is something different between our trucks. Now we will try to find out what that is. To have the top be so tight on building it and getting the snaps secured that I was concerned it was to tight. Then to see how loose it was raised my eyebrows. A lot. Moving onward to find out why, then still aim at the goal of getting him a top that looks as good on his truck as mine did.
More to follow.
Can someone who has a stock truck please tell me if both top bows are the same. Interchangeable?
Both top bows are the same. The difference in height is in the frame. The rear post is higher than the front post.
If anyone has a set of bows pls let me know! Thx
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Thank you Kwai. That is really helpful. Been thinking about this all day. I just sent Bill (eightyduece) 11 measurements to check. This is nuts.Quote:
Originally Posted by kwai