bluesman2a : URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!

URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by bluesman2a on Sept 21, 2006, 9:16am

All,

I've been working with Mona at New Life Canvas (she's our new Judith), and have come up with a question on my top.

She's asking me if I want Just the window section to roll-up, or I want the whole rear panel to roll up? She says the M-37's are like this...

The answer is I don't know. Could I get some feedback from somebody with one of these tops? Perhaps a pic of what's out there already? Show me a pic how the current tops are cut to roll up?

Would there be any problems to zipping the whole thing in the rear? Would the sides flap at speed?

BTW, Mona's been great to work with, very responsive and has gone above and beyond for customer service... Two Thumbs UP for the neuvo New Life canvas.

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by foreverunstopable on Sept 21, 2006, 10:01am

You want the roll up. Trust me. I got my top with just hte window and now am paying a leatherwork shop here in FL to install zippers. Its a PITA to take the whole top off with the buttons being crusty. You will thank yourself later,

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by oilcan on Sept 21, 2006, 10:20am

Here's the roll up type.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...w/100_0912.jpg

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by oilcan on Sept 21, 2006, 10:23am

There's a lot of airflow like that, and rear visibility is outstanding.

Not sure I understand the options here. Is she talking about having a bigger opening than the standard, or a smaller one?

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by porkchop on Sept 21, 2006, 12:50pm

Mine is like Oc's and I love it. Mush better visibilty and keeps you cooler on the hot summer days.

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by bluesman2a on Sept 21, 2006, 12:53pm

Thanks Oilcan, that's exactly what I needed. I'll send her that pic for example.
That's a new life top, right?

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by binfordm715 on Sept 21, 2006, 12:59pm

I have the exact top Oilcan has and it is from New Life--one of Judith's last.

I asked her for cinch-straps on mine, which OC's may not have. On the inside the two straps that hold the back in its rolled-up position have those clips on the ends of them. On the outside the straps are almost the entire length of the top. Not sure why she did that. Perhaps so that the ends of the straps (with the protective metal tips) would not damage the plastic window?

I'll run out and take a picture of the top down to show what I mean. Stand by.....

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by bluesman2a on Sept 21, 2006, 1:06pm

Thanks Binford!

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by binfordm715 on Sept 21, 2006, 1:19pm

Here's an exterior shot with the back lowered. I'm going to see if there would be enough length in the straps to hold the rolled-up window to the clips on the inside if I cut them off just above the window. If not, I'd leave them goofy-long like that so they won't scratch up the window.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1456/nlrtop1sk0.jpg



Here's the inside view showing the clips that hold on to those long straps. Seems to me those could be longer, then the back ones could be shorter for sure.
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/4034/nlrtop2pu9.jpg



Adam, does your have those clips on the inside? And how long are your straps on the outside?

Finally, here's a view of the lower part of the inside. There you can see how the roll-up-able (?!) part is held in place with those black swivel-clips.
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/2789/nlrtop3hd6.jpg

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by over2land on Sept 21, 2006, 5:50pm

That blackout cover is sure cool.

My next one will have that.

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by bluesman2a on Sept 21, 2006, 6:56pm

Little follow-up here:
I talked with Mona, and have incorporated the feedback in this thread into my top and she appreciated the pics so it will help others coming out as well.

The solution on the long straps is to make them shorter and put another buckle on the outside so it doesn't flap around.

She may duck in here, I sent her a link to the thread, so if there are things she should know or changes to the design I would definitely post-up gentlemen (and Pabst).

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by canvas1 on Sept 21, 2006, 10:41pm

Hey guys!
Thanks for the pics - really cleared things up. FYI - I do have a pattern that is for just the window area to roll up, but it seems that everyone likes the M-37 style roll-up of the whole back panel. Feel free to contact me with questions & I will get back to you as soon as I can. I don't have much time to check in on forums, etc. but do check my email daily.

Herb - thanks for all your support, it is truely a pleasure working with you!

I have had several inquiries from this site, thank you guys so much for passing along my contact info - I really appreciate it.

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by binfordm715 on Sept 21, 2006, 11:33pm

Yeah, I forgot about the blackout curtain over the back window. That is going to be GREAT for driving at night. It will let me block out the glare from headlights behind me reflecting off the vertical windshield. AFAIK, mine is the only one Judith did like that. Mona, I'd certainly tell folks about it if I were you, to see if it's something they'd want. If they're not going for a true-to-original reproduction. I think Judith charged me another $15 for it. Something like that. Well worth it, if you ask me.

Also, I should mention that the clips to hold up the roll-up back were done at my specific request. I think the standard way Judith did it was to put snaps on the straps. But that wouldn't let one cinch it up a little tighter.

Oh, maybe she left the outer straps long so that I could just pull it up part way! I get it now!

I was going to cut them shorter, but now that I see what Judith was probably doing, I think I'll give it another year to try out. I might like the chance to just pull the back up 1/3 of the way or so.

I'm slow. Dorks usually are!

Then again.... The straps aren't long enough to roll it up 1/3 the way. It would apparently have to be half the way, or higher, before the end of the strap met the clip inside. Oh well, I'll still give it a try over the next year and see how I like it.

What's Mona's e-mail again? Could someone post that here?

Well, waddyaknow? It was right there in another thread:
Mona Roth
New Life Canvas
3201 West 260th Street
New Prague, MN 56071
Phone: (952) 758-3879
Email: newlifecanvas@yahoo.com

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by oilcan on Sept 22, 2006, 6:58am

Timmah!, my inside attachment points are small D-rings, and there are T-shaped hooks on the outside straps. Sorry, don't have a pic handy. Also, the outside straps are long enough to swing down and scratch the window up, but I just tie a real loose knot in each one, and they stay out of the way.

Now I need to rig up a blackout curtain to hang off those D-rings.

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by kwai on Sept 22, 2006, 12:25pm

Instead of the black-out curtain, I'm having Mona use a tinted window instead. Mine won't hit the road much at night and I am hoping the tint will knock out a lot of the light.

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by barrman on Sept 22, 2006, 4:25pm

The tint will make it worse. I put a tinted window in the back of my hard top thinking it would help. It just acted more like a mirror than the clear glass.

The problem is not the lights behind you. It is your own head lights and lights coming at you that reflect off the back glass, then off the front, then off the back, then off the front, then off the back, then off the front... You get the picture.

Re: URGENT: Need New Life Top Advice/pics!!!
Post by bluesman2a on Sept 25, 2006, 10:29pm

Update: Mona called today, and my material came in faster than her main canvas order... Today my my top SHIPPED!!! Stay tuned for further developments!!!

The more I work with her, the more I like her approach to business. She's very concerned that her customers are happy with their product.

Just a thought here, but do we have anybody with a truck near her address?
3201 West 260th Street
New Prague, MN 56071

In talking to her, I think she's very competant with the material, but I think seeing it on a truck and being able to look at how things fit would be beneficial, not only to her, but all of us who will be future customers... Anybody close?