I've been enjoying the car more and more, including an inaugural trip to the gas station. It is behaving quite nicely, so I figured I'd jump to some more of the "nice to have done" projects. To that end, I've started installing the top.
I first put tar paper down over the wood bows to prevent the chicken wire from squeaking. The wire was then stretched taut and stapled into the framing.
After that, I put a layer of 1/4" closed cell upholstery foam from Sail Rite. The only tricky part here was getting the front corners to lay down so that the cover vinyl would be nice and smooth. A little judicious trimming with an utility knife and mission accomplished.
Next goes the vinyl. The typical "cobra" grain top material is only available in 64 1/2" width, as far as I can tell, and that wouldn't leave me with much margin for error. Instead I chose a more subdued grain vinyl, also from Sail Rite, that was available in 77" width. It will leave me with more waste but it's worth it for my peace of mind. The install, so far, is going well.
I'll report back with more photos when the top is done, sealed, and the trim has been installed. I will be reusing the original gutters but will have to make something go on the front and possibly the rear (I may be able to save the original aluminum trim but I'm not sure yet).