1916 Buick touring top

[ramair]

Hi guys, Does anyone know how the back panel of the "one man top" is suppose to hook to the back of car? My car had a top installed by the previous owner back in the 70's. It was then taken off the car 10 years ago and stored. I had the top cleaned and re-installed at a restoration facility. I now have the car and the top does not seem right. There are 2 tension? straps that go forward from the back bow to the windshield but nothing going down to the back of the body. The restoration shop just tacked the bottom of the back panel to the wood right above a strip of covered welting that hids the seam between the seat leather and the sheet metal. The material is pulling loose from the tension. the nails they used hardly had a head on them. The shop told me that the top was pulling apart because it is old and rotted, I looked at the top and it looks pretty solid to me. Any help would be appreciated, Michael

[unimogjohn]

Trimacar follows most of these posts and probably will respond. If not you can send him a note via private messages. He will want to see some pics. David did my top on the 23 McLaughlin Buick and did a great job. He is a master trimmer.

Here are a couple of pics of my car as David finished the job. Hope they help.

Edited August 11, 2010 by unimogjohn (see edit history)

[trimacar]

A little hard to answer without knowing more about that specific car year, all below comments are regarding a touring top.

Some cars just had a double layer of top fabric for a rear piece, tacked and top and bottom, and with good material that would hold.

Some cars had adjustable straps, and usually that meant a hook of some kind on each side of the rear top of the body (right behind top of rear seat). The top was still tacked top and bottom, but the straps took some of the strain, and the rear piece could possibly be a single layer of top fabric.

Some cars had removable tops, as is the '23 McLaughlin Buick of Johns. The bottom of the rear top piece has a steel strip in it, this has 6 or 8 screws that screw into the back top of the body. This metal is sewn into a piece of fabric, and hidden by fabric over it, so the screws don't show when top is on.

As far as soundness of the old top, it's 40 years old, if it was a cotton top and not properly stored, it could look sort of OK but be rotten. If so, tacks won't hold and it'll rip as described. Tacks should have a good head on them, not be brads that just have a bump at the top end.

[ramair]

Hi Trimacar, I will try and take photo's of the top and post, but probably can not get to it for a few days. You have described my top. it has 2 straps that go forward but do not go down to body with no apparent way to tighten. The straps seem loose when top is stretched on to windshield post. The back material is 2 layers thick. I see that the restoration shop picked the worst fastener which must shoot out of a brad gun. They seem to have little or no heads on them. They nailed very close to the edge of the top and have the nails about 6 inches apart. It has pulled loose on the left side about 10 inches. The material on this car looks great and it was stored properly. I would like to get a little life out of it. could I use big headed tack and if so how far apart? Would a welting with more nails work better? can I just change the back panel on top? Is there a way to adjust the straps? I understand that you have not seen top and these are just general question? Thank you and the top you did for Unimogjohn looks great, Michael

[trimacar]

Well, for years I was a purist and only used tacks. For the first two layers, tacked to rear strip, a number 3 works, one about every inch or so, maybe less. When you add the trim strip, a 3 might be a little short so go with a 4, then on the ends where it holds some tension a 6.

Now, I'm not so much a purist, in the interest of time and security. Old wood can split with tacks, so have been known to use staples where they would never be seen. A brad shot from a gun, as you describe, would not work.

Yes, you can change the back curtain, but then it won't match the rest of the top, so you're better off doing it all if you go that route.

The straps should only be tacked or attached at front header and rear bow, so yes, you can tighten at one end or the other with some disassembly. It's a little tricky to pull straps tight, then pull top material tight enough without giving slack to straps. Guess it's the things that are a "little tricky" that keep more people from doing upholstery correctly.....

Just general notes....hope that helps..

[ramair]

David, thank you for info. I took another look this morning and it looks like 3 inches is all that has released on the left. I was thinking of pulling it back and finding some of those tacks and tacking either side. Would it be helpfull to pre drill tack hole ? The other option I was thinking about was to take some welting or piping (do not know the proper term) and stapleing along that lower edge. There is a trim strip there that is about a inch below the lower edge of the back curtain. There are 3 fastener's that twist and lock down the boot and these are centered on this trim strip. Thank you again, Michael

[Guest WEB 38]

Michael you dont say what part of the country your in, If you are any where close you are welcome to come and look at how mine was done. I Have a 1920 4 door touring k-45 which I believe is about the same. I am in PLYMOUTH IN. Bill WEB 38

[ramair]

Web38, Thank you for the offer I live on the left coast so you are a little far for me to travel. I think my only chance to get this usable again without spending alot of money is to find someone that has some left over top material that would match my top and then section in the back curtain. Thank you, Michael

[Guest WEB 38]

Michael The ford model t and model a restoration catalogs carry a material called corba long or short grain it is very close to mine,Check it out I think it might be what you are looking for. Bill WEB 38