1931 Hupp top closed car roof replacement

[Hubert_25-25]

Hi 

    I am helping my good friend repair the roof on his recently purchased 1931 Huppmobile.   I am not sure if my friend posted photos of his car, but here are a few pictures.  

The top was damaged in shipment to his house.  I don't have pictures yet of the damage, but I don't think you really need them.  I do a lot on the forum with my 1925 Buick Standard Touring and now I need a little help with this good looking Hupp.  

1) Who sells original top material?  The car had model A "Cobra long grain" top material on it.  I was not sure if the original style top material was still available, or if this is what people use these days.

2) There is chicken wire above the wood rib supports.  It looks pretty good, but do I need to restretch this?  Being chicken wire, maybe it always gets a little stretched over time. 

3) Is there a padding that goes between the chicken wire and the top.

4) How should you tack the top material?  I assume use brass or stainless tacks.  The old top just all peeled out at the tacks and made rips to the edge of the top material at each tack. (no tacks came out, but the top fabric was in tatters at the 2 sides and the back.  It seems the tacks were very close to the edge of the material.  

5) Is there a book or U tube that shows how to install these tops properly.

6) Is the hidem around the edge just regular hidem or something different.  

By the way, I usually put a technical paper together when I complete a project like this, so any help I get will go into the paper for others to share.

Thank you for your help.   Hugh

Edited June 11, 2018 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history)

[huptoy]

I suggest you post on the forum  “Technical”.

 

More members will see it there.

[29hupp]

I hope you get some good responses and look forward to your technical paper because I have to replace the top on my 29 Hupp.  Take lots of pictures!

 

Dick Arnett

29 Hupp

[Hubert_25-25]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I did find this Model A roof install procedure which looks like a good starting point.   Hugh

http://abarnyard.com/workshop/roofinstall-9.htm