27donb Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I have never lowered the top on my touring cars, but did you know that there is an 8 step procedure to do so? Hopefully you all have been following it! Enjoy! -General Motors Export Company 1926 Motor Car Operation and Care- 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27donb Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Don: This is totally fabulous ! I had been told by the fellow who did my boot for my 1925 how to fold but this is great. On top of it shows the car as a 1925 Buick Standard. The 1926 Standards had a windshield visor. Also shows what the export Boot looked like. This is the only other period photo showing the top folded on the 1925 -25 from a French pamphlet. Thank You!!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) When I first got my car back in 2011 the gypsy sides were torn up from someone setting back the top without unsnapping and folding the sides in. The fact that the top is incorrect for the car did not help. Also there were no rests or holders so everything laid on the spare tire. My first attempt of lowering the top with the bent side iron. Makes for a big stack. I made some aluminum rests that quickly bent under the weight. Also I had to straighten the bent side iron. Since then I did get a set of proper top holders. and a better set of rests that are interchangeable between the Standard and the Master. Edited January 24, 2019 by dibarlaw spelling (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 What the 1925 Master folded top looks like with the proper clamps(holders) and the boot I had made for the Standard. It fits this car better since it has the correct top components. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Don, Many thanks for this posting. Lots of good details in the photos of exactly how the top is made. The top that is on my car is tattered and I know that the front in particular was not installed correctly as original. When the time comes for a new top it will be a real exercise to put together a package of photos so that the person that makes the top knows how it should be made. Also good to know that I can put this top down while wearing a suit and climbing over the front seat. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROD W Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) Larry I thought the 25 had the rests for the top brackets, not the clamps😮. Edited January 24, 2019 by ROD W (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kikta Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Excellent document. Thank you for posting. This will be a Huge help when I get to the point of having a top made. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) Rod: Actually the Master Parts book specifies rests for "Burbank" tops. The 1925 Standard Book of Parts book specifies top holders. Of course no illustrations. 1925 Master Book of Parts Notice part #s are the same for models 24, 44 and 25, 45. I have seen holders on the 1923 model 54s and 55s and they were nickel plated so possibly the same for 1924 and 1925 sport models. The copy of the this book shows the holder #s for model 54 crossed out and the regular ones substituted. Typical when parts were no longer available. Edited January 24, 2019 by dibarlaw (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 The first thing I did when I got my car was lower the top, and I made a video of doing it. Go to 1:58 in this video to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlzXoAZFRo0&t=39s 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 I have been following this thread with interest. Larry DiBarry and I are good friends and owners of Buick Touring cars (I have one and he has two). DonB's literature is very interesting in the fact that it instructs the owner just how to properly lay back a touring car top. I told Larry that it is certainly interesting reading, but as for me, since I had the new top put on our '16, I have no intention of ever putting the top down on the car. He asked me why? I told him that I did not want to crease the material and that if I did lay the top back, the creasing, however slight, would be visible. We're not gonna get in a twist over it. I just do not want to lose that brand new top appearance for the car. Here is a photo of the newly installed top on the car. The doors are off the car having the new interior panels installed on them in this photo. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROD W Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Looks fantastic Terry, can understand your not wanting to fold it. Can you take a close up photo of your wind wings. I have to make new brakets/glass holders for my 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 If you fold your top may I suggest a person on each side of the car - I see one man doing lowering, but generally it is more a two man and a trained monkey kind of thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 John, Thanks for your reply. Back in the day the roadsters and touring cars were touting their tops as a 'ONE MAN TOP'. You are correct in thinking that the process of laying a touring car top back would be much easier with two people. Here is something to consider. Back in the day a person is driving along and all of a sudden a rain shower comes along. The driver pulls over and as quickly as he can (he's by himself) he tries to get the top raised all the while getting a good soaking. I'm sure that that was incentive enough for the automobile makers to do everything they could to build a top that one person could raise and do it right quickly if you will. When a person looks at this in perspective it doesn't take much to see how the closed body automobile gained in popularity so quickly. However, I will be the first person in line to talk about how wonderful it is to be riding along in an open car (top up or down) on a nice Summer or Fall day. The only thing that beats that is having a good looking lady sitting next to you while you're driving along. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.H.Boland Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 (edited) With the top down, it seems like you can drive faster (less wind drag) and the ride is quieter too. Edited January 27, 2019 by J.H.Boland (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxgvd Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 I vote with Terry W, top up permanently. My mrs. had a small non cancerous wound on the top of her head which the surgeon called sun damage, since then I ordered a new trailer tall enough to drive into with the top erected. I agree it is not as pleasant as driving out in nature as God intended, but as they say " safety first." Regards, Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 As a sidenote: When you are making side curtains, when we have had an earlier car I have also had a triangular side curtain made for the front that triangulates from the windshield down to the door - tends to be perfect for touring on a crisp day or when chance of rain (just as I always recommend windwings, as they add incredible comfort to an earlier car and notice you are already one step ahead of the curve on that point) . With modern traffic the car already has limited visibility and a full set of side-curtains installed limits that visibility even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 15 hours ago, Terry Wiegand said: I have been following this thread with interest. Larry DiBarry and I are good friends and owners of Buick Touring cars (I have one and he has two). DonB's literature is very interesting in the fact that it instructs the owner just how to properly lay back a touring car top. I told Larry that it is certainly interesting reading, but as for me, since I had the new top put on our '16, I have no intention of ever putting the top down on the car. He asked me why? I told him that I did not want to crease the material and that if I did lay the top back, the creasing, however slight, would be visible. We're not gonna get in a twist over it. I just do not want to lose that brand new top appearance for the car. Here is a photo of the newly installed top on the car. The doors are off the car having the new interior panels installed on them in this photo. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas What material did you use. Is this buckram? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 The top material is Haartz Stayfast. It has the Tan lining like the original top material. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 I know that this is getting a little off topic to talk about the WindWings, but, since Rod asked, here are a couple of photos of the brackets. These wings were made by a company named Sewell. It is my understanding that there was a multitude of after-market products back in the day for the automobile owner to choose from. My Dad went to the Lawrence, Kansas swap meet for quite a few years and he found the hardware for this set of wings along with just one piece of glass. This was in either 1964 or 1965 and he had a new set of the glass panels made in Wichita. I have the sales receipt somewhere for that and he paid a whopping $12.50 for the glass work. The bracket arms are cast aluminum and the center connector is brass. I had things polished out and plated were it could be and you see the result of how things came out. I will post one other photo for Rod and then we need to get back to talking about tops. Terry Wiegand Out Doo Dah Way 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Rod, Here is another photo of the wing arms. Now, back to talking about tops. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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