1954 Convertible Question

[Jon B]

A friend is about to re-top a '54 convertible, using a pre-made top. I intend to help him. I have a question for anyone who is acquainted with 1954 convertible tops.

There are two short tacking strips at either side of the rear deck. In the space between is a chrome plated trim strip with some screw-in snaps (for the top boot). Immediately below the trim strip is a removable steel strip, and below that the deck itself. Since there is no tacking strip here, one cannot tack the bottom edge of the window to the strip. My theory is that one possibly wraps the fabric (at the bottom of the plastic rear window) around the removable steel strip, thus strengthening the connection. The chrome trim strip is then screwed down over this, thus sandwiching the removable steel strip (wrapped with the rear curtain). This keeps a tension evenly along the entire length of the window (similar to what would happen if you tacked it to a tacking strip every inch or so).

Is this correct? Or is there another reason for the loose steel strip?

[PAULARGETYPE]

Jon Look In The 48 To 54 Body Manual It's All Covered In There

[russmaas]

Your upholster will need to discard the metal strip and put on a tack strip there. The tops with rear windows do not have the material at the bottom to do the original style.

[Jon B]

Thanks, Paul and Russ, for your thoughts. We will certainly study the manual carefully but it helps to get the kind of info. that might not be in the manual (short cuts, modern substitutions or interchanges, "real life experience", etc.).

A modern tack strip will be thicker than the original thin steel piece -- will that have any effect on the ''look'', after the original chrome trim piece is installed?

[russmaas]

No change in look with the material when finished. Top material will creep over the stainless piece that runs from 1/4 windows to the back. I used the top offered by Bob Roven(sp?) and that how they made the top to work