Touring top material
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
-
Emeraude
Topic author - Posts: 87
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:00 am
- First Name: George
- Last Name: Loranger
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1921 touring
- Location: Grafton ND
Touring top material
I am putting a classtique top on my touring. Their material is a vinyl type material and am curious did they have this material originally or was it something else?
-
KWTownsend
- Posts: 1382
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:51 pm
- First Name: Keith
- Last Name: Townsend
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: late 1911 touring, 1915 runabout, 1919 touring, brass speedster
- Location: Gresham, Orygun
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- Board Member Since: 1999
Re: Touring top material
Yes. The Hartz (sp?) material Michael uses is the closest replica available to the original material used by Ford.
-
DanTreace
- Posts: 3813
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:56 am
- First Name: Dan
- Last Name: Treace
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘12 open express,'23 cutoff, '27 touring
- Location: North Central FL
- Board Member Since: 2000
- Contact:
Re: Touring top material
Original material was artificial leather, was called Ford 'Leathercloth', made by Ford. Woven cotton backing with a pressed on design grain covering of paint related chemicals, to mimic leather.
As the best looking grain, that is the Turf Grain.
This is second best, Colonial grain
This is best, Turf Grain, very very close to the Leathercloth design. What Classtique uses , it is a modern vinyl.
Compare to original Ford Leathercloths:
As the best looking grain, that is the Turf Grain.
This is second best, Colonial grain
- Colonial grain .jpg (45.34 KiB) Viewed 1544 times
This is best, Turf Grain, very very close to the Leathercloth design. What Classtique uses , it is a modern vinyl.
The best way is always the simplest. The attics of the world are cluttered up with complicated failures. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford
-
Original Smith
- Posts: 3699
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
- First Name: Larry
- Last Name: Smith
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
- Location: Lomita, California
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
Re: Touring top material
Many years ago there was a top shop in Pasadena, called Sorensen Top Shop. I have one of these tops on my '13 touring now. It's getting old, but is still quite serviceable. As I recall, Ken was getting this material from a company in the South, but never heard the name. This would be in the early 60's. I'm sure those rollers are still around somewhere, but where? The grain is even closer than the Turf grain to the original Ford grain.
-
Rich Bingham
- Posts: 1942
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:23 am
- First Name: Rich
- Last Name: Bingham
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1913 runabout
- Location: Blackfoot, Idaho
Re: Touring top material
More wool-gathering- Top on my 13 runabout is now about 20 years old. Needing some work done on it, I find many tacks rusty and loose, and fabrics not exactly rotten, but fragile and compromised.
I find myself wondering how long the original tops lasted in service ? Many period photos of "old" Fords five to ten years old were going "topless". I'm willing to bet my Lizzie had been abandoned for "new and improved" models long before 1933.
I find myself wondering how long the original tops lasted in service ? Many period photos of "old" Fords five to ten years old were going "topless". I'm willing to bet my Lizzie had been abandoned for "new and improved" models long before 1933.
"Get a horse !"