MTFCA Forum

I've been meaning to submit this for a few days and want to do it before I forget again.

This is how I installed my Canvas top on my Delivery/Hack. I found some information on doing this on the forum but not allot of pictures. So I wanted to do this with lots of pictures. For me I can read and read something and it just won't stick to my brain but if you show me a picture I can duplicate almost anything. My wife loves this because she can show me something in a magazine and I can build it for her.

Anyway be patient with me I'm a slow typer and a slower computer person so this might take a bit to post all the entry's.

First off the top of my vehicle is about 46 inches wide and almost 96 inches long. I did paint the slats before installation because painting upside down sucks. The slats and top did require some paint before installing the top though.

In researching the top for my vehicle I found about half a dozen different materials and ways to do this. In the end I settled on Canvas. Duck canvas to be specific because it thicker. I bough the stuff I used off eBay for about 50.00. It was 56 inches wide and sold by the yard. I also bought the burlap off ebay with similar dimensions for about 40.00.

The first layer I installed was the burlap. This is what I wanted to be visable from inside the vehicle. I attached the burlap to the front and stretched to the back.

To keep the staples a uniform distance from the top I used a home made jig to set the distance from the top down. I used a hand staple gun and 5/16 staples.

Once this was stapled all around I added a layer of batting material. This came off Amazon for about 30.00. It wasnt really streatched much, just enough to cover everything.

Once the batting was attached I covered this with a layer of black plastic. Not so much for water proofing but to keep the paint I used to seal the canvas from bleeding through to the burlap. The plastic wasn't stretched just pulled taught and stapled.

This is the canvas I used. It was attached at the front and stretched to the rear using some wood scraps and ratchet straps.

Once the canvas was attached I used anouther jig to mark the cutline around the edge and then trimmed everything.

Also this is a picture of the layers.

Once everything was trimmed back I masked the area around the top and used drop cloths to cover the vehicle.

Then the painting began. I used Rustolieum Rusty metal primer. For the first two coats. This stuff will stick to anything. The top Drank up about 3/4 of a gallon of the primer in the end. The best way I found to paint this was using a roller. I tried a brush but it looked awful. Once the primer was done and dried. Overnight. I applied Rustolieum flat black. 2 coats and it took 1.5 pints. Once the black was on, every manufacturing defect in the canvas appeared. I'm ok with this but I'm just giving you a heads up.

Once the black was dried I removed the masking and used Hydum / Welting to hide the layered edges. I used a 7/16 staple on this and an air powered staple gun for this. I found if I held the gun at an angle so one end of the staple went into the upper layered part and the other end of the staple went into the flat wood, it held well and covered the layers well. Trial and error there.

Well that's what I did. I apologize for any typos or wrong words I can't spell well and the damn spell check makes up it's own mind.

I'm sure there are better materials and techniques but with my budget and skills this is where I wound up. Thank you for your patience.

Jim

Thanks for taking the time for photos and explination Jim. A nice step by step. Its alot of work doing these tops but very rewarding in the end result. I used the top material the venders sell on my TT and it was alot of work but nothing like yours. Many miles and smiles are ahead of you.

Very nice work. I does take some time doesn't it?

[size-130]James,

Thanks for the report on how you did this. When I am ready to top my car I will probably steal some of your ideas. I am very lucky, my roof is easily removable (by original design) so I will be doing this with the top sitting upon saw-horses.



TH

Excellent tutorial James. I have done a number of such tops in the same sequence, using the same materials. I avoid having to paint the slats by using clear grade western red cedar slats. These curve with great consistency, and are undamaged even if some water blows up when the car is under way. It also means the plastic layer is not needed.
I am unfamiliar with duck canvas. I have seen bib overalls advertised as being made with such material. Does that mean it is a more pliable, open weave than tenting canvas? With 12 ounce tenting canvas there is no need for sealing the fabric. If it gets wet, it dries out again.
Your use of the cutting and stapling jigs makes it much easier for the inexperienced to do a professional job. Well done.

Allan from down under.

When I did the top on my hucksters truck I used some black rubber roofing like that which is used on a commercial flat roof. It was what I could find. I didn't think about padding it. I only have every other slat in place on the roof. Would that be correct? I seem to remember that was what was there when I got it.

I'm gonna try and answer some of the questions that have come up.

The duck canvas I found is a very heavy and thick material. To compare it to something it's thicker than cereal box material and a tight weave. EBay lists it as #6 COTTON DUCK - Natural 21oz - Canvas Fabric 60 inch wide. I remembered the width wrong in my write up. I really like the stuff and will use it on future projects.

I like the idea of a removable top that would have been a lot easier. I didn't think of that when I designed this build. So the top is structural to the whole frame on this one. I went with the moto that every piece of wood makes it stronger but every screw makes it weaker. So it's a delicate balance in building this.

The slats I used are 1/4 inch plywood cut into 1 1/4 inch strips. I wanted to use a better material but found it cost prohibitive. The slats were coated with the same primer and then two coats of the green before installing. The slats in the end cost me about 25.00. I used soft wood wood screws from McMaster Carr to attach these to the roof frame. I do love the exposed and stained wood look on these types of vehicles but I'm new at building these and I knew paint hides a multitude of defects so I went that route from the beginning.

Thank you guys for the comments and questions. It was my hope to make it easier for the next person who has to do this type of installation.