MTFCA Forum

I have some damage to my wooden top structure. Is it best to replace the entire wooden top, or repair the broken/rotted pieces? Also have some tears in top fabric and upholstery in the interior.

If you are a decent woodworker, it should be no problem to repair the damaged areas of the wooden top frame. Depending on how bad the damage is, you can either repair the rotten areas using Abatron, “Liquid-wood” and “WoodEpox”. See www.abatron.com. “LiquidWood“ is a 2 part liquid epoxy that is mixed in equal amounts and has the consistency of water. Using a brush, paint it on layer after layer and after a few moments absorbs deep into the wood, then paint on more. Keep painting it on until the wood is saturated and will take no more. After you have applied as much as the wood will take, it will cure to a hard plastic-like material that reconstitutes the strength of the original wood. Once it starts to cure, you will be unable to apply more, so put on as much as possible at this time. After the repair has completely cured, mix the “WoodEpox”, which is a 2 part epoxy putty that is used to fill the irregularities of the repair. To mix it measure out an equal amount of part A and part B and knead the two pieces together like playdo. It is very clean and easy to mix. Mix by folding the pieces together over and over in the palm of your hand until mixed and press it deep into the repair with you fingers and with a putty knife. Allow to cure and sand smooth, just as you would wood. After it cures, you can nail it, carve it or screw screws into it, just like wood. If the damage is worse than just a small rotted area, you can make new replacement pieces of the wood top frame slats using the old pieces as patterns. Of course to make these repairs, it will be necessary to replace the top material and interior headliner, so it should not matter that these materials are damaged. You can get the exterior top material from Snyder’s or Lang’s and can get matching headliner material from a fabric place, if it doesn’t matter that it is not like the original material. If it must be like the original, you can get it from Snyder’s or Lang’s. Be careful in removing the damaged top material and headliner, as you will need to use them to make patterns for cutting the replacement pieces. Good luck. Jim Patrick

Depends on how much damage and where it is. Since you are talking breaks and rot it sounds like a new top wood kit, top, and headliner are in your future. Top wood goes on first, then headliner working primarily from the outside, then the top.

Thanks for the great information. I will get into it and see which way I need to go. Thanks again!!

Adam If it's just a couple of cracked bows and the other wood is solid, then repair the damage and move on. More commonly, there's a bunch of rot in the frame and IMHO it's better to replace all the wood than muck around with epoxy etc to try to fix it. Someone mentioned your woodworking interests, and if you have even minimal tools, you can make the parts yourself. It's a time/money thing (Kit/DYI).

Google MTFCA Forum Don Booth Coupe roof, or similar to see many excellent photos and the discussion by Don Booth who has shared several improved coupe restorations in earlier posts. Good luck in your project, drive careful. jb