MTFCA Forum

My 11 Touring came with a J V Auto top kit. I think it is too narrow at the front. When I pull it down on the front bow it makes a sway behind the bow. Whithout pulling it down it will not cover the bow and appears to run uphill. Any ideas? Am I over thinking it? Art

I think the 2nd and the 3rd and maybe the 4th bows are too high. To see if that is the case, the front bow can be lifted up a couple of inches or so to see if the front of the top fits better.

For reference the 2nd bow on my 1911 T is 32-1/2 in. high from body pivot to top of bow. The third bow is about the same from pivot to top, but the rear pivot is higher than the front one which makes the 3rd bow sit higher. The rear edge of the back bow is 25 in from the center of the 3rd bow, and it is 27 in high from the top of the body bead to the rear edge of the bow.

Found elsewhere on the forum:

Art,

I have an original 1911 top you could borrow from me and using for canevas. Just need to pay for the shipping and returning back to me after. I'm not ready yet to make the top of my 1911 Touring as well.

I used this for my top bow dimensions. I don’t think that is the problem. To pull the side panel down over the sides of the front bow takes a lot of effort and pulls the top down lower than the front bow. Even then the bottom edge of the side appears to run uphill from the rear bow. The side panel is seven inches wide from the seam at the top corner of the windshield to the bottom of the side panel.I think If that side panel was wider at the front it would come further over the bow and eliminate both problems. Can someone measure the width from the seam to the bottom edge of the side panel at the front on their car? Art