MTFCA Forum

Is there an online resource to determine proper length (-more specifically height) of the top bow out of the socket? I am looking at a vehicle ('21 Touring) that almost appears the top deck was installed onto bows that are/were not the correct height which is limiting headroom.

Here is a drawing and picture of the two-man-op.

17-22 top irons have a curve built in. The height is fixed.
Pre 17 sockets take u bent wood bows & would fit your question as to where the height should end up.

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 27, 2022 12:17 pm

17-22 top irons have a curve built in. The height is fixed.
Pre 17 sockets take u bent wood bows & would fit your question as to where the height should end up.

...but what if someone has cobbled together a set of irons or bows and the height dimension has been altered??

John, I do appreciate your thoughts as well as John's photos. Thanks to you both.

1917 Model T Fords still had the oval sockets and steamed bows, like 1915 and 1916.

The 1918 model year is when square sockets were introduced and the curve was part of the socket and fixed.

Also, the model T shown in the word document is my father's 1917 touring (July motor number) that he bought in unrestored condition from the original owner in 1949.

The top shown was installed in 1950 by my father using the original factory top as a pattern. There was no leatherette top material at the time so my dad used canvas convertible top material that was being used on modern cars during that time.

We are actually in the process of replacing the 1950 top with a new one made out of "Turf" grain leatherette top material. We're doing it from scratch - no kit.

Eric - I copied that photo from the forum a couple of years ago while recovering my 21 Touring with a Classtique kit. It was a good example of what the finished cover should look like. You do nice work.

That top is my father's handiwork from 1950 or 1951 when he was 18 or 19 years old but the material is incorrect as stated above.

He's currently 90 years old and we are in the process of re-doing it with the correct material.