Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Hello! Years ago I ordered a top kit from LeBaron Bonney for my 32 sedan. I unpacked it today.

There is the top material and some wadding and another piece of material, light brown.

Plus some strips of material that appear to be offcuts. I assume these get glued to the top of the wood bows - am I correct?

Is the light brown material supposed to go on top of the wood bows, or do I need to get some chicken wire to go on first?

Or does that go on top of the chicken wire?

Also I have 4 aluminium strips. 3 are flatter and wider, one is narrower. I believe the narrower one is a hidem type, can I assume that goes across the front? I imagine the flatter types have to be formed to go around the rest of the circumference of the top material.

Can anyone point me towards any useful threads or videos or posts on other web sites where I can get some hints and tips?

For example forming the aluminium strips.

I have watched some videos on Model A tops which ought to be helpful.

Any hints and tips from anyone that has done the job are welcome. If anyone has any instructions from Lebaron Bonney a scan would be helpful.

I'll post some pics.

Thanks in advance.

Mart.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

An instruction sheet should have been included. Did it fall to the bottom of the box?

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Mart,

You and I are both guilty of ignoring LeBaron Bonney's oft-stated instruction to open their parcels immediately on arrival. We just assumed that they would be around forever.

The order of the sandwich from the bottom up is first the chicken wire, then the canvas, followed by the padding, and then the outer top material. Your last photo is a reproduction of the original perimeter channel that is nailed to the underlying perimeter of wood and secured the outer edges of the top material. Once tacked into place there's a rubber insert to cover the tack heads in the center of the channel. Presumably your aluminum reproduction channels are not bent to form the four required corners. If you were able to save the original channels you will avoid the challenge of creating the four required 90 degree bends in the aluminum reproduction channels.

Use sealer above and below each layer were it is covered by the channel.

Do the required work outdoors on a warm and sunny day to soften the outer top material and enlist a friend or two to help stretch the top while you are tacking it down.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

from other posts: The aluminum nail down strips can be carefully bent into a wooden guide, with low temp heat [small propane torch]. the guide is the correct curve routed into a piece of wood. Newc

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

The offcuts you mention create a barrier between the wood bows and the chicken wire to prevent squeaking and tapping as the body flexes and the top fabric flutters. I would staple these to the side of the bows, not the top to avoid contact between the staples and the chicken wire. Gluing might be ok, but I would be concerned about the glue penetrating the fabric and creating a hard surface which would defeat its purpose.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Hurrah the sedan is getting a top!! Mart I have an original top channel set if you need photos.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

That taller trim strip doesn’t look like 32 Ford. Hopefully you have enough of the lower profile strips to go all the way around.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

The aluminum top retainer molding shown in the pictures is what is typically sold for 1930-31. Form to fit, nail to the body, apply sealer, hammer the opening closed.


1932 (and 1933-34) aluminum moldings are not currently available, the supplier has indicated "no interest" in making more. United Pacific made some steel ones but has dropped them from their catalog.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Mart, In my original 32 Tudor top, there were thin strips about 1" wide directly on top of all the wood bows. As I recall, these strips were some type of composite material with paper on one side. The material was clearly different than typical body webbing. The chicken wire rested on top of these composite strips. I saved these strips somewhere and will try to post a photo tomorrow.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

On the last 32 closed car I did I made a wooden frame from 1X2 pine.
The frame was bigger than the opening by close to a foot at least all the way around.
The exterior material was tacked to the frame and stretched tight.
The frame with the material attached was then placed on top of the roof and allowed to rest more or less centered on the opening.
If necessary, adding weight or downward pressure helps to stretch the material.
Not too tight, if it gets really cold it will shrink.
Add the sealer in sections as you tack the material (still on the frame) onto the roof using the factory channel. Mark the locations with a wax pencil. The metal strip uses holes in the same area so it's good to know where the first tacks are. Once you're OK with how it looks (no wrinkles or creases) you can begin to install the metal tack strip around the perimeter of the opening. Don't forget the sealer between the metal strip and exterior material.
Not a bad idea to protect the edges of the opening from the sealer with some painters tape. I left the frame in place till the next day until the sealer was dry. It's a slow tedious process but it worked great. Still looks good 6 years later.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Here are some photos of the cushioning strips on top of the roof ribs. You can see the marks from the chicken wire. The strips are 1" wide and 1/16" thick. Paper on one side. The material is some type of composition, not body webbing. It was attached with a few small nails in each rib.


I had a roll of some very similar material (1.5" wide without the paper) and used it after trimming to 1" wide. I got the material decades ago and cant recall the source or intended application for the material. It may have been glass setting tape.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Thanks for all the interesting and helpful info guys.

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Well I have completed the job and while I did attempt to use the aluminium tack strips, I really struggled and decided they were not great.

I came up with a simpler alternative, in the form of a self adhesive rubber trim strip. I found it easy to apply but had to re-do it using sticky mastic to ensure it stayed glued in place.

While not correct, I think it looks pretty good and was certainly cheap enough and freely available.

I have been making a video series of my 32 Sedan makeover. Here is a link to part 12 which covers fitting the top and shows the rubber strip in place.

Hopefully you might find it interesting ofr at least entertaining. Thanks for the help in the other thread. Mart.

https://youtu.be/8V_uW4qAJxY

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Hi Mart, your stuff is always entertaining, and I always think interesting; even if it;s something I'll never do. Thanks for sharing !

Re: Lebaron Bonney new top kit - 32 sedan.
 

Oh, I really like the rubber "gasket" idea. LOOKS GR8 to me. Cheers !