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10-22-2023, 06:52 PM | #1 |
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Carson Top
Recently I was looking at some old pics of my dad's 34 roadster. First is at Muroc Dry Lake in 1939. The second is with fenders ect. in front of the Road Rebels hang out in Los Angeles. He always raved about his Carson Top.
Now I have completed a 32 High Boy roadster. I would love to have one of these tops. Does anybody out there put the hardware together for one of these for a 32 |
10-22-2023, 07:06 PM | #2 | |
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Re: Carson Top
Quote:
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The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
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10-22-2023, 08:45 PM | #3 |
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Re: Carson Top
You hardly hear about a Carson tops anymore. Custom made tops. The old little mags would have builds in them. I recall they had like a tubular frame covered with chicken wire and upholstery. I have a lot of the old mags. I can look if you want.
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10-29-2023, 08:24 PM | #4 | |
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Re: Carson Top
Quote:
Desert . His work is amazing
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10-22-2023, 08:45 PM | #5 |
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Re: Carson Top
How about a solid Top for your 1932 Ford Roadster? A friend of mine made this Removable Hard Top for his 1932 Ford Roadster. It is all hand made and welded together and polished. |
10-22-2023, 09:08 PM | #6 |
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Re: Carson Top
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10-23-2023, 09:35 AM | #7 |
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Re: Carson Top
Check with Karl Wescott on the Carson Top. He may have some ideas on building the frame work. I think his dad built some cars with those tops. Karl is a member on here.
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10-23-2023, 10:54 AM | #8 |
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Re: Carson Top
Looks like the friend was Ron Covell or similarly skilled.
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10-23-2023, 11:14 AM | #9 |
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Re: Carson Top
.
Look at the detail of that rear, mail-slot window, or the flair above and around that passenger-side window. Mon Dieu, that's some talent there! Coop |
10-23-2023, 01:09 PM | #10 |
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Re: Carson Top
A Carson top, to be true, was made by Carson Upholstery in Carson CA. Typically a framework of lightweight tubing (often electrical conduit) was made, then padded and upholstered. Hand built so no two were exactly the same.
Really no hardware is needed, a sleeve with a nut welded to it will suffice for attaching to the windshield posts and some means of attaching to the body in the rear (in the period photos it looks like it was held on with snaps). Later improvements added expanded metal mesh or aluminum panels to support the padding. The issue with a rigid lift off hardtop is that it is on the car (and the day turns out beautiful) or in the garage a hundred miles away (and the weather becomes rain/hail). |
10-23-2023, 05:12 PM | #11 |
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Re: Carson Top
To get the achieved shape for the Removable Top, Tony made this mock Template and proceeded from there to create this Masterpiece. It is hanging on the wall of his shed. |
10-23-2023, 10:59 PM | #12 |
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Re: Carson Top
Your Dads roadster was the sh*t! Cool pics as well.
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10-24-2023, 04:43 PM | #13 |
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Re: Carson Top
For those who want to know more about this Removable Top, these are the details. The Roof I made for my 32 Roadster is made of 1.6 mm Aluminium, 5005 Grade. Tony |
10-25-2023, 11:29 AM | #14 |
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Re: Carson Top
For a little inspiration; here is a picture that Nate posted over on the hamb of the framework for his '32 top.
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10-25-2023, 11:43 AM | #15 |
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Re: Carson Top
__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
10-25-2023, 12:12 PM | #16 |
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Re: Carson Top
My friend Jack in Prescott made a Carson style top for his 32 roadster using the metal rod buck that Garth Bowie made for forming the metal top for his 32 roadster. Looks good and has stood the test of time.
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10-26-2023, 07:33 PM | #17 |
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Re: Carson Top
Thanks for the ideas.
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10-27-2023, 11:24 AM | #18 |
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Re: Carson Top
__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
10-27-2023, 02:58 PM | #19 |
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Re: Carson Top
I don’t know if your abilities or the look you are looking for but my avatar came with a fiberglass lift off by the previous owner. A friend of mine on the HAMB, jacksandeuses, might be of assistance on how he did it.built his mostly out of aluminum.
Me personally with my car I run lexan side curtains, stayed dry in in the worst of rainstorms but you cannot take it on and off at will. I take mine off in the summer and put it back on n the winter. Perhaps a fold up Bop Top could be made into a Carson? At least you would have all the bones needed - a good start say Just a thought …. |
10-29-2023, 08:21 PM | #20 |
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Re: Carson Top
There are a few making Carson tops out there, the best is Martinez industries out in palm desert. He is an absolute expert craftsman who knows how it was done back in the day
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