1930 Model A Coupe roof installation

[The "A" Team]

I have everything set up to install the vinyl roof. the chicken wire is in place and I have the batting and vinyl ready to go. Unfortunately, the instructions that came with the roof kit are not very precise and I only found about 2 semi good videos that show roof installations. One of the biggest questions I have, is if the hidem goes all the way around the roof like a circle, or does it go around like a "U" with a strip going across the front and down the front sides a few inches with an attached finial cap piece at the end?

​​​​​​​I don't remember seeing the hidem strip going across and down the front edges with a cap back in the day when my father was driving it, and I don't see a hole for the cap nail in the top, but I guess I could be wrong.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by The "A" Team

I have everything set up to install the vinyl roof. the chicken wire is in place and I have the batting and vinyl ready to go. Unfortunately, the instructions that came with the roof kit are not very precise and I only found about 2 semi good videos that show roof installations. One of the biggest questions I have, is if the hidem goes all the way around the roof like a circle, or does it go around like a "U" with a strip going across the front and down the front sides a few inches with an attached finial cap piece at the end?

​​​​​​​I don't remember seeing the hidem strip going across and down the front edges with a cap back in the day when my father was driving it, and I don't see a hole for the cap nail in the top, but I guess I could be wrong.

Yes, you have been misled greatly. Hopefully it was not from those YouTube videos (-because many of them post incorrect information)

To begin with, the "chicken wire" was not used on the 45B body. It only used Duckdrill as the foundation. Second, Hidem was not originally used as the top mouldings. You really need to use the original style mouldings so it can properly pinch the leatherette against the A-47222/23-B Side Rails to seal it from water entering the cabin.

[alexiskai]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

Yes, you have been misled greatly. Hopefully it was not from those YouTube videos (-because many of them post incorrect information)

To begin with, the "chicken wire" was not used on the 45B body. It only used Duckdrill as the foundation. Second, Hidem was not originally used as the top mouldings. You really need to use the original style mouldings so it can properly pinch the leatherette against the A-47222/23-B Side Rails to seal it from water entering the cabin.

I've heard of duck, and I've heard of drill, but duckdrill is a new one. Drill is stretchier than duck, I believe.

[CT Jack]

I used an aluminum trim on my 31 coupe. See Bert's A-38440 for reference. I used 3 pieces, 1 for each side and rear, and 1 for the front. This required bending or forming the aluminum to match the curve or radius at each rear corner. The ends met at the center of the rear straight section. I made a wood jig to preform the radius in the trim before installing. This worked very well and ends up being a good seal with all the nail heads hidden. After installation the trim was painted body color.

[rotorwrench]

Black duck is a heavy cotton canvas material. The old European spelling of the duck term was different but it is pronounced just like the game bird name is spelled so the change has been around for several centuries. Not all duck canvas is died black but Ford used a lot of it in the black form.

Drill is another form with a twill weave that gives it more strength and durability. Some folks don't use the drill term when describing canvas but it is a common used term. Drill refers to the weave and duck is a more general term for canvas material.

[JoeCB]

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At risk of hijacking the thread... I searched the referenced Bert's A-38440 aluminum molding and am curious as to how that molding is secured and finished? Drilled and nailed thru I suspect, then how to close/seal the top gap? When I did my 31 coupe way back in the 60's I used aluminum half round molding, formed to fit , drilled and nailed flush. Looks OK for me and no leaks 50 years later.
Joe B

[rotorwrench]

There is a good article about roof trim in one of the Restorer series of manuals. MAFCA has copies of the table of contents for each volume on their web site.

[John 1930]

I am redoing a 1930 model a coupe and I just finished fitting the new aluminum molding for the roof I will be installing bending the aluminum in the corners seem to be quite a challenge until I figured out how to anneal the aluminum in the bend area I did this by marking the aluminum on both top and bottom with a black sharpie marker then heating it up with a torch until the black just about disappears then I stuck it in some stove ashes to let it cool down a little slower than just in the air it probably will work okay to just air cool it too after doing this the aluminum was quite easy to bend in any configuration I needed. the aluminum trim I feel will work much better and last longer than using item welt. If you are not able to figure out how to anneal the aluminum I would do it for you if you send me the pieces and where you need to make the bend.

[rotorwrench]

The soot trick (blowing soot with a O/A torch) is about the only way to anneal aluminum with common tools. I haven't tried using a sharpie marker but then again I don't need to with an O/A torch rig.