Soft top and side curtain photos instructions

[Michael C Henry]

I'm going to use the Everett Morrison ferrules that I bought 19 years ago. They are stainless steel as advertised with a flat button head and a blind center hole to actually carry the side curtain frame weight. I have turned the flat button heads ferrules on my drill press and a hand file, into rounded head. . I think of it as a success.. Now I need as much information, instructions, and photos of soft tops and side curtains. how they meet with door seem and so on. I'd like to locate , drill and recess the ferrules before I have the wind shield relocated. and replaced. It's been so long since I've seen a replica with a top on or side curtains. I drove a 56 Bristol everyday each way, thirty miles each way, rain or shine for two years A soft top was a great help. Layers and layers of clothes and lean towards the middle.
My Uncle told me in 71 when I bought it that with this car "you don't worry about the water getting in but make sure the water can get out"

[DanEC]

A few photos from install of my ERA if that helps. Hope you can find a kit for your car as install is difficult enough with a kit, much less starting from nearly scratch. The front of the side curtains tucks inside the outer edge of the windshield slightly. The windshield needs to be set and final adjusted for angle to meet the side curtains at the front although the plexiglass can be sanded/shaped in some cases to facilitate the final fit. The windshield frame has to be set in final position before starting on the top fitting.

Good luck

[Michael C Henry]

Thank you for your photos
I bought the soft top and side curtain kits from Everett Morrison 19 years ago. The side curtain have a welded SS frame and zippered simi clear panel and hard ware are still in a box. The soft top with polished SS rear hoop bows are in another box that said "old style" on the outside. I have all the hardware ,Top front windshield bows. polished SS rear bow hoops, SS ferrules , lift dot, snaps, rivets . I may be missing something but I don't know what it might be. Originally the windshield was leaned down more than standard by the original builder, and was off centered. I centered the windshield but never corrected the angle and repaired the body, Now I want it all Windshield at correct angle with side curtains and soft top. I figure the top and side curtain are a starting point get the top bow ferrules in body and side curtain ferrules in the door and then set the windshield to fit then finish the soft top to the windshield, the windshield mounting brackets on the front cowl hoop pipe were off center for the body, Windshield uprights were originally bolted to the out side of both brackets. Brackets were 1/8" material welded to the cowl hoop. The uprights were 1/4 thick. I moved the left upright to the right to the inside of the bracket and the right side windshield upright was spaced to the right 3/8". I never changed the windshield angle back to standard. And to top everything else the replacement windshield cracked within a day of being replaced, while sitting in the garage. Lots of room for improvement. From my view the brackets on the front cowl hoop are junk and need replacement for centering, angle and tension on the glass windshield, and fitment to the side curtains and it starts with the side curtains and top. kind of like which comes first the chicken or the egg? I'm so intimidated that I'm having it done by professionals, and they are used to open roadsters. SO? I'm planning on spring appointment.

[Tom Wells]

Michael,

Here's what mine looks like: http://www.firstcoastcobraclub.com/d...ile.php?id=128

My E-M was circa 2000.

Tom

[snakeeyes]

Mike here's a link to soft top info and instructions on ERA's website.It includes a link to the portion of their assembly manual on top fitting and installation as well as a template for fitting to the windshield. Hope it's helpful.

http://www.erareplicas.com/427man/top/index.htm

[1985 CCX]

Just go slow and easy, its straight forward but cumbersome.