Correct tonneau stud pattern for 427 cobra

[A98Coupe]

Hi Guys,

I've asked this question a few times before on this forum but didn't get any meaningful replies...........so here goes one last time.......I'm sure someone out there must have to information I need?
Does anyone have to correct tonneau stud pattern measurements for the 427 Cobra?

Yours hopefully
Stuart

[mickmate]

Hey Stu there's two tonneau's short and long. I may have the pattern available for the whole thing I know I have the back already.

[A98Coupe]

Hey Mick,

That's great news! I knew you would have some information! I'll look forward to whatever info. you can supply. Dimensions and stud spacings from a common reference point would be great.

Many thanks
Stu

[1985 CCX]

Here is an unrestored car up close, thanks Jim.....Thanks for not changing this car.

[Jim Maxwell]

Stuart, The 427 and 289 Cobras have exactly the same stud patterns. The tonneaus and tops are interchangeable. I can probably make a template for you. I am not particularly fast at such stuff. Let me know exactly what you need and what you think will help you the most.

Jim

[A98Coupe]

Jim,
I feel privileged to be exchanging comments with the owner of a 'real' 427 cobra! If you could make a paper template of the rear section which references off the top of the door opening round to the centre line of the body, I could then mirror the pattern to get the full stud pattern.
For the front, I notice that the stud pattern is asymmetrical, so I would need the full pattern, with some reference dimension from the edge of the skuttle.
I would be very grateful for any help you could give me.

Many thanks in advance
Stuart

[Jim Maxwell]

Stuart, I will work on it this weekend. Jim

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by A98Coupe

Hi Guys,

I've asked this question a few times before on this forum but didn't get any meaningful replies...........so here goes one last time.......I'm sure someone out there must have to information I need?
Does anyone have to correct tonneau stud pattern measurements for the 427 Cobra?

Yours hopefully
Stuart

Stuart,
In case you're not aware, you should buy a top or tonneau which has NO holes and grommets so it can be cut to match Jim's pattern or what ever else you use. Also a roll bar on your KMP may alter the way a tonneau is fitted.

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Stuart,
In case you're not aware, you should buy a top or tonneau which has NO holes and grommets so it can be cut to match Jim's pattern or what ever else you use. Also a roll bar on your KMP may alter the way a tonneau is fitted.

The roll bar equipped cars had a tonneau zipper that allowed the cover to be closed around the roll bar. The zipper ran on the approximate Center line of hoop and was parallel to the axis of the car.

[LMH]

Couldn't you buy a tonneau cover that has the grommets already in place and use that as your pattern for the studs?
Larry

[mickmate]

The ones from Robbins come with the fasteners needing installing per the car.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by Jim Maxwell

Stuart, I will work on it this weekend. Jim

Thanks, Jim...maybe we could get a mutual buddy to do a CAD drawing of the finished product.

I have done several "take-off" templates from orig cars, and the two biggest problems with paper templates are:

• a reliable datum point that can be used as a reference when trying to transfer the template to another car.
  
• dealing with the complex curves of the rear deck when trying to apply data points from a 2-D source.

[Dan Case]

Laying a 45ish year old cover out to make a pattern won't work either. I have no idea how a cover fit in 1963-4 but a 1963-4 made cover takes some stretching (in nice warm bright sunlight helps) to install now.

Circa 1986 I bought a replacement Robins brand cover kit for CSX2310. The cover kit included all the snap hardware loose. I had to take the car and kit to an automotive upholstery shop to have the snaps installed to match the car. When new that cover was real easy to install. Last spring on the Battleground Tour it was very difficult during cool rainy weather to stretch it enough to get all the snaps over studs. The 1986 replacement cover is now just as hard to install as a cover supplied by AC Cars in 1963-64.


I think Jim has CSX2401 in a restoration process right now. If the studs are out of the skin maybe the best approach would be to start at the rear middle and measure the center to center spacing of each stud hole, angle off center line, and distance from the rear view mirror stem?????

[A-Snake]

With the rear view mirror having different mounting locations on cars perhaps the snap that is location in the front cowl in the horizonal position would be a better reference point. It should be the midpoint of the top of the dash area.

There are a total of 16 lift-a-dot studs used for the softtop. An addtional four are needed in the front cowl for a tonneau plus the one snap I mentioned above.

Four of the lift-a-dot studs on the rear cowl are in a straight line. The rear edge of the cockpit opening at that point is also straight so these should be easy to locate. The centers of these four studs are 13 3/8" from the cockpit edge. The center to center of these same 4 studs are 8" apart. (Total span 24") To check there location, measure from the horizonal snap on the front cowl to the most outboard of the four studs mentioned and it should be 49 1/4". If the two outboard measurements are the same, you can then use the 8" spacing between them.

Have to run right now but I will post later on locating the remaining studs and some pictures for reference.

More later

[A-Snake]

I'm not an artist so I hope this makes sense.

The reference point along the line at the bottom is the horizontal snap that screws into the front edge of cowl over the dash. (Just below mirror)

The horizontal line above that is the edge of the rear cowl. (Back of cockpit)

There is a straight line of four lift-a-dots located 13 7/8" behind the edge of the rear cowl as mention in my last post. The back of the cowl at this point is a straight edge. Again the two outboard studs of these four are 49 1/4" from the front snap.

Now we will reference the next two Lift-a-dot studs. One on either side of the four in line studs. These next studs are 6 9/16” away (center to center) from the stud next to it. These studs are 50 3/8" from the front snap. We can't give a reference for these two studs from the back of the cockpit as that line now starts to curve.

Belore we go on to the "next row" of studs, are there questions? There should be as this is getting confusing to me

[ERA Chas]

It strains credibility that the cars had precisely and consistently installed studs, one to the other.

We know all the stories, left side of nose different than right, five or more different flair designs, paint colors according to what was on the shelf that day, stripes by eyeball, hood rivets the same way...on and on. These are wonderful handmade creations with everything that implies.

I'd just do an installation that was reasonably close to the configuration and make sure the top/cover was nicely taut with a minimum of wrinkles. That's what I did on my fakey car.

[A-Snake]

Fair enough ERA Chas, I'll end the attempt to describe the stud layout.

[mickmate]

Contemporary had a flat pattern of the rear lift a dots that works pretty well when you lay it out and line it up with the cockpit edge. I pictured doing the same with the front lift a dots. The only little obstruction is the rear view mirror but it is easy to remove or just slit the paper pattern to fit around it. It's kind of nice reversing these as if you just push them through the paper and trace the edge from underneath that will be pretty darn close. I agree tops and tonneaus are fitted to the snaps but a general layout is real handy to start with.

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by A-Snake

Fair enough ERA Chas, I'll end the attempt to describe the stud layout.

A-Snake,
Please don't stop just because of one person.There are others, including me, who want the full set of "original" measurements.
I for one appreciate the time and effort you are giving.
Regards,
Paul

[DanEC]

Also, is it possible to expand this to include the side curtain recepticle layout in the door? My driver door layout is different than my passenger door layout and I'm pretty certain that means I need to corrrect one of them.

Thanks

Dan