Now here is something different.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370567563786&viewi tem=&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1123

No expert here but this is absolutely new to me. Home made? Can't see the original angled parts of the top material at the rear or any of the struts. Wonder if it could be lowered. They look like sliding windows on the sides.

No the top can not be lowered. These were factory made. Some had sliding side windows, some just curtains like normal tops. These tops were made for many brands of cars. Made the open car a sort of hard top. People looking for the open look of a touring car could still have a more inclosed type too. When these were made and sold most cars sold were still the open type.

California Tops are not new around here I see one occasionally. I also saw one on a 1919 Chevrolet touring. I had a chance to buy a 1915 touring with a Calfornia top one time but didn't do it, I should have bought it the owner didn't want much for it. I understand that the person that finally bought it took the top off and sold it. And no its not home made!!!!
By the way the earlier California Tops that I see have wood, no vinal material on the sides.

This appears to be a Koupet auto top. There was some discussion on this on an earlier thread.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/80257/116333.html?1260220530

The name plate is on a couple of the photos in the ebay ad.



That would be a nice accessory top for a touring car in this kind of weather. I have absolutely no connection with this ebay auction.

What a great car! ! ! A very good study of how those Accessary Tops were constructed. I hope someone can preserve it as it is.

Regards, John

One of the following patents is in the older post,
but thought that I would post it again in this thread.




Here is the patent for the date shown on the tag in the photos.

Reginald Heinzelman
Belleville, Illinois
Assignor to Koupet Auto Top Co.
Belleville, Illinois
Closed Top for Vehicles
Patent number: 1298942
Filing date: Oct 8, 1915
Issue date: Apr 1, 1919
http://tinyurl.com/d6mx6bm
http://preview.tinyurl.com/d6mx6bm

This patent was applied for slightly earlier than the above patent.

Reginald Heinzelman
Belleville, Illinois
Storm Sides and Front for Vehicles.
Patent number: 1196777
Filing date: Feb 8, 1915
Issue date: Sep 5, 1916
http://tinyurl.com/8ynqex8
http://preview.tinyurl.com/8ynqex8

As a side note Reginald Heinzelman was a co-holder with Henry Timken
of a patent for a roller bearing issued Jun 28, 1898, and also held one for
a roller bearing with Frederick Heinzelman issued Apr 29, 1902.

Regards
Art

If I were in the market for another T and had the cash, I'd buy this one. Not because of the top alone, mind you, but because of the car's condition in general. It oozes originality and couldn't be faked nor replaced at any price. It is priceless and in my not so humble opinion looks precisely how a T should look like.

Pretty nice and in tact all weather top, usually only the bigger fancier cars had them available (saw one once on a Packard touring). But here's one for a T. You say "oozes" I'd say reeks, and I'll just bet it has that old musty (sometimes rusty) car smell too. Still you are right, this car needs to be preserved, not restored.