I really like the idea of a runabout top with a roll up back panel. I see them in the earlier Ts but were thy ever offered as an accessory type in the mid twenties.

They were a popular feature of replacement tops then and now. A great thing to have here in Texas when it is 100 degrees plus.

Mark-
The roll up rear curtain was standard through 1914. Of course tops were replaced over the years and there certainly could have been tops done on later cars with roll-up rear curtains.

As Royce pointed out, a rolled up rear curtain makes for nice touring in the summer heat with the top up.

If you are doing a car for show, judging, and investment for a correctly restored car, I would not recommend it. If you have a driver, a bitsa, or something than a non-stock color, I'd encourage you do what you want to do. It is your car. I would, however encourage you to use correct period era fasteners. A black era car would not have used brass Murphy fasteners. It would have had black or nickel common sense fasteners.

: ^ )

From my research into original Model T's, the Murphy fasteners were painted black as early as 1912 originally. I think restorers often succumb to "brassitis" and try to make everything brass that they can touch. By 1915 they were black painted steel, but in 1912 the black painted murphy fasteners were in fact solid brass.

They give nice visability while backing up. I had the top kit for my '15 Roadster made with one. I like it.
Rich

My 12 & 13 have the roll up rear and stay that way. Like Royce said..great for a breeze. Actually we keep the top on the 13 down for as long as we can stand the sun & heat. I can more than the missus. Pete the 12s stays up as we drive him a lot so the wife likes it and Pete actually looks better with the top up.

When I roll my rear curtain up, I usually roll it to the outside. The photo that Royce posted shows it rolled to the inside.

Rolling to the inside keeps the rain water out.

How about the ability of removing a top completely on demand by using Murphy fasteners along the back of the seat where the top is usually tacked?

On the early cars the top is not attached to the body directly. There is a buggy rail attached to the body and the top is attached to the buggy rail in a way that permits the top to be removed.

The murphy fasteners on my 13 touring still have traces of the black paint on them...