My top leaks!
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Topic author - Posts: 1930
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
- First Name: Tim
- Last Name: Juhl
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
- Location: Thumb of Michigan
- MTFCA Number: 50297
- MTFCI Number: 24810
- Board Member Since: 2018
My top leaks!
Over the last few days my wife and I joined seven other couples and their Model T's for a tour in Mid-Michigan. This was the first outing with my new top. We encountered some light rain and for the most part stayed dry which was nice. One leak occurred where the rain fly on the top of the windshield lifted up creating a gap. I'd like to put some fasteners on the top of the windshield frame to hold the flap down. I was thinking of riveting two or three "common sense" fasteners to the frame.
Any other suggestions?
In this photo my Touring is in the foreground during a stop at an Amish farm for homemade fruit pies (Yummmm!)
My question is, can you install the mating fastener in the vinyl fly without a special $96 tool? Any other suggestions?
In this photo my Touring is in the foreground during a stop at an Amish farm for homemade fruit pies (Yummmm!)
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor
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- Posts: 850
- Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2019 10:25 pm
- First Name: Erik
- Last Name: Johnson
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
Re: My top leaks!
In my opinion, you would be better off removing the rain-flap installing a "wind-breaker."
1917 Fords had neither but, later, two-man tops did eventually have a wind-breaker starting around 1920.
Here is an example of a wind-breaker on my dad's 1917. He made and installed the top himself in 1951 using the original top as a pattern. There was no comparable leatherette top material available at that time so he used Haartz convertible fabric.
Otherwise, another trick that Mark Cameron uses on his 1915 touring (no windbreaker) when it starts raining is to stick length of square, gray firm foam rubber between the bow and the windshield.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
1917 Fords had neither but, later, two-man tops did eventually have a wind-breaker starting around 1920.
Here is an example of a wind-breaker on my dad's 1917. He made and installed the top himself in 1951 using the original top as a pattern. There was no comparable leatherette top material available at that time so he used Haartz convertible fabric.
Otherwise, another trick that Mark Cameron uses on his 1915 touring (no windbreaker) when it starts raining is to stick length of square, gray firm foam rubber between the bow and the windshield.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
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- Posts: 314
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:21 am
- First Name: David
- Last Name: Dufault
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915
- Location: Concord New Hampshire
- MTFCA Number: 303
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
Re: My top leaks!
Anybody have a picture of a windbreaker that they can post?
I am not sure that I understand the difference between a flap and "windbreaker"
Thanks,
Dave
I am not sure that I understand the difference between a flap and "windbreaker"
Thanks,
Dave
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- Posts: 314
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:21 am
- First Name: David
- Last Name: Dufault
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915
- Location: Concord New Hampshire
- MTFCA Number: 303
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
Re: My top leaks!
Are the pictures in this link reliable as to difference?
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1512607655
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1512607655
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- Posts: 850
- Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2019 10:25 pm
- First Name: Erik
- Last Name: Johnson
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
Re: My top leaks!
Dave - the photo of my dad's touring that I posted shows what I call a "wind-breaker" on the first bow of the top. I don't know what Ford Motor Company called it if they called it anything at all. Click on the photo to enlarge.
Tim Juhl's photo shows what looks like a loose, rectangular vertical flap that hangs over the top the front of the windshield. It is different from what I posted. Click on Tim's picture to enlarge.
Tim Juhl's photo shows what looks like a loose, rectangular vertical flap that hangs over the top the front of the windshield. It is different from what I posted. Click on Tim's picture to enlarge.
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- Posts: 335
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:25 pm
- First Name: John
- Last Name: Saylor
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1921 Touring, 1927 Tudor
- Location: Citrus Heights, Ca
- MTFCA Number: 1695
- MTFCI Number: 23870
- Board Member Since: 1999
Re: My top leaks!
I just replaced a top on my 21 Touring that came from Carters some 45 years ago. It had the rain flap that folded down the front of the windshield. My new Classtique top did not have it. Here are a couple of pictures. It had snap fasteners at each corner for a side curtain. Would not be hard to make yourself it ypu do a lot of rain and snow driving.
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- Posts: 314
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 10:21 am
- First Name: David
- Last Name: Dufault
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915
- Location: Concord New Hampshire
- MTFCA Number: 303
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
Re: My top leaks!
Thank you both!
Dave
Dave
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Topic author - Posts: 1930
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:39 am
- First Name: Tim
- Last Name: Juhl
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1917 Touring
- Location: Thumb of Michigan
- MTFCA Number: 50297
- MTFCI Number: 24810
- Board Member Since: 2018
Re: My top leaks!
I've attached a photo that may better explain what I was talking about. First of all, my Rip Van "Wrinkle" top was in a never-opened box under my rear seat when I bought the car. The box was from J C Whitney and had a 1989 postmark. I have no idea who actually made the top but I'm sure it wasn't JCW. After I spread it out in the Sun the wrinkles disappeared and the top appeared like new. I decided to go ahead and use it.
The piece that goes on the underside of the front bow has a "rain flap" like John described. No fasteners at the ends but a little flap and snap where the windshield wiper would go if installed.
The problem comes when the wind starts to lift the piece the flap is attached to so water can come underneath. I used masking tape to hold it down on the windshield frame and that worked. I just want something more permanent. I thought of using twist fasteners since they would look more "period" and be easily disconnected should I want to fold the windshield down to let some air in.
The piece that goes on the underside of the front bow has a "rain flap" like John described. No fasteners at the ends but a little flap and snap where the windshield wiper would go if installed.
The problem comes when the wind starts to lift the piece the flap is attached to so water can come underneath. I used masking tape to hold it down on the windshield frame and that worked. I just want something more permanent. I thought of using twist fasteners since they would look more "period" and be easily disconnected should I want to fold the windshield down to let some air in.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor