MTFCA Forum

Does anyone out there know the rear offset of the top.

If running a plumb line to the back of the body is the top rear over hang 2" or 3"?
Does the rear back window panel slant follow the body back line?
I have looked at a lot of pictures of restored cars & this offset is all over the place.

A side view factory photo would be helpful.

Thank you in advance.

The main bow on my '26-7 roadster leans backward at 35 degrees from vertical. I measured at the centerline of the straight part of the bow just above the curved section that attaches to the pivot. My top fits well, and side curtains appear to fit correctly. It looks very much like the top on the roadster pickup just added to the For Sale forum.

I just did the top on my roadster. I set the bow to with plumb line 2" back from the body. The instructions from Cartouche also recommend 2" on the '26 - '27. Sorry with all the pics I took I don't have one taken directly from the side showing the overhang.

Oh and make sure the car is fairly level. It will affect the plumb line

Old photos are best. The first is my Runabout in 1935.
The second is an electrotype for advertising that I found on Cimorelli's website.
Both show 2-3" of slant. My top was installed by an Amish buggy maker who didn't have a clue. My rear panel is vertical, and I hate it.

Thirty Five Degrees.

On the 26-27 Tops, there is metal to metal secure contact between the top of the windshield and the frame of the roof, also metal contact between the front rod and the back slant rod. If the proper windshield stanchions are not used to get the given windshield slant, that will affect the overhang of the rear covering to the body, either plus or minus.

I reverse engineered my roadster while building it. I discovered that these cars were designed on a grid with verticals and levels with compass drawn curves. The front bow edge is vertical with the door hinge pins and the rear bow edge is vertical with the forward edge of the rear fender where it meets the sub frame, and the center of the upper deck panel. See the shiny body rib where I sanded it.

What Ken says seems to be very good idea. If you have existing side curtains, be sure they will fit correctly. Also the overhang on the windshield is determined by the pillars and the brackets on the front bow. An important thing about the rear bow is that it be the same distance above the back of the body on each side so it will look straight regardless of which way the frame might sag of lean while driving. Also check the fit of the rear panel before you trim anything.
Norm

If you have the correct, unbent top mechanism parts and the correct windshield stanchions, the bows will be in the correct locations with the top frame set up and attached to the windshield posts, if the pivot joints are reasonably tight and the body is reasonably straight. I don't see any adjustment fittings on my car. Other than the top fabric, the top mechanism, when up, is attached to the car only by the pivot points behind the doors and the tops of the windshield posts. When laid down, it is attached only at the pivot points and the top saddles.

I cannot find a drawing for a 26-27, but this drawing of an earlier model T gives an example of a rear curtain rake. Picture is from a prior posting by unknown party.

The '26-27 top frame and cover is not the same as the one shown above. To OP's original question, 3 1/2" close to what my car measures. NOTE: FIRST POSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While we’re on the subject of the ‘26-‘27 roadster top, heres another consideration: ... while most of us leave the ‘New and Improved’ top up, some will lower it to the leather covered top saddles. But when this is done your turtledeck access is greatly limited. To solve this I attached the pictured circular metal onto the top saddle bracket with a set screw after welding a 1/2” OD extension onto which the top saddle fastens. This allows for top down + full turtledeck access.