‘26 Top Irons Header windshield bracket help

[Dave Young]

What have you guys used to attach the windshield bracket to the top iron at the bottom ledge? What I removed was a steel rivet that looked to be original. I’ve replaced all of the wood and can’t seem to find any info about this point. The horizontal attachments are carriage bolts. Peening a steel rivet is going to take heat. Not loving the idea of putting a torch right there. Hope the picture makes it…[image][/image]

[351cmach]

When I did the top on mine I removed a wood screw from there and replaced it with a new wood screw.

[CudaMan]

My 1924 has a slotted wood screw there.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

An oval head wood screw**. Don't put it in until you have adjusted and are satisfied with the position of the clamps. The carriage bolt holes are slotted and adjustable, the wood screw is not. I put mine in pretty much as the very last thing I did.

**Appears that maybe the person who previously riveted, may have drilled out the hole a bit and removed the countersink for the oval head screw. You may be forced to use a round head screw.

(BTW, you would not need any heat to peen such a small rivet, if a rivet were to be used.)

[Dave Young]

Thanks guys. I screw had crossed my mind. It will get a good bite in that oak. It does still have a good countersink shape to it and, 10-4 on doing it later in the game.

[Norman Kling]

I used a screw. It will be covered by parts of the top anyway. You wrap the bows with the material and install the windbreaker in front. Another thing which is very important is the rear bow. Be sure to measure above the back of the body even if it is not level with the floor. They very seldom are because of sagging of the spring or distribution of weight in the body. If you measure from the bow to the top of the body, it will look straight but if you measure from the floor it will look crooked because it could be higher from the body and lower on the other even if t is about one inch difference.
Put the pads and webbing on first and make everything tight. Then the rear curtain and lastly the top itself. Your top kit will have instructions on how to do everything.
Norm

[FundyTides]

Yes to a wood screw. My 27 Touring top frame and brackets are original and use a wood screw. Mine is a Canadian car so of course the screws are Robertson head, available in any hardware store north of the border. As stated they should be installed after all other adjustments have been finalized.

[Dave Young]

Thanks for the tips and I have measured that rear bow from the top edge of the rear body joints MANY times now.

[Dave Young]

A million toothpicks in the old tack holes…[image]

[/image]

[Dave Young]

Here’s the old rivet[image]

[/image]

[Adam]

You might want to stop right where you are…

Your top irons are 1923-1925 and not correct for your car.

The proper 1926-1927 top irons are different. The top won’t fit & look right.

[speedytinc]

You might want to stop right where you are…

Your top irons are 1923-1925 and not correct for your car.

The proper 1926-1927 top irons are different. The top won’t fit & look right.

Good catch.

[Dave Young]

This is an early 26 and the top has been on the car for the 15 years that I’ve had it. It did work fine and looked great. It’s just much harder to use than every other 26 that I’ve seen. It’s been on there for a VERY long time judging by the amount of dried mud and dust under the back joints. As much as I would love to put the later irons on, I’m going to continue with what we have. My wife has gotten used to the work involved in using it…

[Dave Young]

Here’s how she looked:

[Adam]

So long as you’re happy with it, that’s all that matters.

When you order your top kit, make sure you tell the supplier you have ‘23-‘25 top irons on a ‘26-‘27 car and they should be able to produce something that fits reasonably.

Just for reference, here’s a few illustrations from ‘26 & ‘27 Ford sales literature that shows what they look like when new.

[John kuehn]

If your using Classtique upholstery to buy your top kit from I would send him a picture of your car and top so he can see any differences in your car that’s an early 26. If anybody would know they would. When enlarging your photo of the car it appears the bottom edge of the top has a curve on the bottom edge compared to the factory photos that are shown. Those appear to have a straight bottom edge.

If your happy with the way it would turn out that’s fine.

[Dave Young]

Thanks, John. I did buy the top from them back in the springtime and didn’t mention it at that time. The old top was severely shrunken and getting very hard to use. I’m hoping that the visible curve in the bottom edge in that picture is due to it having shrunk and wasn’t made that way years ago.