Thinking of going Carson style!

[81autospider]

After seeing my car for the first time, I realized it will be more money out of my pocket to get it ready for a winters run...so on my drive home I had this crazy ideal to build a Carson style top...it was the craze of the sixties to fix the canvas top of the older generation cars and was a huge business with the street rodders at the time...it allowed them to drive their cars in the winter months...I had spoke with a friend of mine who is good at doing fiberglass work...I am a fabricator by hobby and love to build things...just check out my clubs page by clicking on the link below...the Carson top is fairly simple to build and shouldn't cost much...the top will offer too things...1) Provide another means of cover while driving around town...this will preserve my new tops investment from being exposed to the elements...2) The hard top will give me added security while running to the store or just parked in the parking lot.

When going on long trips, then I can remove the Carson top and have a good reliable new top to use when weather is threatening to take cover...the other advantage is I can if I wish, could install a sun roof for added ventilation...so...you can see there are many benefits to having a top of this usage.

My plan is to find a header bow at the wreckers so the front will still look stock...for the frame, I would use aluminum material to keep it as light as possible...find a rear window from a small hatchback to use for the rear and for the sides, I would have some round glass cut to use for opera window...that way I wont have any blind spots

Sooo, do you think I've gone bananas?...If I do this Carson top thing...I will have to wait till I get my Ranchero back on the road...which should be by the end of this month...is anyone else out their interested in doing the same thing?...if so, I can document the whole thing and add pics when finished.

[So Cal Mark]

what exactly is a Carson top?

[81autospider]

Mark, check out this site...there are many other ways to build a top...instead of using canvas to cover the frame, you could lay fiberglass over the frame...check it out and tell me what ya think
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/how ... index.html

Above is a link which will explain how they did it back in the day

[mdrburchette]

So, what you're planning on doing is fabricating a removeable hardtop by using an old softtop frame?

[So Cal Mark]

interesting. I'd prepare to get flamed, but it's your car and modify it to suit your needs

[mbouse]

the longer i live in this Fiat Spider world, the more i enjoy others' modifications and deviations from the "norm". don't worry about what others think... use crackle paint when ever you can


but, this sounds like an awful lotta work to duplicate something that already exists, or am i missing something?

[racydave]

Id forget the round windows, but thats a personal choice. I love the old 50's 8v with the double-bubble. There is one on E-Bay now...

[81autospider]

mbouse...you are half right...the only original part off of another top I will use, will be the front header bow...should be able to locate another top at the wreckers...I'll take my cordless sawsall with me to separate the header bow from the rest of the top...I would like to clarify that I will be building a complete new top with the only stock piece to be used is the front header bow, everything else will be built by myself...my reason for doing this is explained in the opening thread...this new top will also incorporate a full headliner and was also thinking of incorporating in some better speakers built into the new top, with of course some quick disconnects to unplug the speaker wires when the top has to come off...I believe this will give the interior a nicer look and a much quieter ride...and like I said before, maybe a sunroof will go in but haven't decided yet...as for the finish, I was going to go with a crinkle style finish or something with some texture but not sure yet

Even though the video show the top builder using 3/4" conduit to build his frame, there are many other materials that can be used...I was thinking of using aluminum material and using just pop-rivets to make joint connections...my reason for doing this is simple; 1) I don't have the capability to weld aluminum and 2) maybe you would like to build a top for yourself and wish I had kept it simple...you don't have to weld joints together cuz they make this stuff called JB weld and can say it is some hard $#*! when it dries...it is a little runny when first mixed but will work fine if you want to reinforce the joints and you are not in a hurry.

Anyway, I will be back with more info if you guys still have any questions, thanks for read 'n

[mbouse]

it will be interesting to watch your progress. please plan on posting lots of informative narrative with plenty-0-pictures.

[Spiddy]

it will be interesting to watch your progress. please plan on posting lots of informative narrative with plenty-0-pictures.

I will definitely second that

[ga.spyder]

Heeeeeeere's Johnny....oops..... different Carson . Interesting idea though.I am glad you explained what a Carson top is,I read the other post where you mentioned it and I didnt have a clue.
Craig