Cabriolet top fit and front wood bow shaping

[spyderwerks]

I have an aftermarket cabriolet top frame that I want to pre-fit to my 59 T2 cab. I had to repair several issues that were present from the mfg. these come delete the front wood bow which has to be hand-fit to the car. Hoping someone can point me towards a tutorial or any written article that can explains the details involved. I will not be covering the frame ( canvas/ headliner) but want to get the frame with all hardware and front bow in place and fitted to my car before having it professionally covered.
Thanks in advance Max H

[JTR70]

I don't know of any specific articles Max but I do remember there being a problem with the way the approach angle was milled into all the early wooden header bows from Stoddard. I watched two original top frames being fitted with them and once mounted they never seated correctly on the car. The bows all have to be filed and altered to work correctly. That was several years ago so I don't know if that was ever corrected but that is something to watch out for. The fact that you're also using a repro frame complicates it further I would think. You'll have no choice but to build it on the car.

Justin

[Jack Staggs]

[spyderwerks]

Thanks jack & Justin , Great advice. I'll be sending the bows and Cab. To Autobahn Interiors. Tony knows the ropes and it will be done correctly. Sometimes it pays to defer to the experts.

[Jack Staggs]

Oh. I mistakenly understood that you would be fitting the bows. My bad. Sorry, and never mind.
Jack

[badsix]

Where would one buy a new wood front bow if one were needed. I haven't got my top out yet but I do have a new rear bow the front as far as I can tell is solid most of the material is off, but who knows.
Jay D.

[Jbrooks]

I can't remember his name, but there is a guy on Camino Island, Washington, north of Seattle that makes the bows. I have never used him but I have heard good things. I will try to track him down

[badsix]

JB, thanks that would be great
Jay D.

[spyderwerks]

Ted Capps. Best bows period. A very nice guy, hurry though I hear he's hanging it up next year.

[bbspdstr]

Ted does great woodworking. A master craftsman. He made a set of the rear cowl nailer pieces for me that were built into the early Cabs as the sheet metal was being connected. Those needed only minor "customization" due to the particular car, but those and the bows were far and away better than any other repro wood pieces I have used.

Ted has done wooden parts for cars in the Porsche family collections. His hobby/passion is making difficult creations in wood, objects that most can't do and not just auto parts. He just fell into that and admits that he is not a 'car guy' or a Porsche fan, but a fan of wooden creations. He does not "crank 'em out" in a production line sort of way, so if you want something soon, be prepared to wait no matter what....but his work is worth it.

Even the crates he ships his parts in are amazingly crafted.

He has been all over the world as a career USAF guy, but since retirement, his wood-working passion has blossomed. He is a few years older than I am and as we all find eventually, "retirement," or at least slowing down, beckons.

-Bruce