Floride R1092 soft top..

May be the vintage car people might know. It is similar to what I remember some old cars used to have. Later they had a moulded plasticy/leather sort of material. There are a number of suppliers of aluminium extrusion in the Yellow Pages this guy says he'll source it for you worth a try.

Alsun Aluminium Pty Ltd
If You Can't Find It, Let Us Source It. Brisbane & Sunshine Coast.
 
Sunroof said:
May be the vintage car people might know. It is similar to what I remember some old cars used to have. Later they had a moulded plasticy/leather sort of material. There are a number of suppliers of aluminium extrusion in the Yellow Pages this guy says he'll source it for you worth a try.

Alsun Aluminium Pty Ltd
If You Can't Find It, Let Us Source It. Brisbane & Sunshine Coast.
Click to expand...

Any chance of a couple of close up pics of said extrusion from your car Rob?
 
Simon said:
Another couple of period pics of the same car, it dates from mid 1960, so is likely to be a production car rather than a pre-production/ publicity vehicle.
Click to expand...

These cars are either 59 or early 60. According to my manuals, the fixing method is a giveaway (no press studs).

The car shown has a curved bar that clips onto the chrome clips that also secure the hardtop therefore negating the press studs and making the fabric panel below the rear window appear wider. See post below.

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This is my soft top, it looks like it aint been touched in fifty years, but it hasn't got the pressed studs to hold it back in the centre of it, though has a curved bar that follows the contour and screws down holding the centre part it place.

The studs at the back only hold the cover down that goes over the soft top when folded away.
 

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That looks like it would be in pretty good nick if it was cleaner up a bit, the plastic window can often be polished up too.

John, what R number and build number is that car please?
 
I think all three of my Florides are from the second half of 1960, but I'm going back to the garage after the kids get to bed and I'll have to look for the oval plate as I've taken it off. Almost got my Floride ready for Sunday.
 
Any chance of a super closeup of the top mold...? I don't have one and may have to fabricate a temporary one.

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Soft top[

Hi, i have a 1963 Caravelle Softop, not yet installed. I also have the steel rod required to attach the soft top to the rear of earlier models.
This might be what your after.
rob
 
Hi Rob and welcome to Aussiefrogs,

I am staying with the press studs as this is the original fixing method for my car...Renault chopped and changed a few times for some reason.
 
61 Floride,
How's that soft top coming along :roflmao:

I once signed up for a mini forum using the engine size (1310) I was told was I was getting, as part of the login name. Imagine my surprise when I did a rebuild and found it was smaller.
 
I think I'll stick with 59 because that's what I'm known as so no real point changing.

I just put my favorite squeeze on a plane to New Zealand so will have an uninterrupted weekend coming up and will have the soft top done by Sunday....I hope.
 
The measurements for the strip is 12mm wide and 5mm thick. The strip is held on with a screw at each end and there are a number of tacks embedded into the aluminum. These are hit into a wooden insert under the hood. According to Alain the slight pucker on the lower left is on factory roofs. The slight bulge near the seam is caused by a wire loop in a pocket. No one seems to know why it is there, the upholsterer had no ideas either.

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Very funny John, but no, the saucepans are for when I make some billet wheel rims for the Floride..:joker:

I'm sure I've seen some stock aluminium around Brisbane somewhere that would allow for the possibility of reproducing the above profile.
 
R1092 soft top Mach 1...a GIANT leap of faith.

I fully expected to make a hash of it on my first attempt and have budgeted on making a second soft top once lessons were learned but I am astounded it has gone together so well.

Apart from crooked stitch work it looks like it will fit like a glove. I figure I can make a lot of improvement on my stitchcraft by building a large wrap around table for my sewing machine ( much like a sailmaker only smaller ) because once all the soft top components are assembled it takes a bit of manouvering to get straight stitches, I also have ordered a special sewing foot for installing edging tape. Combine all that with a bit more practice and I should make a good fist of Mach 2.

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Since this is only a practice run I have used a nice readily available heavy backed vinyl similar to tonneau covers. The search for a more appropriate Alpaca type fabric as described by Sunroof in posts #18 and #36 has begun.


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Playing with the window shape....still needs tweaking.


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The window frame is formed and the plastic window glued in place then another window panel sewn over to secure the window and make the inside presentable.

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More photos tomorrow when I finish it and clean off the pencil marks etc. but looking good so far..
 
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