To keep it from flapping you could run a strip of velcro along the bottom edge of the flap & the top edge of the side piece. That's how I keep the flaps on the soft tops I sell from flapping.
I like the looks. Keep us posted.

Jeff

Thanks. I've given Velcro soem serious thought - in fact, was originally considering using velcro for everything and not messing w/ snaps (e.g., velcro the peices to teh frame etc.
Problem is in attaching the vecro to teh fiberglass. While it can be glued on (the adhesive on the industrial stuff is ver ygood), in NC summer heat, I'm doubtful that the adhesive will hold when pulling the fabric off of it.I'll just wait and see if flapping is a problem.

Finally, some real progress.

Got the top part made up, snaps in place. I got a tool for installing teh snaps in teh fabric at lowes, along w/ a pack of snaps for about $12. You use a vice to crimp 'em, almost identical to grommets.

Around the endges, the fabric iss folded over on itself and double stitched. Thanks Mom, this one's for you ;-)

Here's a pic of the top test fit over the fiberglass frame:


(Son did a goof job of modelling for me)

I need to acquire clear vinyl for the sides, probably .030 or .040 thick... maybe this weekend....

Got the fiberglass painted, used Rust-O-Leum Hammered Black, applied via roller



Front half frame in place




Full frame



And, with the vinyl top in place


So there you have it.
Next step is to make up some panels for the sides. prob won't get that done this week, then off for vacation for awhile, so could be several more weeks before "officially" done. But we all know that story anyway...

I see there that you made a splint for the cross bar, a constant reminder of your brain fart <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />!!

As far as that flap goes you could always put like four snaps to keep it from flapping, its not like it would be much work now that you have all the tools.

Or if you really want to owe your mom have her sew two high quality zippers to the fabric. Put Both zippers on the flap and than the side of the track on the top and other on the bottom piece so when you run just the top its comepletly removeable, or on that note one zipper on the top of the flap and sew the other side to the bottom cover. If you get a good quality zipper they are water proof and pretty heavy duty for pretty cheap.

Here's mine... What else you gonna do with a spare top?
I swear I've been working so much I get nothing done on this thing. I finally got around to changing the interior color on the top and bolting it on today:



Top top is essentially two shells and you'll have to do some work to get them to bond...





Completed.. Changed the color to black, which took more time than anything else.. Takes a while to get a non glossy durable finish, courtesy of Dupont and 3M.

Yeo every time I see that brace it reminds me of my own mental flatulence.
However, after having it out on the highway, I must say that in the end it is a good thing. By cutting out so much of the middle, that cross-bar is pretty flexible, abd bounces/flexes around a lot. that upper corner section is hollow. I ended up not only putting a metal bracket above and below that section, but also wedged in a peice of plastic inside of it to add rgidity, and flipped/capped it wit hfiberglass filler. That stiffened it up a lot.
Again, thsi really is only b/c of cutting out the middle. Just a half-cab like DCG's wouldn't have that problem.
I might still ru na strip of 1/8" steel across it, just so I could use it to support/carry large items later.

re: flapping - it turns out not to really be a problem. The snaps that are there are within about 3/4" of the end of teh fabric, and it's pulled really tight. I had it up > 75mph yesterday w/o problems.
One problem did arise though. In teh front, the snaps are on top, running horizontally acros the cabin. At highway speeds, it wants to catch a little wind underneath the snaps, and the center snap came undone. I think a quick/easy fix for thsi will be to afix a low-profile wind-chammel right in front of it (like are often in front of sunroofs).
I was suspicious that would happen, it was my primary hestitation on attaching the front that way.

I actually made a small fiberglass piece to cap that corner and blended it in.
If you look carefully at my top assembly photo, you'll see a small hole in that corner.
I took polyester resin, a vet syringe and basically filled that corner with resin while the top was upside down.
You can mix the resin with sawdust (boat builder's trick) to get it a little thicker.