Top and Sidecurtains

The Manxter 2+2 & Dual Sport. Created as an answer to the limitations of the classic Meyers Manx.
Post Reply
ManxRob
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:00 am

Top and Sidecurtains

Post by ManxRob »

It's wet and cold, and I miss driving my Manx! Time to weatherize. I looking for ideas for top and side curtains for my buggy. I just finished putting a 2 inch 'chopped' windshield on which I think means I will have to have a custom top stitched. Fortunately Seattle has a bunch of boat shops capable of custom 'canvas' work. I like the shape of the Meyers Hardtop, and the flexible functionality of a 'fastback soft top. Image I think I want the flexibility of a convertable top rather than a hardtop, something that I can remove in layers and store in the soon to be rear platform mounted trunk. Ideally 1).the rear window would be removable. Image Image 2). the side curtains would have a frame that would swing out like doors, (and not interfere with the windshield mounted mirrors and windwings). 3). The top will not flap around at highway cruising speed. 4). The driver would have good visibility with the top up. 5) will last a few years with normal use. And not break the bank... Does anybody have any information/photos or drawings of the original 'Welded Steel Side Curtain Frames' as advertised in this B.F. Meyers catalog? Image I put some pictures of tops and curtains in my gallery here... http://www.meyersmanx.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=572 Any ideas? What are you running for weather protection (sun, rain, snow, whatever..). Do you have any suggestions on other factors I should consider in having a top made? Thank
Gene-C
Posts: 2949
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:00 am

Side Curtins/top

Post by Gene-C »

I suggest that you take your pictures and get down to a reputable shop that does boat work. Explain what you wish to have done. Listen closely to anything that they say. Expect initial resistance from them at the beginning of the process. I had a top & side curtains made for my Manx at an Illinois boat canvas shop. The result was fantastic, but I had to go to the shop several times to inspect & verify what was being done. If you are kucky to get a great craftsman you will have a great fitting, and looking top. Also, it will not be cheap. You are asking for a "1 of " custom piece of work. Good custom work is not cheap. Around here I would expect to pay over $600.00 for a proper fitting Manx top & side curtains that store in a canvas type bag when not in use. Double it for a Manxter. Most of the canvas folks I have met do good work and know how to charge for it. The Canvas work on green Manx in your photos was done by the owner. There are no visible straps or bracket attachments on the tensioning of the bimini top. Great workmanship on the manx. If you have other questions send me a PM on this site. I actually consider this Manx to be a classic. It is the same as when build in 1969, chopped windshield, Corvair engine, Side Pods. even has an 8-track in it. Hard to believe it is driven on a regular basis.
ManxRob
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:00 am

Post by ManxRob »

The green manx is one of my inspiration cars. The builder/owner found just the right look to my eye.
CairoManx
Posts: 858
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:00 am

Post by CairoManx »

This was a top I had made back in the 60s. I liked the two rear side vision windows. I think the way to make sure it has a shape you like is to have the metal bows made both a bit long and then runs some strips of masking tape from front to rear over the bows and look at the outline. To change the outline you can shorten the bows and lengthen or shorten the straps that hold the two bows together. My bows were mounted on the body, but I've seen people attach brackets to the rollbar which looks cleaner. My side curtains snapped and zipped in, but I think instead of zippers, I'd try to use velcro. Image
User avatar
rzeller
Posts: 734
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:00 am
Location: Wilmington, NC

Post by rzeller »

Rob, Joe is correct about the cost for custom work. I had my top custom made 3.5 years ago and it cost me over $600. Here is a link to pictures of my top and side curtains for some ideas. http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album240 If you want to know the good and bad with what I had done, let me know. Bud
Bud Zeller
Wilmington, NC
Manx Club Member Since 2004 - #2475
Member of the Manx Club's Long Haul League - 2015
2018 NORRA Mexican 1000 - #1356 - Bad News Racing
2022 NORRA Mexican 1000 - #3347 - Bad News Racing & ACME Companies
2023 NORRA Mexican 1000 - #1356 - Bad News Racing
'68 Meyers Manx - M1996F826S
'66 VW Kombi Bus
'73 VW Thing
Don Giovanoni
Posts: 104
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:00 pm

First Pic

Post by Don Giovanoni »

Rob, your first picture was a Manx I built in the 80s. The top and sidecurtains came from Phil's Auto Top in the Chicago area. I believe the company is still in business selling truck stuff but not in the auto top business anymore. I bought a hard top for my Siggy and will have the sidecurtains and rear window fabbed locally. Good luck,
ManxRob
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:00 am

Post by ManxRob »

Thanks folks! Nelson, that is a great fitting top! I like the wrap around side windows too. Thanks for the masking tape for shapeing idea. I looked around and came up with this example: Image From this website documenting an incredible Deserter GS build, (and other nice buggies) http://mikeragonese.shutterfly.com/action/ I?m going to use the masking tape and top bows to try some shaping, and maybe make a fiberglass top pattern before committing the top to professional stitchery. Madmanx I like the way your top uses the rollbar as a rear top bow. Do you have snap type fasteners attached to the rollbar? Or does the fabric wrap around and attach to itself? Also what are the canvas loops on the rollbar attachment for? http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album240/DSCN0797?full=1 I like your removable back window. Do you snap it to the body and then zip it in? How to you like it and would you do it again? Your side curtains look like they have multiple zippers? Is this for ventilation or for entry/exit? I like the size of the window area! It seems it would feel a lot less claustrophobic in the cockpit. Don, The old red buggy is quite handsome. I have an advertisement for Phils Auto Top, located in Evanston Ill. in an old Dune Buggies magazine. It has a photo of a Manx., and yes it looks very much like yours. Nice ?classic? lines! Does anybody have information or detail photos of: 1) the Manx Mini-Top part # 169 on this old Meyers catalog page? I was wondering what hardware was supplied for attaching the top tensioning bow to the rollbar. Image 2) What the ?Side Curtain Frames?, part # 181 on this old Meyers catalog page. There can?t be much to them as the shipping weight is only 3 lbs per pair? Are they tubing or sheet steel? Did they have some sort of windshield mounted hinge? Image Thanks for your help and ideas!
CairoManx
Posts: 858
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:00 am

Post by CairoManx »

I've got a pair of the Meyers Manx side curtains with the metal frames that came with a hard top. The side curtains are just like regular fabric and clear vinyl side curtains but they have metal rod frames sewn into them to keep them flat and rigid. They attach like regular side curtains with a metal strip sewn inside the front edge of the fabric that fits into the windshield groove on each side. I saw them using the masking tape in an old article about the Burro.
User avatar
rzeller
Posts: 734
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:00 am
Location: Wilmington, NC

Post by rzeller »

Madmanx I like the way your top uses the rollbar as a rear top bow. Do you have snap type fasteners attached to the rollbar? Or does the fabric wrap around and attach to itself? Also what are the canvas loops on the rollbar attachment for? Image The roll bar does have snaps on it. As you can see the wrap-around piece snaps to the roll bar. This is one of the things I would change. Not because it doesn't work - it does keep the top very tight (does not flap at all at any speed), I just don't like the snaps being visable when the top is off. I would figure out how to make the wrap-around a velcro wrap-around. I would still attach it to the roll bar for the purposes of creating tension on the top. The two little loops are to pull the top tight to snap it in place. Once again, it is very tight. I like your removable back window. Do you snap it to the body and then zip it in? How to you like it and would you do it again? The removable back window is great. It zips (zips around three sides) in place and is very easy to put on and take off. The bottom edge snaps to the tub. You can see the zipper in this picture: Image Your side curtains look like they have multiple zippers? Is this for ventilation or for entry/exit? I like the size of the window area! It seems it would feel a lot less claustrophobic in the cockpit. The side curtains have a total of three zippers. One zips along the top edge (from the front - near the front hoop - to the back); One zips along the verticle back edge (from top to bottom); The first two zippers attach the side curtain frame to the top. There are snaps along the bottom edge of the side curtain frame. The third zipper runs along three edges of the plastic window. The bottom edge is attached to the side curtain fabric frame that sits on the edge of the tub - there are two pulls on this zipper - you can see them at the 12:00 position. Image The window zipper allows entry/exit. Zip it around and the curtain lays flat out of the buggy. If you want to ride with the curtain open, I fold the plastic window into the buggy between the seat and the side of the tub. Image Some notes: the snaps that attach the top to the tub are called "lift-a-dots", except for the two at the on the front edge of the top (where your elbow would meet the tub if you had your arm resting on the tub). They are called (I think) European lift-a-dot. They are spring loaded and are almost impossible to come unsnapped by themselves. In addition to the snaps on the roll bar, there are two other things I would change on my side curtains. 1) the opening in the window was cut in the plastic and a zipper sewn in (on both edges). I've had this top for almost four years and the outer edge of the plastic is starting to crack on the corners. The zip thingies catch on the cracks. I would use top material on the outer edge of the window zipper next time. 2) The "lip" of material that sits on the outer edge of the tub is too narrow. I would make that wider. You can see the difference in the side curtain of your very first buggy picture in this thread and mine. Other than that, the top is one of the best things I've bought for my buggy. I use it in the winter and summer (I live in the hot south). I zip the side curtains and rear window out and use just the top to keep the sun off. There are many more detailed pictures at: http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album240 Good luck, Bud
Bud Zeller
Wilmington, NC
Manx Club Member Since 2004 - #2475
Member of the Manx Club's Long Haul League - 2015
2018 NORRA Mexican 1000 - #1356 - Bad News Racing
2022 NORRA Mexican 1000 - #3347 - Bad News Racing & ACME Companies
2023 NORRA Mexican 1000 - #1356 - Bad News Racing
'68 Meyers Manx - M1996F826S
'66 VW Kombi Bus
'73 VW Thing
TMc2548
Posts: 206
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 9:00 pm

Post by TMc2548 »

Sorry for posting this in here but WOW! That Deserter Rob linked is awesome.
shaihulud
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 9:00 pm

Post by shaihulud »

Make sure that the top of the windows in the side curtains is as close to the top as possible as if it's not you may need to bend down to see out sideways. If you have a full length zipper to hold the window in the side curtain frame, make sure that the zipper opens from the back to the front. You can then control the amount of opening that you have ranging from a small gap for a bit of defogging air to a triangular opening near your head. If the zipper starts at the front the tiniest opening will turn the side curtain into an airscoop.
ManxRob
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:00 am

Post by ManxRob »

After getting price quotes on a custom softop with curtains (too $$$ for me) , and then an aborted attempt at making my own fiberglass top from scratch, I purchased a used Meyers hardtop today: Image Here it is just sitting on the buggy. The 'C' pillars are just tucked in right now. They need to be trimmed to match the 14 inch windshield and lowered rollbar. Image I'm 6 feet tall, so entry/egress is a bit tight, but it is 'cozy' in the cockpit! I'm looking for ideas for a clean mounting system. I'm thinking some kind of 'push' clamp to secure it to the windshield, and mounting pads to tie it to the rollbar? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Rob
Gene-C
Posts: 2949
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:00 am

Post by Gene-C »

gfhfghfg gfhfghfghfdh
Post Reply