54 soft top

[Brad H.]

on the 54 front soft top seam(piece that carries chrome caps) does the slice on that face forward or backward, have heard it faces backward to keep wind and rain from being driven into it, but if water were to run down the top it makes sence to face forward so water would run over it and down like back strip. Thanks Brad

[Chuck G.]

Re: 54 soft top

To the best of my recollection, it faces forward.

Chuck

[Roy B.]

Re: 54 soft top

[Chuck G.]

Re: 54 soft top

I dunno, Roy.

Here's a pic of an original 53 top.

Chuck

[Chuck G.]

Re: 54 soft top

Here's another pic. This is from my restored 54, the one that I sold a few years ago.

Can't find any pix of originals. I have some somewhere, maybe hard copies, not on my computer.

Maybe 53 and 54-5 were different?

Chuck

[Roy B.]

Re: 54 soft top

Chuck One pic is forward and the other backwards on the stripping

[Chuck G.]

Re: 54 soft top

Chuck One pic is forward and the other backwards on the stripping

Yep.

That's why not I'm not sure anymore.

Chuck

[Roy B.]

Re: 54 soft top

You got me thinking old too, but I think my pic. is correct direction .

[Chuck W.]

Re: 54 soft top

Both my '54 face rearward as Roy's picture shows. My guess it is that way to keep driving rain out.... Yeh right!

[Brad H.]

Re: 54 soft top

Thanks guy's, now their is one more of us confused, mine faces rearward as told by Al Knoch video, so is he in question also or does he know something, judge said mine was wrong but then who is he listening to? Thanks Brad.

[Roy B.]

Re: 54 soft top

Ant it crazy every one has their opinion , I love it but the one I show is right! ( or may be not) Note 55 used a different S/S end cap as seen on mine, same as T-bird . But then I might be crazy because that's my opinion.

[Brad H.]

Re: 54 soft top

Both my '54 face rearward as Roy's picture shows. My guess it is that way to keep driving rain out.... Yeh right!

Chuck, did your top's pass judging?

[Chuck W.]

Re: 54 soft top

Chuck, did your top's pass judging?

Brad, my old Blue 3469 passed at a Regional w/o deduction, my old white 4610 was judged (I think) many many years before I bought it, my Black 2130 was judged by the previous owner in the mid 90's w/o deduction but I have since restored the car and replaced the top.... haven't had it re-judged yet. And finally my 1693 is an unrestored original and has not been judged.

[Chuck G.]

Re: 54 soft top

Chuck, did your top's pass judging?

Yes, but I know that it has always been somewhat controversial, i.e., the direction of the "wire-on".

Somewhere (maybe in Florida), I have some pix of original 54 tops. Won't be able to access them till the next trip down in about a month.

Chuck

[Wayne P.]

Re: 54 soft top

I have an old late 54 style top that I always thought still had the original canvas on it. It has the front as Chuck shows on the 53 top.