For anyone brave enough to fit their own soft top on an AK gen II
Same process for most cobra`s
I decided to do it myself, due to cost and the distance to travel to AK, having fitted soft tops on my previous Westfield builds, I was fairly confident I could do this myself, the only thing I could not do was make the soft top as I'm no good at sewing and don't have a sewing machine that would sew that thick a material. I was lucky I bought a brand new never been fitted soft top that needed some alterations, I found a local trimmer to make a small alteration to make sure it fitted. He sewed in the rear felt seal for me. Hood bow sets are easy to buy, JK sports cars, Brasscraft, Europa etc etc, same with the ferrules, just get the right diameter internally to match you hood bows.
You can buy a kit from JK sports cars, which almost fits perfectly on an AK, other club members have fitted the JK kit. But not sure about side windows, I am not fitting side windows at present, (maybe ill make some like the type used on my old Westfield kit cars at later date if I need them.
Best to do this before going to paint, but I did it after the car was on the road.
My Fitting procedure
1)You need to fit 2 ferrules into your body work for the rear roof bars, not that difficult and you can get 2 types, the bond in type or the type with nuts on, I went with the bond in type. Make sure they are the correct diameter for your hood bows, to fit in, and if required drill a hole down the center to allow them to drain if they get filled with water you can't get it out. You could fit a drain tube as they are going to be behind the bonded in rear wing section on some cars. Mark out their location just behind the doors, and either screw them in or bond them in. Just be careful as they could be inside a void where the rear inner arch is bonded to the body. I do have a drawing to help find the correct position. I Used Araldite and P40 to bond mine in.
2)Set up the rear roof support bars, into the ferrules, they may need a bit of bending to get the correct shape and distance and angle. Screen angle also effects a soft top, several different versions for different cars. ( I have some drawings if anyone needs some help )
3)Fit your rear roof bars and lay your soft top over the bars, you should have Velcro tabs on the inside to hold them in place. Fit your front screen bow bars without fitting the side catches.
4)Lay the soft top out and over the top of the screen bows, just use masking tape to hold your soft top to your windscreen. You need a min of 2inch past the top screen bows which you will later glue to the bows and tuck & glue the extra inside the bows.
5)Check side your side measurements and get the soft top central.
6)If you are fitting a Tonneau cover you might be able to use the same row of studs, other wise you will end up with 2 rows. Well worth looking at and planning before you start. (Trust me to decide to make one to fit onto the same row of Tenex studs, I will do write up for that later when its complete.)
7)Fit the central rear Tenex fastener first, then work out the distance you are going space out the rest on the right and left hand side, I udes chalk to measure out the distance and make a mark, About 6 inch apart as an aprox size. Which equals about 14 to 16 studs and fastener's. Depending on your body thickness, standard size Tenex studs are not long enough so go for the extra-long ones and cut to length, I also fitted a plastic washer under the head to seal it to the paint, with a washer and spring washer underneath. Work from the center outwards on both sides, making sure the inner felt seal fits snug to the body work, it's a bit difficult in the valleys as its on a bend but just take your time and measure 3 times and drill the hole once. Fit you Tenex stud and fasteners. Until all the rear ones are complete. I have some photos if you need help.
8)With the rear section in place, the next step is gluing the front soft top to the screen bows, Allow plenty of time for this, prepare by stretching the soft top down the screen as much as you can and hold in position with masking tape, I have photos if you need help. Make a chalk line on the inside of the soft top to hood bows, this is where you can work out the extra 2 inches you need before cutting it to length. Also gives you a glue line.
9)Measure 3 times and cut once, paint a thin line of glue on the inside edge of the fabric, then paint a line of glue on the top half of the screen bows. Get some one to help you, one on each side is best. Lay the soft onto the glued top bows keeping it as tight as possible working from the rear to the front keeping it central, put a line on some tape on the hood and screen as a central guide. Keep it tight until the glue goes off, depending on what type of glue you use. Once its gone off remove your front hood bows glued to your hood, then trim to give 2 inches of fabric to glue to the inside of your hood bows, again glue both sides and let dry then fold it over into the channel of the hood bow, let it dry fully.
10)Re fit your hood and bows and make sure its nice and tight no sag in the middle, next glue in a strip of foam rubber or sealing foam inside the hood bows ontop of the fabric that you can squash down on to your screen frame, once you are happy with it, you can now fit the front bow catches, 3 pop rivets on the hood bows and 2 screws on the screen frame
11)Clip into position with the hood bow catches. Stand back and admire your handy work you just saved yourself a fortune.
I haven't cleaned it as yet so it is very dusty from being stored.
Additional advice, I read a few articles ages ago, in the old club forum where some had fitted a central support rod to prevent the soft top sagging, I think they used either an aluminum or fiber glass mop handle or extendable paint pole and made up either plastic or metal ends to attach it to the top of the screen and rear hood bow. Plastic pipe fittings cut with a slot or in half will work.
I will try and up load a few photos when I get chance. Just contact me for drawings and any other help or advise you need before starting, glue type, fastener type etc
20220402_160944 (2).jpg
Good description Mike!
Could we have this in full col glossy print in Snake Torque? It would make a good magazine tech article so if you're up for it, could you send me the drawings and pics (with files as large as possible) to magazine@ukcobraclub.co.uk (you could use WeTransfer.com to easily send large files rather than lots of messy emails)?
Cheers, Graham
Quote from: GJH on Sep 25, 2022, 08:10 AMGood description Mike!
Could we have this in full col glossy print in Snake Torque? It would make a good magazine tech article so if you're up for it, could you send me the drawings and pics (with files as large as possible) to magazine@ukcobraclub.co.uk (you could use WeTransfer.com to easily send large files rather than lots of messy emails)?
Cheers, Graham
Sure no problem, I will email you some pics and the drawings I have.
Awesome write up mate, will be interesting to see how you fit side screens also.
I have never had a desire to fit a top on mine, but after travelling at speed in a mates cobra through a hail storm many years ago, i sure as hell had an incentive to fit one ;D
I did mine almost exactly the same Mike except I fastened the good views down with the catches so they were in the final position before gluing, I used impact adhesive on the hood and hood bow and once it was stretched tight and stick down I then released the catches so there was no tension while the glue set completely. I then glued the excess hood material into the bow channel for extra strength before fitting some foam padding. Just a note, the hood bow is an upside down squared U shape, only put the glue on the leading edge and not on the top of the channel!
Quote from: tommy-boy on Sep 25, 2022, 10:02 AMAwesome write up mate, will be interesting to see how you fit side screens also.
I have never had a desire to fit a top on mine, but after travelling at speed in a mates cobra through a hail storm many years ago, i sure as hell had an incentive to fit one
I was thinking along the lines of my previous Westfield builds and how the side door tops fit onto the screen pillar post on a pin and socket, or make something similar so that it opens with the door, rather than having ferrules in the doors and the screens attached with pins. Im also looking at more solid type door window tops like some use with the hard tops, Winter project to think about.
Really good Mike,
Well impressed with your work and it looks great
Final fitting of the front section now complete.
I made a bit of a change to my plan and the instructions.
Rather than just glue the hood direct to the front bows, I received a great tip from Ian Young.
Good advice for anyone who doesn't have a lot of confidence to make alterations later if it's not quite perfect.
Put self-adhesive Velcro across the front of the bows on both half's at the front only, nothing on the top.
Then with an extra pair of hands, pull the hood fabric down over the self-adhesive Velcro, This will hold it to the bows as a temporary measure.
leave it for a few days to stretch, then you can remove it if you need to and make any adjustments.
Mark your cut line with chalk, You could if required undo the Velcro and re position or re stretch if required.
It gives you the option after cutting to length, if it stretches a bit to undo the Velcro and re stretch it.
Once happy with the stretch and position, Glue the cut end inside the bows for added security.
Only a 2inch flap of hood is glued so you could even alter it again at a later date, the flap inside the bows also act as an anti rattle / rub barrier between the bows and the screen frame.
Seems to have worked well, I will leave mine now for a few weeks to relax into its final position.
20220930_150929 side bow catch.jpg
20220930_153206 before final fix.jpg
20220930_172140 front bows complete.jpg
Hi,
Braver than me.
Questions though, do you have to have the windscreen centre stay bar in to fit a soft top and Can you still fit side wind wings?
Regards
Gav
Side wind wings still fit, and are not effected by the screen bows or hood.
So far I have not fitted a center stay bar.
I have yet to try it on a motorway or over 50mph, if it does sag a bit then I will fit
a center support bar. easy to make something up, maybe something like a fiber pole from a broom or mop or even a telescopic painting pole at a push, and make a clip for the top of the screen and use the 2 screw holes for badge
and just run it back to the rear hood bow, and use a plastic pipe fitting cut in half or similar.
I wont know this for a while as i have now sorn for the worse months. but update what I find in the spring.
Im also still looking at making up side screens at some point, Simular to ones that JK sports cars sale.
Same sort of idea that used on Westfields etc, just velcro to the hood from the inside.
I would recommend having a screen centre stay with a soft top.
What happens is that at speed , hood on, the air inside the car stars to pull the top screen rail up.
Are we talking about the same thing ??
I have a windscreen center bar with my rearview mirror on it.
Center stay 1.jpg
Center stay 2.jpg
Which I agree with your comment, helps keep the screen from being pulled up by the wind pressure inside the hood.
My reference was to a center bar from the rear hood bow to the top of the screen hood bow.
Horizontal not vertical. To aid supporting it from front to back. Prevent it flapping onto your head almost
Hi Mike, as you point out I was talking about the front screen stay not a stay front to back.
I've never tried one, but then my hoods have spent so little time on the cars it's probably not worth it in my case.
I'm almost certainly going hard top this time.
Quote from: Kev Davies UKCC Membership on Nov 21, 2022, 10:24 AMHi Mike, as you point out I was talking about the front screen stay not a stay front to back.
I've never tried one, but then my hoods have spent so little time on the cars it's probably not worth it in my case.
I'm almost certainly going hard top this time.
..... look forward to your posts on that.
Hi
Sorry about resurrecting this thread.
Couple of questions
Firstly, are the hoodsand instructions interchangable between kit manufacturers, I have a Pilgrim
Secondly, are the bonded in ferrules for the hood frame rigid enough. There is no flex?
Thanks
I would not think all the kits are interchangeable, JK sports car kits do fit on an AK, I have no idea if they fit on pilgrim. Bonded in ferrules can be good if you have plenty of access to fully bond them in internally, if you can only bond them in from the top, then sooner or later they will work lose.