Pattern for a Cord Cabriolet Convertible Top

Auburn/Cord Parts wrote: No two are alike, you must create a pattern for each car. Also, there are 2 distinct designs of tops for the Cabriolet and 3 different bow heights so you understand why a pattern doesn't work for all cars. Stan Auburn/Cord Parts

Hi Stan!

I am glad to see you on the new system. I ordered new wiper arms for my Cabriolet from you last week. Have they gone out yet?

I saw the job that you did on George Waken's Cabriolet. Very nice! I have been taking a lot of pictures of his to use as a guidline for mine.

Thanks for the tip on getting a top made. This kind of advice is exactly what we are looking for on this BBS. No one wants to make an expen$ive mistake. I have been given a name, Tom Richardson, to contact for a pattern for a top. Do you also do tops?

Feel free to post any ads or your links in the BUY & SELL area of this forum.

Hi Bill-

How about some friendly advise from a professional restorer, who has restored many Cord Cabriolets over the years.

No two are alike, you must create a pattern for each car. Also, there are 2 distinct designs of tops for the Cabriolet and 3 different bow heights so you understand why a pattern doesn't work for all cars. The Cabriolet top is very small and only requires 5 yards of top material and 3 yards of bowdrill for making the pads and covering the wood top bows. A good trim man should be able to make patterns and sew up the top in 12-15 hours with approximately 4 hours to make up the pads and cover the bows. Somewhere around 20 hours at the most and you should have a well tailored top sewn and installed on your top frame.

I suspect that you are describing the front top bow clamps where the bow latches to the windshield posts. They get mistreated over the years.

Stan
Auburn/Cord Parts

If you use somebody else's pattern for your top, it'll probably fit their car but not yours. Cords were hand assembled enough that 99% of parts will need to be hand fabricated or assembled. I'd find a good trim shop and have them custom fit a top to your car. The factory workers back then were the same as you'd find in a factory today......if it didn't fit and they could use a big hammer to "solve" the problem, then it was probably done!

Derek

Anyone know where I can find the patterns for a Cord Cabriolet cloth top?

I am rechroming my metal assembly which is in pretty good condition. Anything that is stainless steel will not be chromed.

I also have a number of wooden spars? (for lack of the correct term) and they have brass inserts at the ends. The brass pieces are what slide over the posts on the windshield.

One of these is a little bent up. I guess the "usual suspects" can straighten these or replace them?