F/glass Hard Top

[dave nagy]

I thought i might start a thread and not hijack someone elses

Well after 2 years and A LOT of sanding i have finally og the hard top on my 38 Mustang.

But of cause my phone went flat on saterday when i put it up so i dont have any pics of it up yet but that will change as soon as i get bak down there.

Here are some pis of the building and what it went on

\

Here is the boat with the old bimini

And some more of the building, oh did i say lots of sanding

And some more when all of the sanding was finally done

Edited July 27, 2009 by Davoo

[dave nagy]

From the top

The measurements i needed was 3 meters by 2.5 which to me seemed massive and it was in the garage, now its up it could have been alittle bigger.

Glass in a roll only comes in 1.2 or 1 meter wide so i put 2 sheets of masionite down in the garage sticky taped togeather lenghtways as they only come in 2.4m long. This gave me the length and i layed chopstrand then mat which gave me a sheet of around 2-3 mm thich. I done this times 2, but still i was not wide enough.

Back to the masionite with the sheets wide enough to give me about 2.7meters i glassed them togeather with a peice of timber underneath to give me a rib for strenght as well as a recessed grab rail on the under side. There i had the skin for it.

I flipped it over and sat it in a cradle to give the arch shape

I then glassed over 4by2 thinly which i peeled off the timber to make the ribs down each side and measured out where the mounting poles will be and put in about 1cm of glass for strength. These were glassed on around about 10cm in from the edge with about 3-4mm thich mat.

The front and back shapes were made from masionite and same thing with glass matt.

The big rib on top is much the same with masionite but has 12 mm ply as the arials will be through bolted, i will gain access via speaker holes when i get to that part.

The center radar wedge was molded separatly and glassed with the front cover rib over the recess rib. I made it hollow to be able to run the wires for the remote spotlight, plus it adds more strenght if its hollow.

This tied it all togather and made it very strong. I weigh 75kg and stood on the center rib slightly bouncing.

Next was the rolled edge. I trimed the right shape and glued and clamped conduit down the sides and made the bends with the gas stove and jouned it up with the front and back ones.

With left over glass cut it in strips sat it on the conduit down to where the skin top met the 4by2 rib and glassed them on. Once again another hollow rib the whole way around. More strength. Plus the waterwill allways run out to the edge.

Then i think something like 150 -200 hours (all up including 2 pack primer sanding)of sanding. I did screw up a couple of times trying to cut corners, like poring resin over it to get it smooth, bad idea. And useing a belt sander that left gouges at the edges of the belts.

One of the hardest thing was to try and fill the pin holes, ther were thousands of them and still is quite a few.

For $300 plus paint a panel beater painted it for me and got a pritty good finninsh on it(better than i could of done)

I fitted it just this weekend, i still need to make some more stays but its up. I will post some more photos later this week

Edited July 27, 2009 by Davoo

[dave nagy]

Here we go, some pics of it on

I still have to weld another stay at the rear to finnish of the ladder/rocket launcher look

Here are the last.

Me Like

You may notice the second last pic with the dash and be wondering where the instraments are.

Thats the nest project to finninsh before summer, it has 2 hatches that pop up and there is 2 sounders and gauges and the other one has the radios. Thats a major unfinnished progect, not for long i hope.

Whatcha think

Edited July 28, 2009 by Davoo

[SNAP-ER]

Here we go, some pics of it on

I still have to weld another stay at the rear to finnish of the ladder/rocket launcher look

Here are the last.

Me Like

You may notice the second last pic with the dash and be wondering where the instraments are.

Thats the nest project to finninsh before summer, it has 2 hatches that pop up and there is 2 sounders and gauges and the other one has the radios. Thats a major unfinnished progect, not for long i hope.

Whatcha think

Very nice!!!!!!!!!

[dave nagy]

Thanks mate

[dave nagy]

Here is one with the stainless work completed on one side, not polished (ran out of gas welding)

[REBSS]

[VERY GOOD JOB

[dave nagy]

I knocked up this dubber ruckie rack with the left over ribs from the soft top.

Once all the welding is done im going to knock up a davit the slides into a rod holder like thin on the bow rail up near where it bends into the bowsprit (stronger up there).

I figer i weight 75 kg and put all of my weight plus pulling/pushing on it when rafting up, so it should be able to lift a small dubber ruckie that i can carry (on one hand up the gunnel) + a 4HP, up and over the bowsprit.

LOST OF WORK TO DO BEFORE SUMMER.

It gets slipped in october and a full cut and polish. There is alot of boat when it comes to cut and polishing.

OOHH and clears, I was going to do them myself but i think i have enough to do.

[dave nagy]

And another view

[dave nagy]

here we go fully polished

Man thats ahard job

[paddy69]

That is awesome that you did it yourself! what an achievement! I also have boat envy! well done mate enjoy.

Pat

[dave nagy]

You may laugh.

The Dubber ruckie rack is way to high.

With the rubber duckie on the top, the duck is higher than the bow rail.

So it was back to the garage, its all been cut up to be (fully) lowered.

I have all of the lid stays welded but am well and truly done with polishing

You dont get very far and make a massive mess for not much shine.

I have spoke to a mate who knows a polisher. Ill have to pay the bucks.

Summer is approching fast, i have to get my finger out.

Edited September 21, 2009 by Davoo

[dave nagy]

Here is the the lid with clears on

They still need the zips for the sides to the front. Just ran out of time before xmas.

I made the templates up and gave them to a mob called Ace Canvas on Taren Point Rd.

Considering the bad templates i done, thay managed to come through with the clears.

But all in all not bad for $800 + the sail track $150

I know a friend that got a 35 berty redone and that cost $3500, my f/bridge is longer than a bertys one.

[olitay]

I was just about to say you should add some nice clears to the hardtop, then i saw the last post.

Well done mate, that looks unreal!

[dave nagy]

Yeah

its all got to do with the $$$fun tickets $$$ and being able to get them of the finance manager.