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Source for correct convertible top pads

5K views 28 replies 8 participants last post by  slim 
#1 ·
NPD used to carry a near correct woven style pad set. No longer made.

Does anyone know of a source for OEM style pad sets?
 
#3 ·
Are they heavy coarse weave single layer?
 
#4 ·
Looing for "correct" not "good".


This is the concours forum???
 
#5 ·
Hmmm... they sell "64-68" pads.


As 65-66 were differnt to 67-78 it means they are typical one-size-fits-all repros...
 
#10 · (Edited)
Thought I recalled you have the original pads on your 68 vert. Am I wrong?
I know the originals are on my 68. Don't recall if I took good pics of the pads when
I was replacing the top.
 
#7 ·
That's why I buitted in. My 68 has the original pads for that reason. The repo pads are like comparing a cotton T shirt to neavy weight jeans material.
 
#8 ·
No "butting in" when folks contribute. :smile2:


Yep, those look like the ones NPD used to carry (think maybe I sold that set to you too!). Seems they are not made any more and you're stuck with one-size-fits-all made from top material or a fabric/foam core style (that falls apart in a few years).


Will keep looking....
 
#9 ·
Yes, the pading with the foam insert doesn't cut it. The new Scott Drake type are a solid material that are nothing like the original style woven fabric. Would someone have a picture of an original top or quarter pad?

Cheers
Dino
Land of OZ
 
#11 ·
I do not. Mine were long gone when I bought the car... I only have pics of the old NPD woven ones. I am casting about looking for a source for material and may look into manufacturing a few sets if I can find the right material.


None of the top vendors I have contacted have it, so the next step is fabric manufacturers, once I get a good idea if what it is like...
 
#12 ·
Sending you a PM.
 
#13 ·
For proprietary sake, I can't disclose our old source for the material. But I believe we CAN get a new "run" of the correct material done. The problem was that back when we discussed it, the minimum-run would be enough to last a few centuries, given our existing sales-volume. Not feasible to do. But given this discussion, I'm going to do a bit of homework on GM and Mopar convertibles, to see if there's more market out there than just the Mustang we were catering to. And then we'll revisit the math to re-run the material. Can't make any promises, and even if we did it wouldn't happen overnight, but we'll run it back up the flag-pole.

Rick
NPD
 
#14 ·
Rick, as you may know Richard has been researching/writing/actually doing the manual on 65-68 Mustang convertible
top...spelling out frame, frame parts and all top fabric materials. It may well be that the Fairlane/Torino, Camero, Malibu and other cars also use similar material so it might be worthwhile. Richard is working on 65-68 Mustang vert
documenting, NPD has a zillion parts from 100s of suppliers!
 
#15 ·
I've done a bit of research, and the Ford-style materials and top pads were unique to Ford, not shared by GM or Mopar. But yes, I'm going into this with the prospect of offering correct top pads for a myriad of Ford convertible applications, and wholesaling them, in an effort to move enough volume to justify the exercise/investment.

Rick
NPD
 
#16 ·
Rick, thanks for the info... I'll drop you an email....
 
#17 ·
Replacement Convertible Top Manufacturer, convertible tops, rag tops
Electron Makes them and they're great, also MADE IN THE USA by a company thats been in business for three generations!

Many of the Mustang vendors don't use them since they don't have as high of a profit margin as the Chinese tops/pads they buy and sell. You get what you pay for and they won't be around in the future if people and vendors keep up there attitude that profit trumps quality.
 
#18 · (Edited)
You are in the concours forum. I believe dalorzof indicated we are looking for correct pads at any cost/price. Think he searched
electron as have I. Just searched their cat don't see the correct vintage Ford product pads but maybe missed it, was searching
the pad in their cat starting page 117. Help if you see what I missed!


Humbly yours,
Slim
 
#20 ·
Well, you can do what you want. They may "work" but they are sure nowhere near OEM correct...


Odd reply on the concours forum.
 
#22 ·
+++ on some things quality is not the issue/problem nor is profit margin of the greedy vendor. Take a Ford Model T for example. They were made by the millions and sold for the lowest possible price. They didn't come with Packard quality upholstery made
of the finest wool or leather. If that material is no longer produced it could require an up front payment of $100,000s to get the
fabric producing machinery retooled and set up. Then a signed contract for 1000 yards of the material. Now the suppler of the material isn't the upholstery maker. They will want a minimum order to set up and produce the upholstery.

If a wealthy person like say Trump wants a suit (he may well pay $5000/suit) and he goes to a place like Nemun Marcus
(I'm an ex Robert Hall customer so the name I picked may not have suits) and says "I'll pay $20,000" for a suit of the same
fabric my grandfather got from Sears Roebuck. Sorry that fabric is no longer made and the one company that made went out of business 20 years ago and the only machine that made that fabric was scrapped. Sorry sir there is no known company you
can buy that could make the material for your special suits.

By the way in some cases China, Taiwan or India will reproduce things (knock offs) that no one else is interested in. Just saying!
 
#23 ·
Interesting thread. I also bought tops from Electron ie 5. As for padding have never
seen foam stuffed padding. Have a 68 in the garage and went out to look at padding.
As for appearance, the Raven pad is sort of correct, if not. Light was bad and left
garage door up and had to chase a cat off the top!! Dark Blue/Black Stayfast.7 yrs.
The padding is black and it would have come from NPD or Midland Mustang. Oh well... top color is not orig..
Perhaps Chas Turner on the Concours Mustang Forum may be of help. He does cvts.,
He did a 65/6 in light blue with dark top and it's off the chart.:thumbsup:
 
#24 · (Edited)
The foam were a not an uncommon repro. Have seen a few examples. The foam generally crumbles with age...

This is an example set I have for reference, bought in 1995 or so. Scott Drake. Just stitched top fabric and the foam in slipped inside the "c" to add loft/body to the pad.





This is a pic of what I have seen from a few vendors recently, woven nylon, thinner and a different texture to the originals.

 
#26 · (Edited)
Looked thru the collection of parts and found samples.

Left, newer nylon woven pads. Thin, much more flexible than originals.

Right, older NPD "correct" reproductions. Very close.

On top, a section of an original from a '68 top. Note tighther weave than NPD.

NPD was 0.090" thick, the OEM 0.080" and the nylon 0.050".




 
#27 ·
And if anyone has a known original set and can post pictures, especially details of the details of the sides, it woudl be helpful. I'm looking into if the pads were just serged, or had a sewn hem.


Slim's donated pics show a hem on the inner edge of the rear 1/4 pads. I have an older photo in my "collection" and a close up show it to almost look like the sierra grain vinyl. I am unsure if the side pads had this or just serging.


I believe '65-'66 side pads were 7 1/2" wide and '67-'68 7". Any confirmation off known originals appreciated (Slim confirmed '67-'68, more just lock it in for the book)
 
#28 ·
C'mom, don't be shy... has to be at least one more original set of pads out there in addition to the pics Slim already sent me... :smile2:
 
#29 ·
Sending you a P.M.
 
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