Tonneau Installation

[pgermond]

Any of you guys installed the tonneau cover provided by Unique? I have the pins installed in the body, and the cover requires the snaps to be installed. It appears to me you have one chance to do this (install the snaps) right..... if not, well it probably winds up looking like, ah, well, terrible.

I’ve considered taking it to an auto upholstery shop, but would prefer to do it myself if it’s doable. Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions.


Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)

[clayfoushee]

Phil,

Whomever installed mine did a nice job, but it wasn't me. Are the cutouts for the rollbar already done by Unique? That seems to be the trickiest part.

I've done it on boat canvas covers before by taping the cover down securely (minimum of 4 hands required) and making a small hole in the center of where the snaps should go over each post.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[weaver]

Phil, unless you have a tool to punch out the holes in the cover it might be best to let a top shop do it, I have a tool and it is still a little tricky.

Alan

[dmiller]

phil, i bought the tool, and will loan to you, haven't used it yet, but you got to promise to keep good notes on how the project went, and alert me if i should go to "top" shop as Weaver suggest.

let me know and i'll send to you.

doug

[Tony Radford]

Phil, I took mine to an upholstry shop and paid $300 to get the snaps installed, which I think is a bit much. I was hauling my car on an open trailer to SAAC last summer and was in a crunch. I had received quotes as low as $50, but the only shop I found that could jump right on it was the high bidder. I think Clyde Hill "Chill" bought the tool and did his himself. Knowing Clyde, it came out great. I thnk he told me it was no big deal.

427SC, Torch Red / white stripes
427 Windsor Stroker from Southern Automotive
Delicious example of Beauty + Power.

[pgermond]

Thanks everyone. Looks like a split decision on what I should do.

Doug, I appreciate your offer, and still may take you up on it, but I'm going to get a couple of quotes first. Alan's comment about being a "little tricky" made me twitch.

Thanks again!

Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)

[clayfoushee]

Probably not a split decision and makes more sense to have an upholstery stop do it. I just said I'd done it on a boat with more pliable canvas. If it were me, I'd take to an upholstery shop.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[eliminator]

I did mine and it wasn't that difficult, just time consuming. I pulled the cover tight and aligned it ( 2 person job ) then used duct tape to secure it. Marked each snap location with a Testors White Paint Pen, just a little dot. Punched the holes with a leather punch then installed the snaps, which will push through the top and secured each tab with a punch over a soft block of wood. Fits just fine. One thing, I did my installation prior to having my car painted. Installed the snap posts and the top then removed the screw in post prior to painting. Be sure to put a little nylon or ss washer under each post so they wont screw up your paint job when you tighten them up:(.

Eliminator

[Mike Geddes]

Phil....I put my own cover on ,and did not find it too difficult.
I laid the cover out on my back yard deck in the sun to soften it up a little.....then very accurately laid out the snap locations...punched a hole for the center and set the snaps with a small hammer with a wooden backing block.
Then I set the first 2 studs on the dashboard...snapped on the cover, stretched it out ( with someone holding the opposite side ) and marked each successive pair of opposite side studs....set those studs and then on to the next pair till the job was complete.
Mike

Mike Geddes

[GeorgiaSnake]

I used the same tool that Chill used and it was a "snap".

Randy

Unique 289 FIA
Southern Automotive 396
Team III 16's
Brilliant Silver

[Copper01]

I'm having the thermal shield and carpeting done by a local upholstery shop and they said that they'd do the tonneau for $130 and have it finished by the time they're done with the other work. By Monday evening I'll be bolting in seats and harnesses and then the real fun begins! :D

Ben
Unique 427
SA 427SO w/ Toploader
Guardsman Blue w/ White Stripes