Trumpeter Nova ragtop???

[noname]

I was just wondering if anybody made an aftermarket top to go on the Trumpeter 63 Nova convertible? If not, how hard would it be to make a ragtop? Has any of you ever done this before?

Thanks in advance.

Edited April 3, 2009 by noname

[mademan]

I cut the top off a trumpeter hardtop and am reworking it to make it look like a rag top.

[noname]

That doesn't sound easy..good luck. You'll have to post it when your done.

I was hoping someone made a resin one. I know making one from scratch with some real material of some sort would be possible. I don't know if thats over my head or not.

[MrObsessive]

That's the same thing I would do Mike. No one that I know of makes an uptop for the Trumpeter Nova.

Making one from a hardtop isn't too hard. First you need some GOOD photos of the car with the top up--------then with some sheet styrene, strip styrene, and some putty.......a nice uptop can be made.

Here are some pics of an uptop I made years ago for a stillborn '64 GTO convertible from the cut off hardtop.

When the shape is to your satisfaction, simply primer and paint.

HTH!

[noname]

That looks great Bill. Very convincing.

[roadhawg]

Somewhere, I have a reprint of an old car model magazine article from the 60s that shows how to make a WORKING convertible top, using cloth from a dress shirt. I'm going to try to find it....if I do, I'll scan it and post it here.

[MrObsessive]

Yeah.................I originally wanted a working one on the GTO, I scratchbuilt a working top frame and all...............

The bottleneck was the top material..........I did find something that was workable, but in this scale didn't seem right for scale fidelity so I gave up on it and made a top out of the hardtop.

[george 53]

If you can find an ol Rat Packer Nova, just cut the roof from it. I can GUARANTEE it'll be easier than scratch building one!

[roadhawg]

Yeah.................I originally wanted a working one on the GTO, I scratchbuilt a working top frame and all...............

The bottleneck was the top material..........I did find something that was workable, but in this scale didn't seem right for scale fidelity so I gave up on it and made a top out of the hardtop.

Pretty darn impressive, sir! Yeah, I guess it might be difficult to find in-scale convertible top material. The article I have was using white fabric from a mens dress shirt, which would certainly be out of scale, but this was in the 60s....65,66?....back when Dremels ran on steam.

[roadhawg]

If you can find an ol Rat Packer Nova, just cut the roof from it. I can GUARANTEE it'll be easier than scratch building one!

Not a bad idea, but it would take a lot of work still....the vert top is shaped more like a sedan top than the hardtop style.

[Zoom Zoom]

one of the first things to think about here is that the windshield frame and vent windows are too tall in the Trumpeter kit. the coupe is okay, but for some reason the convertibles are off.

there was an old AMT or MPC convertible? it was a typically simplified kit for the time, but the body was very nice and windshield proportions were much more accurate appearing.

Dave

That is correct; the Trumpeter Nova CV windshield frame is cartoonish in it's extra height (every one I see one built it makes me wince it's so bad); it's not only too tall but the rake appears too vertical as well. Adding an uptop to the model would just magnify the flaws rather than flatter the model. We're talking clown-car proportions. It would be quite a job to fix the Trumpeter windscreen issues and make an uptop for it (done correctly it would be killer since the rest of the Nova is pretty nice). AMT's annual Nova CV windshield height looks perfect.

[MrObsessive]

Right you are Bob! I did PM him earlier about that SNAFU on Trumpeter's part.

That frame CAN be fixed though if you'll take a look at the following pics...................

I used a pair of dividers on the coupe to confirm to myself that the convertible's frame is too tall............

Here's the 'vert's windshield frame.........obviously too tall!!

And here are pics after the fix..................I cut out the windshield header and lowered it about 1-2 scale inches..............

I don't know when I'll build this one as I did the fix on this when this was a brand new release..........seeing this thread has me tempted now!

[MrObsessive]

Here's a few pics I just Googled of a '63 Chevy II convertible...........................Trumpeter's windscreen is so waaaaay off it's laughable!

[Scott H.]

If anyone needs or wants good pictures of a '62 to '64 (they stopped production of them in '64) Nova Convertible, I can see if the people on my Nova E-Mail List will be kind enough to send me pictures of their cars and I'll either post them or send them to who is wanting them. I might be able to con someone into taking pictures or measurements of the sections that people need for detailing reference, but I'm making NO PROMISES!!!

There are a few members on the list that have them ranging from in progress projects to completed drivable cars.

There is every make and model of Nova from '62 to '79 on the list, so if there are other years you are needing info / pictures of I can ask about those too.

Let me know and I'll see what I can do,

-Scott H.

Edited April 3, 2009 by Scott H. AKA Cpt. Bondo

[Mike Chernecki]

I have a '62 Nova ragtop, but it is buried in the driveway under about 3 feet of snow. How about trying to modify an uptop from a '65 Mustang, they are similair in shape if I remember right. I thought the revell/monogram '65 mustang came with an uptop or did it???

[MrObsessive]

Yes, the Revellogram '65 Mustang convertible came with an uptop. With some tweaking it might work.........I was never a fan of the uptop personally, it's too "blocky" with not enough "droop" and "sag".

In fact, if they went a bit further with that top, they could give us a proper 2 dr hardtop which is a no brainer.

[mademan]

If you need any pics of the top up, lmk and I can head over to my parents place. my dads got a 63 acadian beaumont sport deluxe convertible ( much more rare than a nova ss) also in the driveway is his project 63 2 door hardtop, and on the farm me have 38 more of em all 63-5 novas acadians, wagons, hardtops, posts, etc.etc.

[Olle F]

The bottleneck was the top material..........I did find something that was workable, but in this scale didn't seem right for scale fidelity so I gave up on it and made a top out of the hardtop.

Have you ever seen an old parachute? I don't know what they're made of nowadays, but I have a piece of a German WWII parachute and it's made of the thinnest and finest silk fabric I have ever seen. Of course, there aren't too many German WWII parachutes around, but some surplus stores sell cheap GI parachutes (usually just canopies with the cords cut off). It might be something you could try, it would be a shame not to use that frame. The best thing about it is that you don't have to worry about screwing up, there's enough fabric in a parachute for several attempts.

[Harry P.]

Hey Bill... if you don't mind a few odd stares from female customers, check out the fabric section of Hobby Lobby or Michaels. They have a TON of different fabrics and materials, I'm almost positive you'd find something that would look correct as convertible top material. It would be a shame to waste that incredible top mechanism you made...

[noname]

I agree, Bill you've got to finnish that top. It's way to cool to leave sitting in a box.

[Jon Cole]

About scale convertible up-tops, I recall about a decade ago (give or take a few years) a company, possibly Brookfield Collectors Guild, did a convertible Chrysler Sebring with a working convertible top. I remember looking at it in the box, and being rather unimpressed.

It's difficult to get a fabric to cooperate, and look 'in-scale'.

I like the '66 Mustang up-top idea. I also recall years ago, one of the two following resin dealers, F&F, or R&R (I always get them mixed up) used to sell many different resin up-tops. I don't know what is currently available.

Something I have always wanted to try, is to build a static version of what Bill did with his '64 GTO. For my tastes, I would use a mix of plastic square rods (PlastiStruct), and aluminum (K&S) to build the shape. I would 'skin' that with either wide masking tape (don't forget the seams!) or even use facial tissues glued taunt and then coated with a thinned mix of water & white glue.

BTW, the "water & white glue" idea is a good way to give any molded up-top a nice texture.

-Jon-

[george 53]

Ya know Bill, I'm thinkin some very fine silk, like the more expensive stuff you'd get from a fabric store, the thread count would be MUCH finer, an maybe it could pass for canvas roofing.Just a suggestion.

[Ray]

Convertable Novas were only made in 62 and 63. SS convertable Novas were a 63 option only.

If anyone needs or wants good pictures of a '62 to '64 (they stopped production of them in '64) Nova Convertible, I can see if the people on my Nova E-Mail List will be kind enough to send me pictures of their cars and I'll either post them or send them to who is wanting them. I might be able to con someone into taking pictures or measurements of the sections that people need for detailing reference, but I'm making NO PROMISES!!!

There are a few members on the list that have them ranging from in progress projects to completed drivable cars.

There is every make and model of Nova from '62 to '79 on the list, so if there are other years you are needing info / pictures of I can ask about those too.

Let me know and I'll see what I can do,

-Scott H.