Body / Glass: 1951 Commander Convertible top

[chocolate turkey]

I am helping my friend and fellow SDC'er Russ Haggen complete his 1951 Commander convertible. We are in need of either a complete top frame assembly or, possibly the cast metal hinge pieces. The original is broken in four places and would be horribly expensive to recreate. Anyone have a parts car laying about?

Thanks, Brian Curtis.

[RadioRoy]

Good luck on your restoration.

When you and your friend get around to putting the soft top on the frame, please remember this. The rear window goes directly into/onto the top fabric. It does not go into a flap that zips out like a modern convertible. 1947-51 Studebaker tops had die cast window frames inserted directly into the top fabric. You cannot open the rear window with the top up.

Several people have restored Studebaker 47-51 convertible tops incorrectly, inserting the window into a fabric flap that takes the place of the vinyl window in another brand of car. Since no one seems to want to research Studebakers, everyone thinks this is OK.

If you look at the shop manual, or the owners manual, or the parts/accessories brochure, you will see how the rear window is supposed to be placed.

In 1952, the year after your friends car, Studebaker finally went to a vinyl rear window, like everybody else. That window has a zip out flap and can be lowered with the top in place, but earlier cars, like the 51 cannot, and do not have the rear window in a separate flap.

I have seen and judged many otherwise finely restored Studebaker convertibles and I always ding them points for the top being made incorrectly.

Here is your chance to do one correctly.

[(S)]

Pg 133 of SI's catalog has a tiny picture of some of these parts.

[rrausch]

Do you need just the cast pieces? You could contact Cattail Foundry, in Gordonville, Penn. They are an Amish foundry, run by a family of farmers who cast metal in their off-time. They specialize in gray iron and aluminum castings. Since they are Amish, contacting them electronically or even by phones can be complicated. They do have a phone number that will allow you to leave a message and they will call you back, but don't expect anybody to actually answer. Typically, six to eight weeks after you send them your pattern or the piece you want copied, you will get your pattern and new castings back in a box with an invoice. I have heard they do excellent work and are very reasonable in price.

Cattail Foundry
Emanuel J. King
167 W. Cattail Road
Gordonville, PA 17529
(717) 768-7323

[studegary]

Frank Goss had a complete parts quality convertible that he bought with his 1951 Commander convertible that he had restored. Frank did not need the parts car's top assembly. I do not know if he still has the parts car in his storage garage. You can find Frank in the SDC Roster.

I second what RadioRoy said about the rear windows.

[chocolate turkey]

Thanks to all! Great info and will be sure that it gets done right.
Some of the parts we need are available through S.I. and will contact Frank Goss.

Again, Thanks!