Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

[Johnny Gumballs]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Well.......after looking at the four different styles, the SVC one is for me. I just hope they are still in business come springtime.

[Guest]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Hi All,

Just want to clear up a few points about the various styles of tonneau covers. The 'Evening Black' one pictured on this thread is made by my company, Powersport Corporation. Ours was the FIRST, and IMHO the best true 'Roadster Style' tonneau cover available. Despite my obvious bias, there are some very compelling reasons why ours is better:

1. Our Roadster-Style tonneau cover is manufactured of 'high impact; OEM grade ABS plastic. More durable and chip/crack-resistant than fiberglass.

2. Ours is the only one I know of that has both and 'inner' and an 'outer' piece. We fuse two pieces of the ABS together to form a one-piece design. This provides better rigidity (there are molded in support 'bars' on the underside), and a more substantial feeling piece overall. Also, with a fully-finished bottom, there are no 'rough edges' or fiberglass 'lay up' marks on the inside.

3. The price of our Tonneau, $ 1,795.00, INCLUDES painting to match ALL Thunderbird colors, including the 'Feature Cars' - PCR, 007, and '50th Anniversary 'Cashmere.' This is a high quallity paint job, that is color-sanded and clear-coated for a high gloss finish (no orange peel like some of the T-Bird paint jobs have). Our paint work is done in a state-of-the-art spray booth by a company that supplies OEM automakers including Toyota TRD, Lincoln Mercury, and Saleen.

4. Ours is the only tonneau cover that features the 'waterfall' drop between the seats, like the 1962-63 Thunderbird 'Sports Roadsters.' In fact, our tonneau was designed by retired Ford designer James R. Powers, whose original concepts and full scale clay model while at Ford, led to the actual design of the 1961-1963 Thunderbirds. No other supplier of tonneau covers can claim that pedigree. We were very close to an agreement with Ford Motor to offer our tonneau cover as a 'factory' option on the 2006 Thunderbird, until Ford cancelled the 2006 production.

5. Our Tonneau is the only one that features cover 'headrest caps' like the original 1962-63 Sports Roadsters and 1958-1969 'Square Bird' convertibles. The headrest caps are covered in Everflex vinyl (same material as used on the Rolls Royce vinyl tops and Corniche convertibles), and can be color-matched to any color T-Bird interior including 'Saddle,' Light Sand,' '007 White,' PCR 'Light Ash,' etc. The headrest covers are STANDARD, and included in the base purchase price.

6. Our tonneau cover features a 'seven-point' attachment system, with no cutting or drilling whatsoever! Three metal tabs slide under the rear deck (sail panel), two pins fit into the hardtop holes (so you can't put it on crooked), and there is a strap behind each seat the mounts to a bracket under the seat track. The brackets are a one-time installation, and does NOT require removal of the seats. Simply remove the nuts on the existing floor bolts, slide the bracket under and re-install the nuts. The other half of the strap connects to the tonneau cover itself, and to put on or take off the tonneau cover you just connect or disconnect two 'quick snap' releases (one behind each seat). The tonneau cover weighs just 21 lbs. and can easily be removed or put on by ONE person in less than a MINUTE!

7. The underside of our Tonneau cover has a protective rubber/felt molding to protect the T-Bird's painted surface.

8. Our tonneau will 'nest' in the hardtop rack when not in use, at the same time the hardtop is on it. One rack holds both.

A few drawbacks:

Our tonneau cover will NOT fit in the trunk, due to the waterfall drop. In three years I have only heard from one T-Bird owner who got 'caught' by a sudden rain shower. We sell a water-resistant interior or 'cockpit' cover in case of unexpected rain. Most T-Bird owners don't take their cars out if it looks like even a slight chance of rain. Also, we will soon be offering a removable 'luggage/storage' rack that will fit into the trunk, and can carry the tonneau cover and allow use of the softtop. It also will double as a storage rack for oversized luggage, golf clubs, skis, or large packages. No permanent installation needed. No cutting or drilling either.

On of our customers called us recently to say he had won first prize in a local Thunderbird show, and gave most of the credit to our 'Roadster-Style' Tonneau Cover, as this was the only mod on his 2002 'Thunderbird' Blue car.

Our tonneau looks like it was designed for the new Thunderbird, and not just an afterthought. It will not warp like fiberglass tends to.

I realize that everyone has different opinions about what looks best, and trunk storability is a plus. But if you compare features, materials, quality, standard painting, and design heritage/pedigree, I think the advantages of our product make it the stand out choice.

For those who want to see additional photos, visit www.powersportcars.com

Any other questions, feel free to make a post or send a PM.

Regards,

'L.A. PHIL'

[5bird7]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Hi All,
On of our customers called us recently to say he had won first prize in a local Thunderbird show, and gave most of the credit to our 'Roadster-Style' Tonneau Cover, as this was the only mod on his 2002 'Thunderbird' Blue car.
Regards,
'L.A. PHIL'

Here's the photos of that class winner - Yellow Rose Classic - August 2005.
(it's not mine)

[jerrym3]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

LAPhil, just curious.

What do you do with the part of the cover that's padded black (behind the headrest) when the car has a Saddle or Sand interior?

Do you match the interior color, or is black the only option?

[Bruce]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Jerry, I think he answered your question already............................

5. Our Tonneau is the only one that features cover 'headrest caps' like the original 1962-63 Sports Roadsters and 1958-1969 'Square Bird' convertibles. The headrest caps are covered in Everflex vinyl (same material as used on the Rolls Royce vinyl tops and Corniche convertibles), and can be color-matched to any color T-Bird interior including 'Saddle,' Light Sand,' '007 White,' PCR 'Light Ash,' etc. The headrest covers are STANDARD, and included in the base purchase price.

[T-Bird Concepts]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Here is a link to some pictures of our Hard Roadster Tonneau (two piece storable in the trunk);

http://www.thunderbirdconcepts.com/i...lery/index.htm

Yes, it's true, ours does look very similar to SVC's. We conceptualized our Hard Tonneau from several different idea's;

1) Keep it simple. We wanted to design it with a theory of less is more and therefore designed the Tonneau to compliment the Tbird's soft contours and lines. We kept the design focus on the whole design of the Tbird and not just the rear deck area.

2) We looked at other roadster tonneau's on fine vehicles such as the Corvette, BMW, and Mercedes as well as the 2001 Thunderbird Roadster Concept vehicle and the original 62' Bird to come up with the best fit style for the new Tbird.

3) To make it functional. We wanted it to fit in the very small trunk.

Hey Charles, do you have any personal pictures of our Tonneau design on your Tbird for the rest of the members to see in this post?

[Johnny Gumballs]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

The T Bird Concepts one as I look at it sure does compliment the car.

[YLO BRD]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Just a few questions regarding the tbirdconcepts hard tonneau:
-I was reading the installation instructions on the website and, could you explain the cam lock that is under the "rag top plastic"? I don't quite understand where or what this is.
-do you have any pictures of the top from the front angle? I'd like to see what it looks like between the seats.
-Is there any type of waterfall effect between the seats?
-Does it come painted?
-Is it fiberglass or plastic?
-What keeps it from rubbing the paint on the back deck?

[Guest]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Bruce,

Thanks for pointing out the answer to Jerry's question on Powerport's 'Roadster Style' Tonneau Cover.

Without repeating all the features of ours, I will reiterate that ours is the ONLY one that has the design integrity and heritage of a well-known former Ford Designer, James Powers, who basically created the 1961 Thunderbird and 1962-63 Sports Roadsters. Mr Powers also worked on the 1964-66 Thunderbird and designed that tonneau cover. His other credits include design work on the classic 1961 Lincoln Continental. His futuristic designs have been featured at the Peterson Automotive Museum, and are currently touring the world as part of a Smithsonian exhibit.

Also, Ford Motor Company seriously considered offering our tonneau cover as a factory option for the 2006 T-Bird, until the '06 production was cancelled.

I don't believe that any other tonneau manufacturer can make similar claims.

By the way, all of Mr. Powers designs, including photos of the full-scale clay model that became the 1961 Thunderbird, can be seen on our website at: www.powersportcars.com

'L.A. PHIL'

[T-Bird Concepts]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

YLO BRD,

Our Thunderbird Concepts Tonneau is a handlaid fiberglass material made here in the U.S.A. and comes with U.S.A made storage bags as to protect your Roadster Tonneau while storing it in the trunk.

Also, our tonneau lays on top of the rear deck area and is cusioned by a 1/8" thick rubber trim gasket thus protecting your charished Tbird from unwanted paint scratches!

[the3rdd]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Here are some picture of mine from SVC. I have not had it installed for long.

[the3rdd]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Behind the seats, Nothing there and I think it could use some trim on the egdes. The piture with my finger shows the part of the clasp that needs to be installed on the car

[Johnny Gumballs]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Thanks to everyone for their input and photos!! ( I wish it was spring time already )

[Bruce]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Don't forget Christmas John. A nice Tonneau under the tree to make the winter pass faster.

[YLO BRD]

Re: Poll: Hard Tonneau Styles

Dennis, Thanks so much for the photos especially the one between the seats, thats what I was looking for. Can you explain to me the part your pointing to that has to be installed on the car? Where is that installed and, it looks to be riveted on.

TbirdConcepts, Does the front of yours look like the SVC picture that Dennis posted? Does it come already painted? Please explain your installation instructions. Do you have to installed anything on your car like the one Dennis has shown?

These all look great and its going to be a hard decision.