Beige full tonneau

Kevin, the full tonneau is maybe the most useful single accessory for a Speedster.

Besides keeping the interior clean and protected from UV exposure, it's great for hiding all kinds of stuff you want to keep out of sight when parked. And, it keeps kids and pigeon poop out, too.

The original canvas one on my VS is pretty decent quality and I think Vintage Motorcars (Hawaian Gardens) still has the same ones at a reasonable price (don't know about the Arizona operation). You'll have to have the snaps custom installed for your car locally.

One caveat - I think the ones for real Speedsters are a different fit. Our cars have two bulkheads between the passenger and engine compartments - the original cars had only one. Somebody who knows for sure should chime in here, but don't order anything until you check that out.

And one last thing - if you're driving top down alone on a chilly morning, the car's a lot warmer with the passenger side zipped and the heat on.

If you have a VS, the tonneau material used to be the same as the soft top material. Nice, thick and heavy.  I have a 2013 as well...

i personally love mine. It’s on virtually year round- keeps sun out in summer, and heat in when it’s cold ;-)

as suggested above, try calling Gregg @Vintage Motorcars Inc  @VSpyder  since he works with the SoCal craftsman and local suppliers that used to make the covers/ tops for VS.  side note- I only wish his shop was closer to Seattle, my dealings with his shop have been 5star.

And do have a local shop install the snaps on the cover locally with your car on site... to custom fit to cover to your car.

i could take a better pic if desired... this is the only one I had on my cell.

Order it from Greg without snaps and have those installed locally. Or make an appointment with Greg and drive down and stay a day or two and have him do it.

Just found this pic on my phone.  I can’t remembers whose car, but it’s a VS with a VS cover in baige... like my black one. Hope this helps... I’m sure Greg can help you color match it to your interior. 

Thanks everyone. I ordered and received the full tonneau from Greg at Vintage. Now I just need to order the Tenax fasteners (probably from Eagle Day?) and take it to a local upholstery shop to install. 

I understand there are different fasteners, English and German.  I believe the original Speedsters had Tenax (w/ “GHE” written on the fastener), but now, if I’m reading correctly, they all now say “LOXX”.  A small detail I guess. 

Looking forward to the install. I was able to download the fastener placement location (I believe from Willhoit), but it already appears whomever installed my 1/4 tonneau played by the beat of their own drum. I have 13 fasteners for my 1/4 tonneau, whereas following this guide there should only be 10. 

I’ll send photos. 

@Kevin - Bay Area 

I found this article on the 356 Registry regarding the placement of the Tenax fasteners:

http://forum.porsche356registr...php?f=13&t=28160

That's a good reference Robert, but Kevin needs to use the existing locations on his car unless he is going to repair and repaint all the existing holes. He will have to remove the current snaps and replace them with Tenax studs. Also, he will need to remove and replace all of the snaps on his current quarter tonneau AND top.  That's a lot of Tenax fasteners and it's going to get VERY expensive!

If you decide to just use the existing locations, which I would recommend, you can easily use you quarter tonneau as a template to punch the holes on the new tonneau.  Be sure to buy the punch and the punch board.

All in all, Tenax fasteners are cool, but I would recommend that you just stick with the snaps. 

I had bookmarked this link to German Tenax - they have them in a less obvious Nickel plating vs Chrome. Prices seem good?

http://www.boatcanvashardware....cZZgTBCRQaAmE88P8HAQ

Troy Sloan posted:

That's a good reference, but Kevin needs to use the existing locations on his car unless he is going to repair and repaint all the existing holes. He will have to remove the current snaps and replace them with Tenax studs. Also, he will need to remove and replace all of the snaps on his current quarter tonneau and top.  That's a lot of Tenax fasteners and it's going to get VERY expensive!

Very true. Being exactly like the original (in terms of fastener count) isn’t a top priority for me, at least here. 

I’ll maintain the current locations. As Troy mentioned, switching all fasteners from button snap to Tenax is already getting pricey. 

To those of you with Full Tonneau covers, do you still use the quarter?

Kevin - Bay Area posted:

Troy Sloan posted:

That's a good reference, but Kevin needs to use the existing locations on his car unless he is going to repair and repaint all the existing holes. He will have to remove the current snaps and replace them with Tenax studs. Also, he will need to remove and replace all of the snaps on his current quarter tonneau and top.  That's a lot of Tenax fasteners and it's going to get VERY expensive!

Very true. Being exactly like the original (in terms of fastener count) isn’t a top priority for me, at least here. 

I’ll maintain the current locations. As Troy mentioned, switching all fasteners from button snap to Tenax is already getting pricey. 

To those of you with Full Tonneau covers, do you still use the quarter?

For some reason I misread the post and thought you were looking for the location of the original Tenax. Oh well.

I don't use the 1/4 tonneau anymore. The full tonneau is on all the time and I use it to block the seats from the sun while I'm inside having a cold beer. It makes everything out of sight and out of mind for the gawkers.

Kevin - Bay Area.......  it already appears whomever installed my 1/4 tonneau played by the beat of their own drum. I have 13 fasteners for my 1/4 tonneau, whereas following this guide there should only be 10. 

I’ll send photos. 

Not the "beat of their own drum,". That's the normal Vintage (pre 2018) snap configuration. Cars from Vintage in Arizona are different. 

WOLFGANG posted:

I had bookmarked this link to German Tenax - they have them in a less obvious Nickel plating vs Chrome. Prices seem good?

http://www.boatcanvashardware....cZZgTBCRQaAmE88P8HAQ

 

 

I bought from Eagle, but Wolfgang's link is good and this fastener will solve the problem of replacing the two twist fasteners with Tenax posts. 

http://www.boatcanvashardware....64&product_id=94

Like Robert, I use the full tonneau all the time.

As he says, it protects the interior from dirt, sun, even light rain, and the curious.

It will keep you warmer on a chilly day if driving alone with the passenger side zipped.

It's also great for travel. Leave your bags in the car while stopped for lunch, no worries. And if you need to stuff in an extra jacket, the tonneau stretches more than the frunk would.

In a pinch, you could probably wear it as a rain poncho, but I've never tried that.

Maybe the most useful swatch of canvas in Christendom.

Robert M posted:

Kevin - Bay Area posted:

Troy Sloan posted:

That's a good reference, but Kevin needs to use the existing locations on his car unless he is going to repair and repaint all the existing holes. He will have to remove the current snaps and replace them with Tenax studs. Also, he will need to remove and replace all of the snaps on his current quarter tonneau and top.  That's a lot of Tenax fasteners and it's going to get VERY expensive!

Very true. Being exactly like the original (in terms of fastener count) isn’t a top priority for me, at least here. 

I’ll maintain the current locations. As Troy mentioned, switching all fasteners from button snap to Tenax is already getting pricey. 

To those of you with Full Tonneau covers, do you still use the quarter?

I don't use the 1/4 tonneau anymore. The full tonneau is on all the time and I use it to block the seats from the sun while I'm inside having a cold beer. It makes everything out of sight and out of mind for the gawkers.

@Robert M

Doesn't that muffle that 1500 Watt wall of sound you have built behind your seats?  

Troy Sloan posted:

Robert M posted:

Kevin - Bay Area posted:

Troy Sloan posted:

That's a good reference, but Kevin needs to use the existing locations on his car unless he is going to repair and repaint all the existing holes. He will have to remove the current snaps and replace them with Tenax studs. Also, he will need to remove and replace all of the snaps on his current quarter tonneau and top.  That's a lot of Tenax fasteners and it's going to get VERY expensive!

Very true. Being exactly like the original (in terms of fastener count) isn’t a top priority for me, at least here. 

I’ll maintain the current locations. As Troy mentioned, switching all fasteners from button snap to Tenax is already getting pricey. 

To those of you with Full Tonneau covers, do you still use the quarter?

I don't use the 1/4 tonneau anymore. The full tonneau is on all the time and I use it to block the seats from the sun while I'm inside having a cold beer. It makes everything out of sight and out of mind for the gawkers.

@Robert M

Doesn't that muffle that 1500 Watt wall of sound you have built behind your seats?  

Not one bit!!  As a Vanatic you should know that bass notes are felt, not heard, and I feel them just fine. Mids and highs are another story but mine are appropriately placed so I can hear them as well. Rock on Troy!  LOL

Kevin,

I don't even know where my 1/4  tonneau is.

Art

Robert M posted:

Troy Sloan posted:

Robert M posted:

Kevin - Bay Area posted:

Troy Sloan posted:

That's a good reference, but Kevin needs to use the existing locations on his car unless he is going to repair and repaint all the existing holes. He will have to remove the current snaps and replace them with Tenax studs. Also, he will need to remove and replace all of the snaps on his current quarter tonneau and top.  That's a lot of Tenax fasteners and it's going to get VERY expensive!

Very true. Being exactly like the original (in terms of fastener count) isn’t a top priority for me, at least here. 

I’ll maintain the current locations. As Troy mentioned, switching all fasteners from button snap to Tenax is already getting pricey. 

To those of you with Full Tonneau covers, do you still use the quarter?

I don't use the 1/4 tonneau anymore. The full tonneau is on all the time and I use it to block the seats from the sun while I'm inside having a cold beer. It makes everything out of sight and out of mind for the gawkers.

@Robert M

Doesn't that muffle that 1500 Watt wall of sound you have built behind your seats?  

Not one bit!!  As a Vanatic you should know that bass notes are felt, not heard, and I feel them just fine. Mids and highs are another story but mine are appropriately placed so I can hear them as well. Rock on Troy!  LOL

FYIV

Vanatic = Van Morrison Addict 

Seen him live more than 50 times.  Next show Las Vegas in January. 

Now, for my next question, how many fasteners does everyone use?  I came across the same graphic @Robert M posted.  I saw one (1) fastener at the top of each door.  I don't recall seeing that before.  

Also I see, per the location graphic, a fastener on each side on the windscreen post.  Is this common?  I seem to only recall a fastener on the inside of the windscreen post, per the images @Lfepardo attached above.  

I currently have (13) fasteners for my half-tonneau.  I believe I need (5) more: (3) on the  passenger side dash, (2) on the driver's side dash; for a total of (18) fasteners.  Is this assumption correct?  

Kevin, both my car and the black one I reference above are VS (California built)... their production standard when I had my car built was  13 fasteners in rear, and only 4 up front— (one by each windshield post, and one on either side of the center mirror/windshield tensioner post-  so two to support the driver side tonneau, and two for the passenger side)— As pictured above.

 I keep my full tonneau on 6mo of the year, and drive with it covering the passenger side all the time... the two fasteners on the pax side up front as installed by Vs seem to be enough- no issues. 

Kevin - Bay Area posted:

Now, for my next question, how many fasteners does everyone use?  I came across the same graphic @Robert M posted.  I saw one (1) fastener at the top of each door.  I don't recall seeing that before.  

Also I see, per the location graphic, a fastener on each side on the windscreen post.  Is this common?  I seem to only recall a fastener on the inside of the windscreen post, per the images @Lfepardo attached above.  

I currently have (13) fasteners for my half-tonneau.  I believe I need (5) more: (3) on the  passenger side dash, (2) on the driver's side dash; for a total of (18) fasteners.  Is this assumption correct?  

Kevin.  I'm curious what you have going on on your passenger side that requires 3, while the drivers side only requires 2???  There should be no difference just like lfepardo described.

Kevin, what Luis said.

Whether as original or not, I think VS used no fasteners on the doors so that you could open a door with the tonneau all buttoned down. Which is more of an advantage than you might think.

You just put the tonneau on and are walking away from the car and then realize you need something in the car or want to throw your jacket in without having to undo snaps, etc.

Here's a closeup of where the front post is on my car. VS uses these 'lift the dot' fasteners with posts up front.

I’m not home so I can’t tell you how many snaps are on the back of my tonneau but I know for a fact there are none on my door rails and there are four across the front dash. One near each of the outer corners of the windshield and one on each side of the center windshield rod. 

Placing fasteners on the door top with be an issue with your arm hanging across the top of the door.  Fasteners, starting from center I put them 5 1/4" apart this allows the one closest to each door to fall in the correct spacing.

Troy Sloan posted:

Kevin - Bay Area posted:

Now, for my next question, how many fasteners does everyone use?  I came across the same graphic @Robert M posted.  I saw one (1) fastener at the top of each door.  I don't recall seeing that before.  

Also I see, per the location graphic, a fastener on each side on the windscreen post.  Is this common?  I seem to only recall a fastener on the inside of the windscreen post, per the images @Lfepardo attached above.  

I currently have (13) fasteners for my half-tonneau.  I believe I need (5) more: (3) on the  passenger side dash, (2) on the driver's side dash; for a total of (18) fasteners.  Is this assumption correct?  

Kevin.  I'm curious what you have going on on your passenger side that requires 3, while the drivers side only requires 2???  There should be no difference just like lfepardo described.

@Troy Sloan I was just looking at the fastener diagram above.  And some photos taken of Steve McQueen’s speedster (along with other “real” speedsters). They all seem to have three fasteners at the passenger side [right of the rear view mirror post] and only two at the driver’s side [left of the rear view mirror post]

OK, I see.  Just ignore all that.  The only new holes you will need to drill are one on each side of the center post and one near each windshield post. 

I heard Steve McQueen! I know this has nothing to do with the subject and is total thread drift, but my side hobby of creating strange things, (https://www.instagram.com/ididthatdotcom/) and I just delivered an item to a house in Brisbane CA at almost the exact point where Steve finishes the race in Bullitt.  The home owner didn't seem to know that they lived within feet of the best car chase footage of all time.
Why does this excite me??
-=theron

From a utilitarian perspective, it makes sense to have the additional support of an extra snap on the passenger side, since that side is often deployed when driving and gets more wear due to wind, weather, etc., while the driver side is only attached when the vehicle is parked and/or not in use.

I currently have no Tenax posts on my door tops.  I am thinking about gluing some into the ends of some short tubes I can drop into the side curtain sockets.

Now THAT’s a great idea! 👍

Interesting idea.

The inserts are somewhat close to the existing fasteners in the dash corner and forward fastener on the body next to the door so how benefitial I can't say but if you go that route, you could use a piece of fuel line hose for a friction fit into the inserts a glue in a snap with the threaded post into the hose. 

I don't have a fastener behind the windshield post so the forward one will substitute for that one.

Michael McKelvey posted:

I currently have no Tenax posts on my door tops.  I am thinking about gluing some into the ends of some short tubes I can drop into the side curtain sockets.

Another idea;

1. 5" strip of StayFast material with a female portion of the snap inserted on one end.

2. Sew the non-snap portion of that StayFast strip 2" from the passenger-side edge (under side) of full tonneau. Sew in the location to coincide with where you would normally snap the StayFast strip of your side-window when it is in place. 

Here is a picture of one of the Tenax posts with washer, short tube and the epoxy putty I will fill the tube with.  I may put heat shrink tubing around the metal tube to get a tighter fit in the socket and to provide a bit of friction.

@MusbJim He's got the simple solution !

Alan Merklin posted:

@MusbJim He's got the simple solution !

As per usual. Jim is the man.

I don't have a StayFast strip on my CMC side curtains so Jim's method wouldn't work for me.

It seems like the side curtain snap location would be on the inside of the door, under the tonneau.

Installed the full tonneau this week. I purchased German Tenax fasteners from Eagle Day. The intent was to replace all button snaps with Tenax fasteners. I’m addition to adding new posts and fasteners at the dash, I had to replace all the “Emergency Top’s” button heads as well. 

The costs certainly add up here. I did not replace the snaps in my 1/4 tonneau. As I understand I won’t need it anymore. 

Two lessons learned. 

1. If you need to remove the windshield to drill the posts at the dash, chances are the snaps are too close to the windshield. This may be difficult to snap and unsnap later. My windshield was removed, and snapping the tonneau in place at this location isn’t very easy. 

2. Make sure the zipper in the middle extends to or past the “split line” (ie the split in tonneau at the door jamb. Mine does not, and there is a slight angle from the jamb to the zipper. Taller guys may hit the tonneau. I do at 6’. I may have the upholstery guy extend the zipper. 

I used the locations found above. 

I replaced the snaps behind the windshield with Tenax fasteners.   They were too close to easily pull up.  I made this tool out of a spoon to deal with them.

I still use my quarter tonneau more than the full one.