1957 tonneau cover or soft top?

[Kebmc]

1957 Tbird I'm interested in buying a tonneau cover for my 1957 E-code. (It has a hard top but no soft top and I usually drive it top down. ) I see grommets on the dash for the front but am curious if I have to drill for the rear connectors? ( magnets maybe? ) Am I better off just buying the soft top? ( No frame is in car. ) Thanks.

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[biddle]

Please following the posting prompts when you post. "1957 E-code" is not a short summary of what your post is about, and nobody is going to know what your topic is about.

Title revised.

 

[pltmgr]

Im curious about the tonneau cover as well. Im not sure I want to start drilling however. My new to me 56 doesn't have a soft top and the previous owner stated he moved the seat back 6 inches so Im not certain how this will impact a soft top installation. There are some soft top frames for sale on Ebay ranging $3k-6K.

 

[1957Birdman]

There were two versions of the tonneau cover available in 1957 from Ford. If your car was ordered with the tonneau cover it was installed in place of the drop curtain behind the seat. It does not require any drilling in back of the seat to install but there are snaps installed on the doors (2 on each side) and the snaps installed on the lower window trim piece. The other version was available over the counter at Ford parts and is different in that it requires installation of snaps all around the passenger compartment and can be completely removed when not in use and stowed in the trunk. There are instructions on how and where to install the snaps.
You will also see cars that have snaps in unusual locations. These are typically after market and make installing the original style more difficult.
My car was hardtop only and over the years I bought and installed both the convertible top and the tonneau. They serve somewhat the same function except for one thing. If you get caught in a heavy rainstorm, I personally would rather have the convertible top.
As for the top being moved back six inches, when it is moved back that far the top would have to be up or on the deck. There wouldn't be space behind the seat for storing the top. Personally, if you are a normal size person without a pot belly you should be able to find a comfortable position by adjusting the seat and the steering wheel in or out.
Lew Bachman
1957 Colonial White

 

[Tom Alpers]

It depends on what it is you are trying to accomplish. If you are looking for some minimal protection from weather and intrusion when the car is parked you can by a "fitted" cover that goes over the cockpit to sort of seal it off. It's similar to tonneau cover but no snaps.... some straps to hold it down. I think a couple have some sort of "hook" and a couple have magnets. Casco sells them for about $100, called Cockpit Cover.

 

[doug7740]

I have the cockpit cover that CASCO sells and works great for keeping the interior cool when the car is parked with the top down. It also keeps the leaves and debris out of the interior when parking the car near the trees in the park. The cover is not waterproof, and it is not intended to keep the interior dry.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue