It's wet and cold, and I miss driving my Manx! Time to weatherize. I looking for ideas for top and side curtains for my buggy. I just finished putting a 2 inch 'chopped' windshield on which I think means I will have to have a custom top stitched. Fortunately Seattle has a bunch of boat shops capable of custom 'canvas' work. I like the shape of the Meyers Hardtop, and the flexible functionality of a 'fastback soft top.
I think I want the flexibility of a convertable top rather than a hardtop, something that I can remove in layers and store in the soon to be rear platform mounted trunk. Ideally 1).the rear window would be removable.
2). the side curtains would have a frame that would swing out like doors, (and not interfere with the windshield mounted mirrors and windwings). 3). The top will not flap around at highway cruising speed. 4). The driver would have good visibility with the top up. 5) will last a few years with normal use. And not break the bank... Does anybody have any information/photos or drawings of the original 'Welded Steel Side Curtain Frames' as advertised in this B.F. Meyers catalog?
I put some pictures of tops and curtains in my gallery here...
http://www.meyersmanx.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=572 Any ideas? What are you running for weather protection (sun, rain, snow, whatever..). Do you have any suggestions on other factors I should consider in having a top made? Thank
From this website documenting an incredible Deserter GS build, (and other nice buggies) 
2) What the ?Side Curtain Frames?, part # 181 on this old Meyers catalog page. There can?t be much to them as the shipping weight is only 3 lbs per pair? Are they tubing or sheet steel? Did they have some sort of windshield mounted hinge? 
The window zipper allows entry/exit. Zip it around and the curtain lays flat out of the buggy. If you want to ride with the curtain open, I fold the plastic window into the buggy between the seat and the side of the tub. 
Some notes: the snaps that attach the top to the tub are called "lift-a-dots", except for the two at the on the front edge of the top (where your elbow would meet the tub if you had your arm resting on the tub). They are called (I think) European lift-a-dot. They are spring loaded and are almost impossible to come unsnapped by themselves. In addition to the snaps on the roll bar, there are two other things I would change on my side curtains. 1) the opening in the window was cut in the plastic and a zipper sewn in (on both edges). I've had this top for almost four years and the outer edge of the plastic is starting to crack on the corners. The zip thingies catch on the cracks. I would use top material on the outer edge of the window zipper next time. 2) The "lip" of material that sits on the outer edge of the tub is too narrow. I would make that wider. You can see the difference in the side curtain of your very first buggy picture in this thread and mine. Other than that, the top is one of the best things I've bought for my buggy. I use it in the winter and summer (I live in the hot south). I zip the side curtains and rear window out and use just the top to keep the sun off. There are many more detailed pictures at: 
Here it is just sitting on the buggy. The 'C' pillars are just tucked in right now. They need to be trimmed to match the 14 inch windshield and lowered rollbar. 
I'm 6 feet tall, so entry/egress is a bit tight, but it is 'cozy' in the cockpit! I'm looking for ideas for a clean mounting system. I'm thinking some kind of 'push' clamp to secure it to the windshield, and mounting pads to tie it to the rollbar? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Rob