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[Royell Storing]

Royall, from what I'm learning, the bubble top is placed on first, then a canvas covering was stretched over it, to correspond to what you are used to seeing.  I think this pic shows the SS installing the canvas.

         There is assorted film footage that contains intermittent stages of the top being assembled at Parkland Hospital. The very rear of the top needed a skeleton of rods/frame to be pre-assembled, and then placed over the rear seat area where JFK was seated. A rear window further complicates the assembly/installation of this section of the top. The assembly of this rear section of the top was done on the ground near the (L) rear tire of the JFK Limo. There is also a film snippet that shows the top section that covered the front seat area being installed. This section required Long rods to be installed that ran completely across the Limo from the driver side to the passenger side. It appears they were screwed down into the car on the upper edges of each side. The space limitations of the Limo trunk probably mandated the top mirroring an erector set. 

[Tom Scully]

In the beginning ....



http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/20054-tampering-with-the-limo-in-the-jfk-altgens6/?tab=comments#comment-269818

[Michael Walton]

The Pam Brown description above is very good.  It convinces me there's no glass there at all.  There's a photo I found when the car was in the shade during the motorcade - there's no reflection of JBC at all which means there's no glass.

[Steve Taylor]

  The following is a quotation of the work done in September 1961 at Ford.  I tried to contact Pam Brown unsuccessfully, but I would have asked her about this work order.  I would contend that she was mistaken.  In my opinion the work order specifies removing the old center body pillar and replacing it with one that can be quickly taken apart and reassembled.  (I may be wrong but I remember a pic of the manufacturing of the limo where that area under consideration had a large metal frame, in the shape of a roll bar, which probably held the heavy class in place).
  Notice the document where it says "Provide new glass" and "Provide new glass frames". I am having trouble locating further pages of this document, but I have seen page 2 and if I remember correctly there is no further discussion on the issue.
  I will concede that most of the photos on that day show no partition.  However, Mrs. Kennedy brought the subject up and Mr. Rankin confirmed it.  So I personally will continue to take a look for the partition in photos that I look at in the future. 
     

[Tom Scully]

Only my opinion, I think you are done (you'll likely disagree), considering the instructions in the entire document.:

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=149138&search=westbay#relPageId=6&tab=page

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=149138&search=westbay#relPageId=6&tab=page


After all traces of the partition glass and drive mechanism were to be removed, the area behind the front seats
was to be resurfaced, without the window slots, and new handrails were installed on that same surface.
Only references specifically to partition glass is accompanied by word, removal.

[Steve Taylor]

  Good find Tom.  I think you make a good argument for it being removed.  But if you continue to the D2 section of the same document you will see numerous references to part numbers for a new partition.  The page I posted earlier had a handwritten reference to "D2 modification" next to "3. Limousine Partition Glass".  Here is a reference from the D2 section:
   
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=149138&search=westbay#relPageId=8&tab=page

 If you read the beginning (pg2), the writer requesting these documents, Thomas Canning, complained that these all reflected pre-assassination modifications and not post-assassination changes about the trunk area, as he requested.  All of this is about as clear as mud to me.
   

[Howard Gee]

The Pam Brown description above is very good.  It convinces me there's no glass there at all.  There's a photo I found when the car was in the shade during the motorcade - there's no reflection of JBC at all which means there's no glass.

I agree.

Steve still deserves credit for raising the question, as does Tom for his find.

Nice work, guys.

[Steve Taylor]

Thanks Howard.