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can't answer everything---but here is what little i know--there are two styles of tops-- the 55 and 56 had two 'top bows' and these were not sewn to the bows...this caused the top to expand out and up at high speeds..complaints on this to ford resulted in a 2nd design for (only) the '57 top - another bow was added (now three) and all bows were sewn to the bows--this stopped the 'ballooning' at freeway speeds - and all was happy - BUT - the 57 top is going to be (a lot) more expensive to get and buy...AND the top itself is useless unless the top raising and lowering mechanism is gotten, too. this involves a 'swinging' mechanism that holds the top. this piece is expensive to get - maybe what the metal brackets you are saying you have is this... it bolts to area behind the front seat -- two bolts on each side...with a round metal 'bar' connecting the two sides...also i think (but cannot confirm) that the plastic back window on only the 55 did not have a zipper on it so it could be lowered with the top up and this gave a little bit more ventilation inside....of course the top fabric itself has two prices--good (cheaper) and better (way more money)......and there are the clamps that hold the top to the car--2 on the rear deck ($100 each) and one on each side just behind the front door (also $100 each) AND these clamps have 3 different styles ---55---early 56----and then '57 ---these all have to 'match' the places they clamp to.....then the weatherstrips ($300+) for a set.....good luck with all this..as a side story, when i wanted to buy a soft top for my 55....(my car came from the factory with only a hardtop (weird?), a guy i knew had two complete tops for sale (this was in 1979) one , a 55 top was totally trashed and needed everything---$500...the other top was a complete '57 top all done, white, ready to bolt on and go--everything new or good...$1500....i thought i could completely do the $500 one for less than $1500..well, turns out i could not--must have have spent close to $2000 to complete right..AND I GOT A CRAPPY TWO BOW TOP instead of the much,much better 3 bow top...go figure how foolish i was....bye...ed mlynek
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