wbsearch

I am finally assembling the hard top. Got the new seals and the frame attached to the fiberglass top, and windows installed yesterday.

On hold until I get a headliner, as I believe it slips under the front header piece?

There is a label on the inner side of the top: Sterling Precision Corporation, fiberglass division. Original supplier?

It appears the only missing part is the exterior chrome/stainless horizontal trim piece under the drivers side quarter window. Contacted every supplier I could find, seems no has any. Planning to get the remaining trim on today, so I should know what else is missing, and continue my search.

One confusing bit for me, the top was on the car, center mount hole lined up and had a bolt in it. The other two mounts in the lid, which should be for the frame bracket and bolts at the joint of the rear and side quarter windows, were a few inches forward.

Were the mounts located in different locations for various years? This may also help me identify what year the top is. The car and top are "supposed" to be a '58.

As I filled the holes when I painted the car, I'll just place the top on and install the receiver nuts in the locations for this top.

Again, thanks in advance for the time and detail I have been receiving to my questions.

wbsearch

Just curious if anyone has any info. Thanks

62corvette

Very possibly someone had installed a 61-62 top at some point. Those mounting holes are about that much different from 58-60, because the 61-62 didn't fit worth a darn.

tgtexas02

Sterling is original supplier. I may have the lower side trim and a retainer. I need to look and get back to you. What else do you think you might need?

As long as the front exterior stainless is two wide pieces with a small center clip, your top can be made correct (headliner and glass dates) for your 58 regardless of early or late vin #. All 56 to 60 tops used the same three hole (at each side window bracket and rear center) deck lid mounting locations. The 61-62 tops appear similar and some items are interchangeable but they will not fit as deck contour and mounting locations are totally different

tgtexas02

I did a quick search in my garage and found pristine condition driver side lower main stainless section.

wbsearch

Thanks,

I did make a trim piece from some other trim I had, but it is a bit narrower, so depending how much you want, I may purchase it. I also need one corner piece at the top of the vertical quarter window trim and the top trim piece above the rear window.

The trim piece on the front header does have the center clip, the rear piece under the rear window is one piece. I know it is not a 61 because there is not a bump in the center. So I still wonder about the mounting holes.

tgtexas02

Essentially, the 56 top is a one year item which had a narrow approx one inch front header (no stainless trim) and a three piece rear (two side pieces and longer rear curved center piece) with "y" clips at the bracket joint area. The side mounting brackets and the rear center hold down were chrome plated brass. The 57 to approx 58 vin 6500 had the wide front header stainless and the same rear trim configuration. The 58 vin 6500 to 60 had the wide front header but the "y" clip was eliminated as the rear trim now was two long curved stainless sections joined in the rear window center with a small approx one inch clip. The bracket hold downs and rear center hold down were changed to stamped stainless. This rear window area change consisted of the pre-58 vin 6500 tops having a three piece lower stainless main channel that was spot welded together at the side bracket area while the later vin 58 6500 rear main lower stainless channel was one piece. Even though the top had this change in 58, I suspect you could argue that some later than vin 6500 58's could have had the older style rear "y" clip tops as stock was used up. So, dependent on which you have ("y" style or no "y" clip) just put a 58 headliner and 58 dated windows in it. There are other differences which most folks would never notice too. For instance, is your exterior stainless side upper gutter channel edge "sharp" or crimped over. If sharp, probably 56 to mid 57 vintage. After this all the side gutter assemblies were "crimped" edge and came in two variants (one with a longer tail for the "y" clip area and another shorter assembly when the "y" clip was eliminated). Again, mounting hole location is the same from 56 to 60. The 61-62 tops are really different in many ways. They only fit the 61-62 cars.

Am I helping or hurting you in figuring things out?

tgtexas02

I checked the glass works site and they show the LH side lower stainless w/o retainer for $116, the 90 degree upper corner clip for $16, and the rear window upper stainless w/retainer for $295. Suspect this is high quality repro. I still have to look through my extra stuff but I think I have everything original except no 90 degree clip. You can private message me regarding items I have if you are interested. If you have other questions, ask as someone else can benefit from the info too.

wbsearch

You are helping and hurting me.

My top has a wide trim piece over the front header with a clip in the center.

It does have Y clips on each side at the bottom to cover the rear one-piece strip under the rear window_side trim under each 1/4 window_and the "vertical" trim going up to the 90 degree corner piece_ to the trim above the rear window.

The gutter edges are sharp and not rolled over.

So I guess I may have an early 58?

Still confused why the two bolt holddown brackets didn't line up with the deck lid nuts, as I'm understanding the location was the same up until 61?

I suppose I should not continue to worry, just drill holes where the top brackets will meet the lid. Just a major curiosity for me.

Goes along with my curiosity of no holes between the trunk and folding top area for the hydraulic hoses, which I found out from a different post that I will need to drill some.

Makes me wonder if the car did not have the power top option, and someone put the pump and ram bits in. They were installed but not connected or functioning, and none of the electrical bits or harness was installed.

I got the system cleaned and functioning on the bench, made a wiring harness and now installing. Won't have the switches to be automatic, but I will have it function manually.

tgtexas02

Unfortunately, I cannot help you on the forward spaced deck lid holes? However, you mentioned that you have hydraulic system which was added? Just wondering, check underside of your deck lid to see if you have two hinge mounting areas or three. Power top car deck lids will have two hinge mounting areas next to each other on the driver side.

If you are not planning on having your car judged, I wouldn't worry about crimped or sharp edges as long as you can obtain the correct trim pieces for a "Y" clip style top. I mentioned the sharp and crimped edge as I saw a car that had one of each (not correct) and the owner had never noticed it.

wbsearch

The car has the three mounting areas on the lid, but did not have the hinge bracket to push the lid up, I fabricated one.

The pump/reservoir, solenoid/valves and three rams were in the vehicle, but nonfunctional.

No plan to have the car judged, no where near correct or original. Just want to get all the bits finished so I can have it appraised for insurance purposes.

As I mentioned, I did make a trim piece for under the 1/4 window, not perfect but serves it's purpose. Found I can get the corner trim (which is all I need) where I purchased all my bits during the restoration.