How difficult it is to install a soft top on a 58 that originally did not come from the factory with a soft top? Are all the attaching places on the car or it would involve welding, drilling, tapping, etc? Anyone ever done this?

Thanks for any help...

 

i would think that everything would be there except for the rear top bow hold down latches on the deck lid. BUT, i wouldn't want to try ro install those without a template made from a car that has them. i guess the first thing i would try to do is to find a deck lid with the latches, or at least the latch cutout holes, already in it.
Bill

 

You'll need to add the "pie pan" reinforcing plates behind the seats that provide the attaching points for the top frame assembly; they aren't reproduced - you'll have to find some used. You might try Mary Jo Rohner (www.vettegal.com) or Werner Grossmueller (www.gccorvettes.com).

 

John, I respectfully disagree on the pie plate supports. They are available through many vendors. Paragon, Corvette Central etc. all sell them.

 

You don't need a template. If you look under your existing deck lid, you will see that the cut-outs for them are already in the support structure. All you have to do is cut the outer skin. Shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes to do both.
There are several co.'s that will sell you everything you need in kit form. One (Coffmans) even installs the canvas onto the frames for you using a jig. Before this causes a big controversy, that's how they were done originally. Everything will run you $3500-$4000. Good luck.

 

see below

 

thanks for the info. i've never had a car without the convertible top, and never seen one without it; so i wouldn't have known that the cutouts were already in the inner panel. btw, is the same thing true for the holes for the hardtop anchors if a car never had a hardtop; are they already in the inner panel?
Bill

 

That one, I can't help you with. I've never owned one without a hardtop.

 

No.

Doug

 

Yup! Found them in the CC catalog, but I refer to the Paragon catalog more frequently, and couldn't find them there.

 

Page 64 of the V.31 2006 Paragon catalog part #12162K.

 

There is one other thing missing from a car that was not originally equiped with a soft top. There were 2 nutplates riveted inside the quarters at the outer/upper brackets. The only good way to attach these brackets is to install some rivnuts in the fiberlgass at these 2 locations. The original nutplates were installed before the quarters were installed, so there is no good way to install these nutplates, but rivnuts work fine, and after they are bolted down, no one will ever be able to tell. Rivnuts are just like giant pop rivets except they are threaded inside. You drill a hole, install the rivnut and expand it, and then you just install the bolt.

Regards, John McGraw

 

I have one of Coffmans tops on my 60. He installed the blue canvas and sent it to me complete. It bolted right on and fits just as good as an orig. My buddy just put a new top on his 60 and the Coffman one on my car fits just as nice if not better. I would buy from them again in a heart beat.Brian G.

 

Thanks - I have V.30, will get V.31 when I'm up there next weekend.

 

Thanks for all the help...hope to do this soon....love to drive with the top down but should the weather change, there is no way to pop the hard top of the trunk.....that would be consider "being caught with your top down".

Got to love the combine knowledge found this forum....it keeps complementing itself on every reply.

Thanks again guys and

 

Thanks John, will make a note of this. Guess I will find a soft top 58 first and take some pictures to get mine done right.....

 

Thanks... I had similar questions as my 1960 was ordered new by the original owner without a softop....

 

Hey beto,
Did the Softtop add on to my 62. Might be slightly different on 58. I know the rear bow on 58 is different and latches may vary a little as well. My 62 was a factory Hardtop car with no softtop. I proceeded as follows, I ordered a Corvette Central Softtop "Kit".....Now that is a little decieving because the "Kit" didn't include upper, side and lower brackets for driver and passenger sides. These too can be purchased as a set for the car. After the brackets arrive you can then begin the installation. Remove the seats and look for excess body filler on the rear area of the fiberglass behind the seats, these are mounting holes for the brackets that were filled at the factory. Use the brackets as templates and identify and mark these spots with a perminent marker. The locations should become pretty obvious if you keep in mind the floor bolts are shared with your existing seatbelt brackets. Using an 1/8" bit, drill into the body putty. Carefully size up the drill bit and remember you are drilling to clean out the inside of a nut factory mounted inside of your fiberglass. Be Very careful not to cut the threads on the nut. When you get to 1/4" access the situation. If I remember correctly these are either 5/16" or 3/8" nuts with fine machine thread, You will have to use a tap to clean these threads to use them. A little more difficult are the upper side brackets. Again you will look for body putty that lines up with these brackets, these are 2 smaller approximately 1/4" holes and you will need to start with a 1/16" drill to be safe. again you will drill to clear these holes and retap to clean nuts that should already be mounted in the fiberglass. Once these mounting holes are cleaned and tapped, you can perminantly Mount your brackets in the car.There are only minor adjustments that can be done in place once brackets are mounted. The Top Frame I got from Corvette Central was a Sully's Tops corvette frame, and it came with detailed instructions. Before mounting the topframe you will cut out the decklid and mount the latches. From the underside of the Decklid you will see 2 indented spaces roughly shaped like the latch assembly. OH Yea.....You have to purchase the Decklid Latches seperately too... NOW...With Latch in hand, determine where the bolts are located in reference to the indentions on the underside of the deck lid. Mark those spots on the underside of the decklid with perminent marker. With a 1/16" bit drill from the bottom of the decklid up. remember a steady hand and correct angle is a must, Any mistakes here may need body work and a new paint job to correct. Once your 4 holes are drilled through the decklid, you will use the Latch gaskets as templets for the cutout. Line up the gasket with the holes, because you used 1/16" drill this is the time to make any corrections regarding location of these holes. use your perminent marker (on the top of the decklid) to mark the mounting hole and cutout for the latches. You may make any necessary corrections on the mounting holes with the 1/16" bit. Next size up your drill bit and redrill mounting holes to proper size for
your mounting bolts. Then in the center of the cutout area for the latch drill a 5/16" hole as a starting hole for your jigsaw blade on each latch. Using a small plastic cutting blade, Place the jigsaw on an old towel to protect your paint. carefully cutout the latch holes.... Fit and mount the latches. The Top frame will now bolt up to these brackets.
Top Frame will include all adjustment Instructions. My suggestion on the actual vinyl or canvas is to bring the car to an upholstery shop for the skin and final adjustments....... Hope this helps!
Take Care,
Shawn

 

Can I ask a ball part figure one should expect to spend for the parts and hardware...???

Thanks

Ken

 

Read my previous post above