Hardtop mounted
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: Lewistown MT
Hardtop mounted
Finally got the hardtop mounted (by the way thanks for the input last week...it helped)
I love the look of the hardtop (much more than the soft top)...And when you stand back and take it in...It looks flawless. However, as you get closer I start to see things that just don't line up or seal or...???
I was hoping for a tighter seal when you roll up the windows which would eliminate wind noise while driving and leaks during inclement weather, etc. The rear seal is good but when I get down low and look across the rear deck there's some gaps (admittedly I didn't "gorilla" tighten the rear deck bolts as suggested last week).
Things like this always seem to be a source of frustration for me...I'm not doing a body off restoration and maybe that's the problem...(New parts on an old car just don't line up as well??).
Anyone else deal with this? Are the convertable tops just more or less "shade screens" and not ever going to seal properly
Thanks for sharing your thoughts...
I love the look of the hardtop (much more than the soft top)...And when you stand back and take it in...It looks flawless. However, as you get closer I start to see things that just don't line up or seal or...???
I was hoping for a tighter seal when you roll up the windows which would eliminate wind noise while driving and leaks during inclement weather, etc. The rear seal is good but when I get down low and look across the rear deck there's some gaps (admittedly I didn't "gorilla" tighten the rear deck bolts as suggested last week).
Things like this always seem to be a source of frustration for me...I'm not doing a body off restoration and maybe that's the problem...(New parts on an old car just don't line up as well??).
Anyone else deal with this? Are the convertable tops just more or less "shade screens" and not ever going to seal properly
Thanks for sharing your thoughts...
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 11,593
Likes: 173
From: Clayton NC
Glad to hear you got it mounted. As for the windows they should line up pretty well. The problem is most likely that someone aligned the windows to the softtop. It should be that the windows are aligned to the hardtop and then the softtop aligned to the windows. You may have to deal with one or the other tops not sealing as well at the windows. As for the rear seal it maybe that you simply need to tighten the rear bolts down more or it could be that the weather stripping is hard or new.
Dave
Dave
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 19
From: Canboro Ontario
I also have a slight problem with window and seal alignment between the soft and hardtop, something sometimes you have to accept that with the old cars. Pick one or the other, to align, soft or hard, I guess which ever one you use most. Most likely the soft top, because it is a convertible, and you want to run top down, when ever possible. You have to admit, that they do look sweet, with the hardtop, very nice visual lines. Best of luck, with what ever you choose.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
When a 2-top car was built originally, the hardtop was installed first, and the side glass was adjusted to fit the hardtop seals. The soft top was installed last, on the Final Line (after removing the hardtop), and the soft top frame was adjusted so its seals fit the glass.
Then it was water-tested with the soft top up, the soft top was stowed and the hardtop was re-installed, and it was water-tested again prior to shipment.
If a car wasn't originally a 2-top car and had the hardtop added later, or the original hardtop was swapped for a different one later, chances are nobody went to the trouble of re-adjusting the side glass or the soft top frame, so many of them don't fit well or seal properly.
Then it was water-tested with the soft top up, the soft top was stowed and the hardtop was re-installed, and it was water-tested again prior to shipment.
If a car wasn't originally a 2-top car and had the hardtop added later, or the original hardtop was swapped for a different one later, chances are nobody went to the trouble of re-adjusting the side glass or the soft top frame, so many of them don't fit well or seal properly.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,410
Likes: 2
From: madison ms
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
A question, JohnZ. After they water tested the soft top for leaks, did they dry the soft top in any way or just stowed it wet? Isn't stowing a soft top wet a sure way to cause shrinkage?
