AZDoug

You may end up leaving it on more than off.

For short around town trips, I do prefer topless, but at highway speed, you cannot beat the hardtop, all the wind buffeting is gone, even with the windows down, you have shade, and none of that cloth top annoying flapping.

Doug

Ron Miller

I think the convertible with both hardtop and softtop is the best of both worlds!!

Frankie the Fink

QUESTION...can one man (I'm 5'7 and 168lb) get the hardtop on by himself ? without a hoist ? with a hoist ?

Plasticman

You "may" be able to lift it on and off, but it only takes one time to drop it.............(ask Bill).

Either get a helper or a hoist.

John

Frankie the Fink

That's what I figured...pretty much like the '57 T-Bird hardtop my 'ole man had... Definitely a two man (or one man and a boy back then) job.

hedgehead

Don't even think about it.

Vet65te

Frank, due to their size and not so much about their weight that they are awkward to handle. Definitely easier to handle with two people or a hoist.
Mike T.

Ron Miller

Based on my experience . . . . .

Coves4me

Frank, it is possible to install the hardtop yourself with care and patience. I store my 62 hardtop in my son's old bedroom on the second floor of our house. Last year, in the middle of a weekday, I could find no one to help me, so I carefully carried it down our front entrance stairs and into the garage. Before I put it on the car, I laid some heavyweight old bath towels over the decklid making sure to cover the whole area. Then I carefully set the top on the car and slid it on the towels to its approximate location over the windshield. Then I carefully slid the towels out and the top could be bolted down. It sounds worse that it really is. Just be careful and take your time. Good luck.

Mark

Frankie the Fink

OK, Finally where are the hardtop installation instructions ??

I've looked in the owner's manual for the '61 and the ST-12 but didn't see it.
I know about the front latches and bolting to the deck lid but there are side attachments (under the top's side windows I think) that I know nothing bout...many people have removed them over the years I am told.

62Jeff

The side attachments just use the same bolts that go on the decklid. There is a threaded nut that goes on top of the door jamb. I can take a photo of the top of the door jamb if you like.

kawils2

I built a box on wheels with padding inside I keep in my garage to store mine in vertically & keep it behind the Corvette. It's also handy for putting "extra" lightweight parts into that get used only ocassionally or for show as well (Air cleaners, shielding, etc).

I can get the top in & out easily by myself, but always have help putting it on or taking it off the car. I've seen one guy who had a tall garage ceiling who built a platform hung from the ceiling to slide it onto, but clearly took 2 people to get it up or down.

I like the white headliner & agree with other posters it brightens the interior. I some times wish my black cloth top was white inside too (I believe even the white soft tops have a black interior) but it's probably black to conceal the marks from bumping my head on it when it's up .

kawils2

There are L shaped brackets on each side of the HT (about 2" back from the edge of the side window, and screwed onto the top)that mate to mounts on the car near where your Soft Top straps snap, right behind the seat. Mine came with bolts that look just like the bolts used on the rear deck of the car to hold the HT - so all 4 bolts holding the HT on look alike. Since the brackets on the HT look like you can remove them, you can probably get them aftermarket. The mount on the body is a different matter - it's part of the car.

Ironcross

Only white is correct for both 61 and 62.....and the picture is how I know



I also put it on and take it off by myself by balancing and lifting it from the middle of the side windows...

.Don't attempt to do this if you lack arm strength.....it is about 50 lbs. and awkward....

Frankie the Fink

It appears the hardtop in the pictures does has the side brackets (good! CC has the brackets but they are $129 a pair...steep)

I only have two of the proper bolts though and will have to examine the car to see if it has the threaded fixture on the sides to accept the top brackets and bolts...

Can I run the top on the car without the side brackets secured for a while with no ill effects ?

I'll post some pics tomorrow after pickup..

62Jeff

I'm not sure, but I THINK they are just 1/4 x 20 thread. You say you have 2 - do you have time to dig through your bolt collection, or a hardware store, and find 2 more about the same length, with the same thread?

If you require, I can confirm the thread pitch for you, I'm home sick today and can step into the shop to take a look.

Just let me kn ow if you need that, and if you want a picture of the threaded insert.

wib1961

Yes- you can run without the sides bolted ,but do get the bolts as soon as you can and bolt them down. BTW be careful as you install these bolts because if you drop one it WILL go under the seat and then you more than likely will have to remove your seat to retrieve it. One of mine stayed under the seat for years.And please DO get help putting the top on always. Not worth the risk. ps-I'm sure the next item you purchase is the original open end wrench to tighten these bolts if you don't already have one.

Frankie the Fink

Yes Jeff..if you are feeling well enough I would appreciate a pic of the body side mounts points....if I have those then I will easily match up some generic bolts for now to snug things up... I know what the threaded insert looks like (same as the deck lid) I can't seem to find where the insert is installed on the body though...my mounting points might be glassed over or some such nonsense...

62Jeff

They were not drilled for the mount inserts, unless the car came with a hard top.

I'll get a picture, be right back....

62Jeff

Here you go. All 3 pictures taken of the driver's side mount location.