69 Convertible Top Installation
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,283
Likes: 4,373
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi John,
I watch the fellow from Al Knock put new tops on cars at Carlisle. It looks like a serious piece of work to do right and tight.
Al Knock sells a 'how to' video.
Regards,
Alan
I watch the fellow from Al Knock put new tops on cars at Carlisle. It looks like a serious piece of work to do right and tight.
Al Knock sells a 'how to' video.
Regards,
Alan
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I have talked extensively with my trip guy up north, years ago when realizing I was leaving the area for Florida....got some pointers about that, and having a rag top on my '72 here have some comments also.....
number one, it's really fairly easy, just settle into the job...much like I did on my wife's Miata a month ago.....
on a vette top you have to take very careful measurements across the back bow, finding the centerline, if not marked already....do the same with the canvas.....
obviously the tack strip needs be inTACKed...
.....
NOW some observations....
many a time I have not bothered to latch the back bow, and NOT had any rain come in, in traffic or even on the freeway....more air circulation, and I don't even have outside air as a HVAC option anymore, sealed that door shut under the fender....with that observation, when I do this top on the vette here, I"m not bothering with the bottom bow rubber strip, all it does is drag the paint and leave wear marks....I have tried the plastic and other tricks in the past...nothing works very well....
the cables running through the top material that are spring loaded under significant tension...are a time waster, some stupid idea from back when....with a vinyl top they are not needed....I have had 3-4 convertibles in the past without them the first being they broke, but 5 years later the top was fine....at that point, bag them, not needed, I did not use them on the Miata either...they have been broken on my '72 for years now...maybe a decade...no biggie...
the top had some strange looking what looked like canvas tie down straps one on either side of the window, inside, made fastening that top down at the rear bow, super difficult....about 12 years ago, I cut them outta there...made fastening easier, and never hurt a thing....dunno why they were there, unimportant anyway....
having done the Miata top, I giving serious consideration to modifications to this vette top, by altering the method of fastening.....staples into a tack strip is not my idea of solid...
I will find out, but I suspect staineless self tapper screws into the metal, and some fiber/plastic board trapping/clamping the top material in there.....much more solid, especially if glued with vinyl cement...try a plumbing supply house....i'ts what I fixed my vinyl strip across the back bow with...the one with the little metal ends on it...started unwrapping, carefully used PVC cement, taped it down, and now 12 years later, still looks fine....rest of the top is trash, but I cured THAT issue nicely....
same glue for the tack strips/screws idea....
the rest is obvious....
number one, it's really fairly easy, just settle into the job...much like I did on my wife's Miata a month ago.....
on a vette top you have to take very careful measurements across the back bow, finding the centerline, if not marked already....do the same with the canvas.....
obviously the tack strip needs be inTACKed...
.....NOW some observations....
many a time I have not bothered to latch the back bow, and NOT had any rain come in, in traffic or even on the freeway....more air circulation, and I don't even have outside air as a HVAC option anymore, sealed that door shut under the fender....with that observation, when I do this top on the vette here, I"m not bothering with the bottom bow rubber strip, all it does is drag the paint and leave wear marks....I have tried the plastic and other tricks in the past...nothing works very well....
the cables running through the top material that are spring loaded under significant tension...are a time waster, some stupid idea from back when....with a vinyl top they are not needed....I have had 3-4 convertibles in the past without them the first being they broke, but 5 years later the top was fine....at that point, bag them, not needed, I did not use them on the Miata either...they have been broken on my '72 for years now...maybe a decade...no biggie...
the top had some strange looking what looked like canvas tie down straps one on either side of the window, inside, made fastening that top down at the rear bow, super difficult....about 12 years ago, I cut them outta there...made fastening easier, and never hurt a thing....dunno why they were there, unimportant anyway....
having done the Miata top, I giving serious consideration to modifications to this vette top, by altering the method of fastening.....staples into a tack strip is not my idea of solid...
I will find out, but I suspect staineless self tapper screws into the metal, and some fiber/plastic board trapping/clamping the top material in there.....much more solid, especially if glued with vinyl cement...try a plumbing supply house....i'ts what I fixed my vinyl strip across the back bow with...the one with the little metal ends on it...started unwrapping, carefully used PVC cement, taped it down, and now 12 years later, still looks fine....rest of the top is trash, but I cured THAT issue nicely....
same glue for the tack strips/screws idea....
the rest is obvious....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 954
Likes: 40
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
