0Willcox Corvette

Mine pretty much goes all the way to the black portion of the base, but all the parts on mine are 100 percent original. Maybe I can take a larger picture tomorrow and get a better look.

Eliredandblack

Ernie
I am guessing that the PO used a antenna mast that was made for another car, or for a different mast Nut. I don’t think my antenna is original to the car, as it is too straight, and there are no signs of corrosion. My plan is to order a new antenna mast and see how the mast Nut fits.
Thanks for your input.
Eli

StDomingos

Hi Ernie,

I have noticed that the oil temperature gauge in my '81 is reading a bit high compared to the temps from my IR gun. I was thinking of using your variable resistor to see if I could calibrate the gauge better. I have seen your video for setting up the variable resistor for coolant temp gauge, does it work the same on the oil temp (except for the oil temp being wired directly and not using the PCB)?

Thanks

0Willcox Corvette

As long as the oil temp gauge is an original I see no reason why it won't work. You'll be the guinea pig on this one. I'm sure it'll work but feeding the wire out from under the pcb might cause an issue. I'd love your feedback if you try this. Most temp gauges used a green resistor which was around 91 ohms, so the adjustable resistor is preset at 90 ohms... It will, just like the temp gauge make a linear change in a non linear gauge and it will work. Just like I said, it'll depend on if you can feed the wire out from behind the cluster. I'll tell you what... .if you buy it and it doesn't work I'll take it back just for the feedback.

Ernie

StDomingos

Sounds like a fair deal Ernie. I'll let you know how it goes.

0Willcox Corvette

I forgot the PCB doesn't cover the oil temp gauge because it sits where the clock was on the earlier cars. You should be able to get it in there without any issue, the PCB doesn't cover the oil temp gauge so I can see no reason why it won't work.

Ernie

Eliredandblack

Ernie
My drivers door always seemed to be resting about a quarter of inch lower (on the strike side) than the quarter panel. I finally was able to muster enough nerve to loosen the bolts (inside the door) and using a floor jack with a piece of wood and blankets, raise to door so that when closed everything was level. It seems that after 4 or 5 months the door is now hitting the door guide assembly (73 convertible). My question, finally, how do you decide if the hinge pins/bushing need replacing? The job looks pretty straightforward, except when you don’t have a helper, a simple task can become a nightmare very fast. The hinge seems to be tight and the spring looks ok. I have no way to know if the PO had them replaced. I appreciate your insight and help.
Eli

StDomingos

Well, good news Ernie. I wired the adjustable resistor up today to the oil temp gauge and it works as expected. It went smooth and there were no problems running the wiring past the pcb (just as you had thought). The only installation concern was that the center connector was a bit close to touching some of the traces on the resistor. I couldn't tell if it was touching or not, so I just put a piece of electricians tape over the traces for some extra peace of mind.

I took the car out and got it up to operating temp and was able to use the adjustable resistor to dial in the gauge to better match what my IR gun was showing me. I will say that, because of the way the gauge works (moving hot as resistance drops) I had more room to make the gauge hot than I did to make it cool. If you were thinking of adapting your design specifically for the oil temp applications you could perhaps increase the maximum resistance of the adjustable resistor to provide a bit more movement towards the cool side of the gauge.

Other than that, all seems in order and thanks for making the product.

0Willcox Corvette

Awesome! Glad it worked for you. Just a question though, couldn't that middle terminal be bent upward (tweaked) slightly to clear?

0Willcox Corvette

Eli,

I missed your question sorry. Go to the back of the door with it open and see if there is up and down play in it. If there is you need pins and bushings. When we do this job we remove the door from the car using what is called a door jack. I probably paid a couple hundred dollars for one but now days they have them imported and they are well worth the money for this job.

Here is a cheap one under 70 bucks https://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemD...RoCRbsQAvD_BwE

You take the round head off your floor jack, then insert this into it. It will stabilize the door and you won't get any paint chips. Don't buy into the tail that you can cut a groove in the hinge pins and not remove the door. It won't work on the upper hinge.

The door jack is something we use all the time. We can take one of the round jack pads off one of the lifts, then insert the door jack on the lift which allows us to spine it 360 and tilt it forward and backwards, but putting it on the lift allows us to build (or rebuild) a door at waist level instead of battling it another way.

Go read this write up I did years ago, it'll help you. http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/w...-1968-1982.pdf

E

Eliredandblack

Ernie
i just checked and there doesn’t seem to be any up & down play when the door is open. Do you have a write up on adjusting the
lock strike pin adjustment procedure. I tried to use the service manual moulding clay, which didn’t work.
Thanks for all your help
Eli

StDomingos

It certainly could be bent to clear the traces. I wanted to make sure that all the three prongs lined up to meet the wiring harness, so I just figured the electrical tape was the easiest fix (and it might not have needed fixing at all, I was just being cautious).

0Willcox Corvette

Okay, good deal. Then I'll just add a note to the part letting people know they should tweak the middle terminal. I think you can do this without messing with the alignment of the terminal connector, you might have to pull up and then re-adjust the top portion.

Street Rat

Ernie,
I cleaned up the factory ws retainer and reinstalled it. I adjusted the window and to my amazement it was pretty darn close. I just needed some minor tweaking of the ws retainer location. So I'm calling it fixed for now.
Thanks for your input.

Craig

Eliredandblack

Ernie
I found a family owned business to install a soft top on my 73. When I purchased the car there was a black cable connected to the top frame (drivers side only), and of course it was broken at one end. I have looked everywhere for the replacement cable and can only find a replacement that doesn’t look anything like the original. Do I need to keep searching for this cable?
My soft top frame seems to be ok, without it being installed. Is the cable necessary? I will post a picture to ensure you know what I am talking about.
As always, thank you for your assistance.
Eli

0Willcox Corvette

Awesome Craig... after a long day of jogging 4.5 miles, then coming home and cooking (cooking is my second passion and it relaxes me) my gals a good dinner... I find myself sitting that laptop reading forum post (maybe indulging in a drink of finer spirits... or two) I'm glad you figured it out. One of the keys is that stupid retainer... it has to be able to sit flat when installed and it can't rock. Critical to the installation for sure.

Take care,

E

0Willcox Corvette

The cables are a must and there should be two... and I know you found someone to install the top... but always be careful on picking an installer.

I can't tell you how many tops we've installed and how many we've sold only to have a shop call us and tell us how many tops they've installed over the last (insert years here). When a shop calls us and say's the top (and I'll only install AK tops) is too short on the sides it's kind of a funny trick question but it spills the beans every time....

So, a quick question to ask the installer is this... When they start the installation do they start from the middle of the rear bow... and work out. The original rear bows have a centering mark on them and the reproduction soft tops have a mark in them for center.... but if they say yes they start in the middle, then you'll have issues and I'd find a new installer.

One of the most important keys to installing a top to the rear bow is to start from the ends... You see, you measure from the pivot bolt on the rear bow to the vertical edge of the actual soft top frame. Then you transfer this measurement to the new top. This ensures you that there is enough material to wrap around the vertical edge. If you start in the middle you'll always come up short. Once you transfer the mark to the new top (with a pencil) you install about the first 6-8 inches on each side, then you work it toward the middle and the top will stretch to fit.

There are other tricks and why not install the top yourself.

A very long time ago (probably 30 years) I used to watch Al install tops at Bloomington, and the tricks I learned were critical to me knowing how to install the tops.

Sad news is that I'm going to stop doing them this year. I have three more on the schedule to do and after that I'll probably stop. (hurts my hands too much and the newer younger help doesn't seem to have any interest in learning)... The job is easy for me but I also have the correct tools... and that is also important, (a Fasco stapler is critical to me)

But the key for you before you ever put a top on is to make sure the frame fits with the weatherstripping installed and if you have a hardtop adjust it first, then make the frame fit the windows. If you don't, install new softtop weatherstrips and adjust the frame to the windows then install the top. You really don't need help or to pay someone to do this job... for a novice it'd be a hard job and you're more than welcome to pick my brains if you get stuck. I've been working on a write up for doing this job for the tech site, I'm just not finished with it.

e

The other thing is do you have a hardtop. If you do, adjust the windows to fit the hardtop, then fit the soft top frame to the windows.

I have the replacement cables if you need the link just post back. They work just fine but you have to have them, they hold the horizontal section of the top taunt when the top is up.

Eliredandblack

The bottom ring is attached by a bolt inside the frame


The top ring is attached to a bolt also, but the cable has been cut
Ernie
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. The guy who does the soft top was referred from some folks I met at a Corvette Show several weeks ago. They told me to get the cable and also new weather stripping. There seemed to be only one cable that was mounted on the drivers side. I checked tonight and there aren’t any bolts, rings, or holes on the drivers side of the frame. I went ahead and took a picture of the cable mounted on the frame the op of the cable ring is severed and you can see that the top bolt is still in place. I scored eBay and found a “soft top bow stay cable” from Corvette Central. There cable looks very thin and nothing like my original. Please take a look and let me know if you have one of these cables to replace the broken one (If I really need it). Please be careful with all that running, I personally have trouble driving 4.5 miles.
Eli

0Willcox Corvette

There should be two cables one left and one right.

https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...68-75-see-note

I'd get the new weatherstrip kit (on weds, a new sale will start around noon) and the weatherstrip mounting hardware kit.

https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...-top-kit-68-75

https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...50-piece-68-79

You'll need both of the parts above to make sure you are fastened correctly. I'm the manufacturer of the weatherstrip fastener kit and the soft top weatherstrip kit is crc USA made brand and the best on the market place.

E

Eliredandblack

Ernie,
Once again, much thanks.
Eli