I have a '69 L46 Vette roadster. I have a great condition soft top, and also a hard top. I was wondering for those with both or either, have you been able to get good side window alignment to avoid wind noise, or are gaps expected given age of the vehicle?

 

I've owned my '69 L46 convertible since '75. It has both tops.
I've always had problems with window alignment, and it was difficult to make the rear bow close fully onto the body. The center of the bow always had about a 1/8th inch open space. It didn't allow much water or wind into the passenger compartment. After making adjustments on several occasions, the only thing I could accomplish was chipping the windows. After you've made a window adjustment, close it slowly up to the weatherstrip to see if the window has clearance to close fully and snug up to the weatherstrip. I finally got the windows adjusted fairly well. These cars are 53 years old, and they all had wind noise back then IMHO.
I haven't used the convertible top since I've had it recovered remotely away from the car. Might have been a big mistake. The top is far from fitting correctly. From info I've gathered, it might need some stretching.
The years before I started the car's restoration, I stored the convertible top in it's down/parked position and almost exclusively used the hardtop. So, the windows were adjusted to the hardtop. I was able to get a fairly good seal of the passenger compartment.
The 1969 Factory Assembly Instruction Manual has procedures to follow for both the convertible top and hardtop. IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION TO USE. I didn't have the use of one back in the day, but will certainly use one now that the car has been restored.

 

I have a 73 convertible with a two year old soft top and hard top. Our cars are old and doors, hinges, frames, and other assemblies change over time. My top installer had me purchase all new weatherstripping, and it did help a bit, mostly looks nice. I have used the AIM on several occasions to adjust the windows, mostly with the soft top in the up post without a lot of success. On my car it seems the top of the window closest to the rear deck should be a 1/4 inch higher. My hinges are ok and the doors fit pretty good. I found some sheet rubber at Michales Craft Store and placed it under the new weatherstripping, which did help some, at least the soft top doesn’t leak. After all the time and effort, I decided to just live with the noise. The good thing is my hearing is shot, and so I turn up the radio so I can hear it. One of the good things about old age.

 

As per the AIM you want to put the hardtop on and adjust the windows to match that top perfectly. THen take it off and with the windows up, adjust the softtop to fit the windows....I had to do that to mine when I bought it but the Bubba that installed the softtop screwed the installation so badly I can only get it close enough....the canvas is actually crooked on the frame...and you can see it without trying hard......
eventually I will have a new top installed and then it will be right

 

This is the correct way to properly adjust your door glass to get a good seal to both tops. Because of age and use, most soft top frames are at least a little bent, twisted, loose, and/or out of adjustment, while hardtops are usually pretty uniform in their shape and fit.

It's also better to replace the weatherstrip after fitting everything, so that it will form to the door glass with the top and glass in it's correct position.

 

Thanks. I really like the look of my hardtop (black vinyl covered on a maroon 69 roadster), but when I restored the hard top the inside panels are warped (some more than others). This doesn't allow for the best seal in using the retro plastic velcro-like tabs that connect the panels to the inside of the hard top. Have you experienced any warping of the panels as well, and if so, any suggestions on what might have worked to resolve the warping?

 

The restoration inside “lining- covering” is not made of the same materials as the OEM vinyl ones, and very pricey. Not to go through my long winded procedure, use Google for Corvette hard top liner repair. Without all the details, I used a Wagner heat gun, special 3M plastic loop fasteners, and long arm vice grip brand clamps. If you can’t find the old post, I will look in my old Forum Posts.