Hi all,

Probably an unusual question, but as of late, I have been seriously contemplating removing my soft top frame completely on my '69 vert, and just using a hard top, occasionally, if and when needed.

I have never driven it in the rain, and do not intend to. It's not a daily, and I don't leave the car parked in a mall parking lot for hours during shopping with the little lady - I have a daily for that - and its generally always in sight when I take it out, which is generally car shows, or perhaps to a brewery/winery from time to time. Other than that, I'm IN the car cruising, and they are generally 4-8 hours in duration. It's stored in a climate controlled garage when not in use, and I never really see the need to put the top up. The Vette is disassembled at the paint shop for a color change, and I was thinking why not remove it since I don't use it? An added benefit is it frees up so much room in the compartment for a better sound system (if I want), and general storage.

Has anyone done this and gone without, or used a hard top instead?

 

If you aren't going to use it, drop the weight and store it...

 

I'm doing this now. The softtop has already been removed, and as soon as I get the hardtop rear window installed after the paint job, that is going on instead. It leaves som storage space available as well. And it looks so much better than the ugly softtop.
I'm a fifty year old man, so noone needs to watch me driving a convertible anyway

 

Check me on this...
I think there are two shoulder bolts in the right door pillar and two in the left door pillar that hold the lower frame of the soft-top in place.

 

Yes, two bolts on each side

 

Well, the reality is that a hard top is a bit of a hassle to take on and off and you'll probably just keep it on or off.
I only had a hard top on my '69 when I bought it, and I bought a soft top for it. I never used the hard top again.

 

I bought a lift that someone had for sale for an old Mercedes top. Makes it super easy to get the hardtop on and off. You can make one, or find something that would work

 

Really good input, fellas. OK, so I'm not crazy (on this point at least ha), as some of you have done this too.

 

Never intending to be out in the rain in that old shark is far different from accidentally getting caught in a downpour.

Is the juice worth the squeeze? I'm not sure what it's hurting leaving it on. So it take's up some space, might adversely affect MPG a slight bit, but is it really all that bad leaving it in there... just in case?

A freak storm caught me in my naked jeep (no top / doors) two summers ago and I didn't bother throwing the trail cover in the back before leaving for a short trip. I got soaked. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, no?

 

Maybe before the advent of smart phones and apps, and you're driving across country or to another state where you wouldn't have the luxury of returning to the garage within a reasonable timeframe, but for local driving on your typical summer and fall (and even the occasional nice spring) day, I am able to plan my day/weekend armed with pretty darned accurate weather forecasting. Moreover, it (forecasting accuracy) has really improved by leaps and bounds over the past decade or so. Heck, I know on Monday what the weekend weather is going to be like, and sometimes an original forecast for weekend rain morphs into a nice sunny weekend forecast on Friday night. And visa versa.

My point is that I know with a fair degree of accuracy what the weather during the upcoming week is going to be and can plan (or change plans accordingly). I've yet to be 'fooled' by a completely inaccurate forecast. If you're getting caught in the rain with your pants (or in this case top) down, then you probably aren't closely following the weather forecasts (or at all), or aren't using an accurate app.

The weather channel app on my iphone has been very reliable over the past several years, in my experience, in both the PNW (known to have its share of rainy days), and as of recent, the East side of the country, and I haven't been caught in a deluge yet. Even freak storms have been reliably predictable using a good weather app.

Technology, baby - It's your friend...

 

I left my soft top off after a restoration of the car. I figured I likely won't put it up again. Won't be driving it in bad weather or with a "sketchy" forecast, plus, having been in a profession that made me somewhat weather knowledgeable, I would have that edge. Also, unless you have some sort of protective item in mind to prevent it, having the top up will inevitably wear a groove in the deck lid where the weather stripping meets the deck.

However, here's the flaw in your/my reasoning. It is the "...pretty darned accurate weather forecasting" thing. Flawless weather forecasting doesn't exist, even in the current "weather app" days. I've been caught a couple of times in the last three years, and a couple of more almost caught, but was aware in time to turn around and retreat. There are almost NO days here in central Texas when there is absolutely no chance of rain. Forecasts cover wide areas, and are notoriously unreliable for some specific point on the ground. There are many, many, many days when the chance here is 10%, and one of those was one of the times I got caught by a short shower.

I'm still not putting it (the top) back on, though. I bought and carry a tonneau cover for just the cockpit if an unexpected/unforecast rain event occurs. Can't use it when driving, but works good when parked. Also works to cover the interior when the car is sitting while you spend an hour or so at some den of iniquity having a beer with your dolly with the temperature outside 100 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Of course, you've already won the lottery if your dolly will go riding in a C3 Corvette convertible when it's a 100 degree day.

 

This is my thought as well. I almost always drive with my soft top down, and the hard top hasn’t been out of storage since I bought the car. I don’t mind getting caught in the rain unexpectedly - it’s a price to pay for driving more regularly. The hard tops are certainly prettier than the soft top, but such a hassle to put on and off. Now, go drive the wheels off that ‘vert.

 

The weathermen are always so wrong around here that I have my top still in the car. I've been caught in down pours that didnt exist according to the weather

 

I generally do not drive my cars in the rain. Yes I can look at my smart phone weather app. Guess what? I’ve got caught in a random pop up downpour and glad I had a top.

so like was asked- what’s the goal? Do you need the space it takes up? Doesn’t seem like it if all you do is cruise. I agree it takes up a lot of space when folded down, but if you don’t need the space then why remove it?

the other point- what condition was your top in? If you leave the top folded down all the time it will likely be ruined eventually. If you did remove it from the car, the best way to store it is unfolded like it was up on the car. I have 2 convertibles that were stored long periods. (30+ years). One top up latched, one folded. Guess which still has its original top.

 

My hardtop has been up in the rafters for more years than I remember. Even though my car has to sit outside, I prefer my soft top and a car cover. For one, the hardtop doesn't come off and one in a matter of seconds. I rarely drive it with the top up. And lastly, if we do take the car out and have to park it somewhere, I feel it's much more secure with the top up and the doors locked.

 

No real reason for removal of the soft top other than I just never use it, and I have to say that the hard top, if and when the time comes to use it, looks so freakin' good on the car. Much better than the soft top, and setting up an apparatus to raise and lower it onto the car would be easy. Additionally, all trim pieces have been refinished, and they look brand new, along with new paint (it's about ready for primer).

That's one thing I hate - how scuffed/scratched the top windshield frame and the rear deck lid chrome latch bezels get over time. Not to mention, the imprint in the paint that happens from the bottom of the convertible when you latch it down that also happens over time. The hard top does that too, but it would hardly ever be used.

Thanks all, for taking the time to provide your input here. Much appreciated!

 

Accurate forecast... In my parts that's a real oxymoron. I live so close to Lake Huron that rogue storms pop up really quickly and without warning. I use Weatherunderground, weatherbug, and 4 warn weather all the time. In the morning the forecast will be 62 with a 10% chance of rain and by the afternoon it's changed to 40 with 90% precip. So for me, here, I'd keep the top. Different strokes for different folks. Have at 'er, and good luck. (Might wanna keep a golf umbrella in the back, though)

 

For the rear deck there is this:
https://www.zip-corvette.com/68-75-d...-hard-top.html
I'm installing that, even though the hardtop will never be removed again in my lifetime.

 

I’ve owned 4 Jeeps.
Two hard tops and two soft tops.
Except for during the winter months, I never had the tops up on my soft top Jeeps, and never drove them with the doors on.
The soft tops rolled up and folded down by the rear seat, so if it got hot out and you wanted to cover up from the sun you could by just unrolling the top and snapping the front into the windshield frame.
The hard top Jeeps were quieter for longer drives, but the doors were seldom on.
I had a couple of pulleys set up over the garage rafters and just using a couple of ropes, I could have those hard tops off in a matter of minutes, including removing the bolts holding them on.
I’d keep the soft top in the storage area, just in case you are out and decide you don’t want the sun beating down on you, and have the hard top as a back up.

 

$100 for the setup....500 lb./120V winch and cargo straps cut to fit the hardtop.

If you insttall the winch on the wall....add $30 for two pulleys and a 3/8" threaded 8" long eyebolt to screw into the ceiling joist after drilling a 3/16" pilot hole 8" deep for the eyebolt to screw into.

(The winch wooden support was originally on the wall at another house)