LT1man

71 conv soft top has not been used in 18-20 years. It has shrunk to the point that it will not latch. I would hate to replace since its a dated original. Any ideas? Earlier today someone told me to condition the top but they didn't indicate what to use.

mrvette

I bought my '72 with a good top from some previous owner, and it was difficult to latch, inside on both sides just outboard of the plastic window, were web cloth straps tied into the back bow and the lower base bow which meets the rear deck....anyway, they were very tight, and made latching the rear bow down a bit of a bitch...so I cut both of those useless straps out of there, and for 4 years now in daily use, have seen NO ill effects of this modification...like so much in any design mods do help....
to get the plastic to relax afterwards, heat it with a hair dryer on a hot summer sunny day, forcing the bow to latch, then clamp the front bow down, pulling everything tight, and heat the rear vinyl.....
DONT use a paint peeling heat gun unless you'r damn careful as it will melt the plastic....

GENE

R1234

When you buy a new top they recommend sitting it out in the hot sun before installing , this is to make it more flexible. Maybe you can try the same approach with your top. Let it sit in the blazing sun, keep working it up and down :smash: It might start stretching to fit the latches.

Bob Jenkins

Can you adjust the latch to header bolts on the front three latches so they put less stress on the top? I also agree with placing in the warm sum to loosen the top before trying to latch.......