Webineer

Hi Guys,
I recently purchased a 72 convertible vette in very nice shape. It came with a factory removable hard top but there was no soft top. A fellow corvette buddy informed me that there was a delete option to buy a convertible without the soft top. My question is how can I tell if I have one of these cars that left the factory without the soft top? I had hoped to install one but I have also been told that this may be a real challenge.
If you can shed any light on this subject I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks very much.
Paul

Syl1953

Original paperwork or tank sticker? I know C2s had that option don't know more, sure Alan will know. Mark

Webineer

Thanks Mark,
I don't have either at this time, I just got the car last week. I will do some exploring and see what I can dig up.
Thanks,
Paul

Alan 71

Hi Paul,
There was another thread with-in the last week or two about hardtop only cars.

I believe the consensus was that there was very little, if any difference, in a car that was to get the soft top or not… except of course for the top itself.
So adding the top may not be difficult, but buying a nice complete frame, hardware, and top in good condition may be a bit costly.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

Link to the soft top thread.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-hardtops.html

SIXTYTWO

Back then you could buy the car with soft top only, hard top only or both tops, I'm not sure if a hard top only car has the attaching points for the soft top frame but I know the C-1 cars did not. Which is why you can buy used attaching hardware for these cars on e bay etc for hundreds of dollars. The C-2 soft top only cars also lacked the attaching hardware and rear latches.

7T1vette

Curious: Why would the folding mechanism come with a car that was designated as "soft top delete"? Someone making that purchase wouldn't have wanted the top or that mechanism....would they?

Webineer

That’s the thing that I am trying to resolve. Apparently if you ordered the car with a hard top and soft top delete, you have an empty hole where the frame and soft top would be. So to install a new soft top will require the purchase of a frame and vinyl top plus the cost of instalation.
Anyone have a good used frame they want to part with😊
paul

Webineer

Alan, that link tells the tale, thanks a million!
Paul

Alan 71

Hi Paul,
There are convertible frames for sale on the bay almost continuously.
What they cost depends on their condition and how much restoration effort they require.
Attaching the frame to the body could hardly be anymore straight forward.
There are 2 bolts from the top's frame mounting bracket to the hinge pillar on each side of the car.
The Assembly manual shows it pretty clearly.
Regards,
Alan

Webineer

Thanks Alan,
I will let the search begin. Luckily its getting cold and the hard top is on for the winter months.
Paul

theandies

Look behind the rear 1/4 trim panels. You should see a serrated square patch and two holes that house the cage nuts to attach the soft top frame to the bird cage. I'd love to know if that is there and would answer the question if the car was built soft top delete (only the tank sticker will tell you for sure if it's soft top delete) did it come with the frame attachment points.

NRAROX

While 'attaching' the soft top is quite simple, the attachment point has a lot of room to move, effecting the tension in the top and the ability to easily open and close. Look at the room in the slots below. BTW I would bet $100 every roadster was made with the attaching points; managing the addition or deletion of these points would be more than GM could have managed in this era. Just a bet, not a proven fact.

Alan 71

Hi,
The Assembly Instruction Manual indicates the the parts for the folding top bracket support bolts are welded into the hinge pillar. (UPC 1 Bolt/Weld, Sheet A5)
I don't think that when the birdcages were being assembled there was a way for the workers to know if the cage was headed for use in a soft-top delete car.
I'm thinking all convertible birdcages were set up for the soft top mount.
Regards,
Alan

VERY nice photo ROX!
What year car?
May I save it?

Easy Mike

I agree.

theandies

Thanks what I concluded in the other hard top thread. I'd think the soft top delete was very rare and it would cost way too much to delete the attachment point from the bird cage and then track it all the way to the owner that ordered it like that back then.

theandies

Good picture.

And in addition to getting the soft top to work and fit if you have the hard top put it on first and adjust the door glass to that. Then remove it and adjust the soft top to the glass. Then both seal up nicely.