72 Vert with soft top delete?
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
72 Vert with soft top delete?
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
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
#3
Instructor
Thread Starter
#4
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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
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
Last edited by Alan 71; 10-23-2017 at 07:59 AM.
#5
Melting Slicks
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
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
#6
Team Owner
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?
#7
Instructor
Thread Starter
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
Anyone have a good used frame they want to part with😊
paul
#8
Instructor
Thread Starter
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
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
Paul
#9
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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
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
Last edited by Alan 71; 10-23-2017 at 01:43 PM.
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Webineer (10-23-2017)
#11
Team Owner
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
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
#12
Instructor
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.
#13
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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?
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?
Last edited by Alan 71; 10-24-2017 at 05:04 PM.
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#15
Team Owner
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.
#16
Team Owner
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.
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.