Convertible top drivers side weather stripping issue.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,381
Likes: 1,067
From: Virginia USA
Convertible top drivers side weather stripping issue.
I just reinstalled my convertible top for the summer and the drivers side front weather stripping is about an 1/8 of an inch too high. It's been like this since I've owned the car just never thought about fixing it as I usually leave my car in the garage. Now that it's my daily driver I want to get it leak tight (or as good as I can).
I've adjusted the windows to the hard top which is what I've read in the past is to do then adjust the soft top to the windows. When reinstalling the soft top today I tried all I could to get the soft top side weather stripping to match the windows. I got the passenger side perfect but the front drivers side will not align to the window as there is no way to adjust the top down any at the front bow. The rest of the window/weather stripping fits fine.
I'm starting to think my whole soft top frame is bent a little.
My question is anyone experienced this and what did you do to fix it? I have some stainless steel stock in my garage and I'm thinking of making some shims to lower the front weather stripping. What do you think of this idea?
Thanks
I've adjusted the windows to the hard top which is what I've read in the past is to do then adjust the soft top to the windows. When reinstalling the soft top today I tried all I could to get the soft top side weather stripping to match the windows. I got the passenger side perfect but the front drivers side will not align to the window as there is no way to adjust the top down any at the front bow. The rest of the window/weather stripping fits fine.
I'm starting to think my whole soft top frame is bent a little.
My question is anyone experienced this and what did you do to fix it? I have some stainless steel stock in my garage and I'm thinking of making some shims to lower the front weather stripping. What do you think of this idea?
Thanks
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I just reinstalled my convertible top for the summer and the drivers side front weather stripping is about an 1/8 of an inch too high. It's been like this since I've owned the car just never thought about fixing it as I usually leave my car in the garage. Now that it's my daily driver I want to get it leak tight (or as good as I can).
I've adjusted the windows to the hard top which is what I've read in the past is to do then adjust the soft top to the windows. When reinstalling the soft top today I tried all I could to get the soft top side weather stripping to match the windows. I got the passenger side perfect but the front drivers side will not align to the window as there is no way to adjust the top down any at the front bow. The rest of the window/weather stripping fits fine.
I'm starting to think my whole soft top frame is bent a little.
My question is anyone experienced this and what did you do to fix it? I have some stainless steel stock in my garage and I'm thinking of making some shims to lower the front weather stripping. What do you think of this idea?
Thanks
I've adjusted the windows to the hard top which is what I've read in the past is to do then adjust the soft top to the windows. When reinstalling the soft top today I tried all I could to get the soft top side weather stripping to match the windows. I got the passenger side perfect but the front drivers side will not align to the window as there is no way to adjust the top down any at the front bow. The rest of the window/weather stripping fits fine.
I'm starting to think my whole soft top frame is bent a little.
My question is anyone experienced this and what did you do to fix it? I have some stainless steel stock in my garage and I'm thinking of making some shims to lower the front weather stripping. What do you think of this idea?
Thanks
Can you post a some pictures... I've got a ton of ST experience.
You said the door glass was adjusted to match up to the hardtop which is correct... so you should be able to adjust the soft top frame to match this unless the top installation is the issue. We always do the hardtop adjustment first, then we fit the soft top frame (without the top on it) to the door glass.
On a car we are currently working on, the top frame was bent (the car itself was rolled) so we had to put a J hook in the wall of our shop, hook a come-along to it and basically bend the frame back to where it needed to be. This is the second time in 5 years we've had to get creative on tweaking a soft top frame but it worked both times.
If the top is already on the frame this might be an issue, but for me I curious to see a pic or two of the assembly.
Willcox
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,381
Likes: 1,067
From: Virginia USA
Sorry I didn't get any pictures. For now I did what I said and placed some shims under the front part of the front WS on the drivers side which closed up the gap and it now appears to seal.
I think I might tweak my shim stack a little bit as I was running out of time yesterday and needed to get it back together as my car is my daily driver and I work on Saturdays.
After reading your post I think my frame is bent slightly somewhere. I installed my top a few years ago (using Al Knoch video) but I didn't notice anything bent at that time.
Thanks for your reply as always.
I think I might tweak my shim stack a little bit as I was running out of time yesterday and needed to get it back together as my car is my daily driver and I work on Saturdays.
After reading your post I think my frame is bent slightly somewhere. I installed my top a few years ago (using Al Knoch video) but I didn't notice anything bent at that time.
Thanks for your reply as always.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Sorry I didn't get any pictures. For now I did what I said and placed some shims under the front part of the front WS on the drivers side which closed up the gap and it now appears to seal.
I think I might tweak my shim stack a little bit as I was running out of time yesterday and needed to get it back together as my car is my daily driver and I work on Saturdays.
After reading your post I think my frame is bent slightly somewhere. I installed my top a few years ago (using Al Knoch video) but I didn't notice anything bent at that time.
Thanks for your reply as always.
I think I might tweak my shim stack a little bit as I was running out of time yesterday and needed to get it back together as my car is my daily driver and I work on Saturdays.
After reading your post I think my frame is bent slightly somewhere. I installed my top a few years ago (using Al Knoch video) but I didn't notice anything bent at that time.
Thanks for your reply as always.
These tops can be tricky regardless....
I used to have a copy of Al's video and I used to make the guys in the shop watch it as a tech video... until the VCR ate the tape... lol
I talked to all about six months ago, we've been friends since he set up across from us at Bloomington in the 70's. I told him aside from him, I've probably installed more of his tops than anyone.
And as bad as I hate to say it..... I hate doing them now, they make my hands hurt and I've got six on the shop job list..... after that I'm not doing anymore of them. Ernie
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I have a similar problem with my 69. I can either secure the front or the back of the top. The guy i bought it from (last month) said it was new and he always left it down. Will steaming the top allow it to stretch so that I can secure both the front and back or is this a bad idea?
