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It’s getting to that time of the year to put the hardtop back on but it’s got me confused.
When I bought the car the prior owner showed me how to ( well he) put the top on. The top has the threaded studs in the rear that the AIM manual shows.
He said you can put a nut on the stud to secure it down but nobody does that. Just drop it in and clamp it down in the front.
Ya that seemed to work fine but it wasn’t sealing with a lot of wind noise and when I took the top off in the spring I saw where the weatherstrip scuffed the deck lids paint. Wasn’t happy with that and it took some buffing to get that out.
You can only buff the paint so many times so I invested in a set of clear vinyl protectors for the soft and hard tops.
When I put the hardtop on this time I’d like to secure it down like the AIM manual shows with a nut and washer. Problem is the latch has a bar running dead center under the stud and theres no way to get a nut and washer on it. This is where I’m at an impass.
Below are a bunch of pics including that of 3/8” threaded pins which I’m about to order as it seems to be the only working option.
What am I missing here ?
This is the underside of the hardtop presently sitting on its cart That center rod is directly under the stud, this rod is part of the soft top latch.
Do I have to remove the soft top latches to secure the hard top ?
This is the path the stud takes aiming directly at the latches rod
What you do is first bolt the hardtop side brackets to the lid. Release the front brackets and pull the release for the top lid. Lift the front of the hardtop (the lid will come up with the top). Use a brace (piece of wood?) to support the front of the hardtop above the windshield. Put the brackets and nuts on the studs and then remove brace and lower the front of the top. Push down on the corners of the lid to latch them, then secure the three front latches to the windshield.
What you do is first bolt the hardtop side brackets to the lid. Release the front brackets and pull the release for the top lid. Lift the front of the hardtop (the lid will come up with the top). Use a brace (piece of wood?) to support the front of the hardtop above the windshield. Put the brackets and nuts on the studs and then remove brace and lower the front of the top. Push down on the corners of the lid to latch them, then secure the three front latches to the windshield.
Totally lost me. This top does have the side brackets and you can’t get the brackets and nuts because the stud is blocked by the soft opening latch center rod/pivot point. Dropping the top into place has never been an issue, Theres just no way to get the nuts onto the studs.
Now I’m wondering if I’m supposed to remove the soft top latching mechanisms in order to secure the hardtop down with the bracket and nut. It’s looking like it’s either one or the other.
Edit: ok the top does have the side mounts but I don’t see the corisponding holes for them to bolt to in the body.
Also looking at he owners manual there is no mention of the nuts that go on the studs that the AIM manual shows rather the rear latch is supposed to hold pressure against the studs. It does mention the side bolts. I’ve got to find the attachment holes that the bolts are supposed to go thru. Can’t imagine it being in fiberglass, must be in metal framework ?
Your car has the early 68 hold down latches. They did hot use the studs and nuts with them. The factory used the soft top pins to hold down the hard top with these latches.
In late 68 the hold down latch changed to a split pin design that allowed the use of the studs and nuts.
Your car has the early 68 hold down latches. They did hot use the studs and nuts with them. The factory used the soft top pins to hold down the hard top with these latches.
In late 68 the hold down latch changed to a split pin design that allowed the use of the studs and nuts.
John
This makes sense as it is every bit an early ‘68 built in November of ‘67 and has all those early ‘68 variously unique parts. I wasn’t aware that the latches were another one of them.
Thank you.
Your car has the early 68 hold down latches. They did hot use the studs and nuts with them. The factory used the soft top pins to hold down the hard top with these latches.
In late 68 the hold down latch changed to a split pin design that allowed the use of the studs and nuts.
John
Thank you again, you called it !
First pic is mine and the next is the later version.
Hardtop stud hold down question
