So I'm in the process if installing a tinted top on my 96. It's a factory roof. Once I got the brackets all aligned, I noticed the gap between the front corners are way off. Since the windshield was replaced before I got the car, I suspect the pillars got tweaked. Either that or the frame somehow got tweaked. Am I missing something? Anything I should be looking at?

Driver side.
Passenger side.

 

Did you adjust he targa brackets?

How is the gap at the back? I suspect the brackets just need adjusted to fit your car.

 

I loosened the brackets on the top to get the brackets centered. Haven't touched the ones mounted to the car, as it looks like they only allow for vertical adjustments, unless I'm not looking at it right. The gap at the rear looks ok, it's not uneven.

 

I assume that you have the original painted top that came with the car .... and it fits just fine?
Having had my windshield replaced twice over the years I don't see how the A pillars could get "tweaked" else the painted top would not fit properly.

You might try loosening the front bolts on both the driver and passenger side then tighten up the passenger side first.... see if that makes any difference.

 

I'll give that a try.

I never really paid much attention to that gap with the original roof, but I believe it was the same. I'll pop it back on and see for sure. I need to raise the front brackets attached to the car anyways, it's a bit too snug. In searching the forum, I found two or three others mention the same thing, but nothing came of it.

 

Tried tightening down the passenger side first, no difference. I noticed that when the roof is placed on the car, and the rear tightened down, that it's already uneven at the front. ???? I think if it doesn't leak, then I'm not going to worry too much about it.

 

it's not uncommon for a top (especially a refurbished top) to not line up right on a 25 y/o car. I've had to actually adjust 2 different tops (both OE GM tops) to bolt smoothly onto my cars. the first clue is when tightening the top, starting with the front bolts, the first bolt goes right in but then the other side requires a lot of effort to get the bolt started or an abnormal amount of drag while tightening it.

***big warning here, you do not want resistance or force being applied here. you may hear cracking or strange noises while trying to tighten a top under this condition, stop and investigate!

take a tape measure and run straight across bolt hole to bolt hole on the top and compare that dimension to the bolt-to-bolt in the header panel...not uncommon to see them measure different (the tape measure is just a reference check),but if its out it should be noticeable.

in this situation, i loosen one mount on the roof panel and adjust it accordingly. make note of any previous markings or signs of already being adjusted (scratches, paint circles, ect...).

Under this condition, you could see a misalignment or gap on either the side or front. your photo looks like how my last top fit before i adjusted the roof mounts and it needs to be fairly close, i had to adjust 3-4 times to get it to my liking.

 

What I don't quite understand is, when you loosen the mounts on the roof, all that can be done at that point is get the threaded inserts lined up with the mounts on the car. And the mounts on the car can only be moved up and down, to adjust how much the roof compresses down on the weatherstrip. I can see moving them all and shifting the roof left and right, and front to back with shims in the rear, but I'm not seeing how to adjust uneven gaps on the front, when the rear is perfectly even.

I believe you when you say it's all in the adjustments, so I must not be seeing something here, lol.

 

You want car on flat level surface. If car is on irregular surface, there can be some twist in the car. It's not enough to see, but can be enough to make fitting the top difficult.

 

[QUOTE}What I don't quite understand is, when you loosen the mounts on the roof, all that can be done at that point is get the threaded inserts lined up with the mounts on the car. And the mounts on the car can only be moved up and down, to adjust how much the roof compresses down on the weatherstrip. I can see moving them all and shifting the roof left and right, and front to back with shims in the rear, but I'm not seeing how to adjust uneven gaps on the front, when the rear is perfectly even.

I believe you when you say it's all in the adjustments, so I must not be seeing something here, lol.[/QUOTE]

The brackets on the roof panel don't move in 0-90degree very much but they do move side-to-side and you can also twist them. twisting (rotating) them makes a big difference. one of my roof panels was different by a quarter inch and this was a lightly used GM panel with the original lens so anything is possible. That was agreat tip about doing it on a flat "even" surface.

Good luck

 

The brackets on the roof panel don't move in 0-90degree very much but they do move side-to-side and you can also twist them. twisting (rotating) them makes a big difference. one of my roof panels was different by a quarter inch and this was a lightly used GM panel with the original lens so anything is possible. That was agreat tip about doing it on a flat "even" surface.

Good luck[/QUOTE]

Twisting them! I knew I was missing something! Damn it, that's one of those things you wonder how you missed after it gets pointed out, lol! Also the car wasn't as level as I thought, so I'm sure that's fighting me as well. I'll have to give it another go this weekend. Thank you!

 

I had a similar issue. The glass top fit perfectly and the painted top was a bear to get on. Came down to making sure i was on a completely level service. I still have to apply a little down force on the roof while I tighten it, but the car is so much tighter with the painted roof on. With the glass roof....I get the standard 30mpg wobble.