Thread: Duetto/Round-Tail 'floating bow'
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Old 05-13-2008, 05:27 PM
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Anfanuts Anfanuts is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Biba69 View Post
And another thing, what about the army belt?

You've always wondered what that bracket with a slit in it which is installed in the middle of the rubber handle on the top's header was for? You're seeing what it looks like. I will admit it 'might not' be the original belt, but bet it is. My clients bought the car new, made virtually no changes to it, and it had sat for over eighteen years when I got it. So we're talking 28 years ago.

There was absolutely no sign there had ever been a glued in piece of fabric to wrap around the floating bow. The adjustable belt pulled it into place (pretty much).

No, not a makeshift fix. ALL (at least 69's) came with the metal bracket and belt. Alfa/Pinninfarina didn't install brackets that weren't used. Poke around with a sharp pointer (needle). Find the center and move 1 1/8" to each side (I just measured the belt bracket from current client's top) and bet if you poke long enough the pointer will go through the header. That is where the bracket should be.

As I vaguely recall I cut a notch out of the canvas top's fabric wrap so I could wrap the bow but also pull it up with the belt. Not positive about that. I might not have wrapped it at all.

Comments?

Biba
Biba, that 1 1/4" bracket under the handle is for the black webbing and Velcro belt, with a steel "D" ring at one end, that cinches the top down when it is down. There is a "bent finger" hook on the rear panel that the ring on this belt slips through and the belt goes through the bracket and folds back on itself on the Velcro. I still have my original hold-down strap and can take a photo. There was no belt that went to the floating ring from that bracket. My car was 6 years old when I got it and pretty original. I'm sure the PO did not fabricate a belt with Velcro and a "D" ring. Do you have the little "bent finger" loop on your rear firewall? Bruce

PS: Do you have an extra handle end cover piece? The plastic cover that goes over the metal attachment bracket? I'm short one.
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Last edited by Anfanuts; 05-13-2008 at 05:36 PM.
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