Convertible Top Installation project

[gadwhite]

While we wait for the glue to dry we will run the support wires through the sides of the top. These attach to the sides of the front bow, mine were in good condition so I am keeping them. Later these will attach to the turnbuckles, behind the A pillars. Put the top on the frame loosely keeping it away from the glue.

I use a coat hanger which I have straightened, and I tape the wire to it like so.



I then gently feed this through the sleeves on each side of the top.



Until it emerges from the other side. Pull off the tape and while holding the wire pull out the coat hanger.



Leave the wires loosely threaded through the top. Next position the top so that you can pull the glued flap ove the bow. Be careful to get everything in position before you make contact between the two glued surfaces.


The Goal here is to have the bead/seam be right on the edge of the bow, so that when the top is closed the bead rests on the top of the windshield frame. When you are sure everything is lined up start at one end and pull the flap into position and press down. Apply pressure along the full length of the bow.

[gadwhite]

Next installed the weather strip retainer. Remember this? I sprayed it lightly with Armorall to make sliding in the weatherstrip a little easier.





First make sure all of the rivet holes are clear, and if needed use an Awl/knife to cut through any top fabric covering any holes.



Then using 1/8 by 1/2inch (pull length) rivets, secure the track with 6 rivets.

[Alfa Dave]

Thanks for the great set of photos. I'm in the midst of replacing the top on my '71 Spider and you have gotten me through some of the tough stuff.

After removing my top, I discovered the water channel is rusted through in a bunch of places. Anyone out there have ideas about repair and/or replacement? There don't seem to be any aftermarket parts for this. I thought I would check with a body shop and get their opinion too.

[velocedoc]

I have been contemplating replacing the top on my wifes spider as the top is here and the weather is improving to take off the hard top. This came along at the right time!
My only concern is getting the top tight enough so it doesn't flap between the bows. Probably going to come out ok, if I get the front set up as you are showing.
I would have run a die over the threads for the rear before I put it all together and a Qtip with antiseize over them before final assembly.
After this thread is complete, print it out for reference.

[gadwhite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by velocedoc I have been contemplating replacing the top on my wifes spider as the top is here and the weather is improving to take off the hard top. This came along at the right time! My only concern is getting the top tight enough so it doesn't flap between the bows. Probably going to come out ok, if I get the front set up as you are showing. I would have run a die over the threads for the rear before I put it all together and a Qtip with antiseize over them before final assembly. After this thread is complete, print it out for reference.

[lowmileage]

Many yrs back I attempted a convert top replacement and it isn't as easy as one might think - if you wanted it tight with no wrinkles. But then again, it was a JC Whitney top so I assume that could have been part the problem. I ended up having a "professional" do it and it still had wrinkles. I was young and stupid then and just let the issue go when they be estd me that it was "normal or somethin'".

[he3r0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfa Dave Thanks for the great set of photos. I'm in the midst of replacing the top on my '71 Spider and you have gotten me through some of the tough stuff. After removing my top, I discovered the water channel is rusted through in a bunch of places. Anyone out there have ideas about repair and/or replacement? There don't seem to be any aftermarket parts for this. I thought I would check with a body shop and get their opinion too.

[MrT]

You're doing a marvelous public service by documenting so thoroughly. We have an '86 Graduate needing top replacement (have had replacement top in hand since last year) and I'm so glad I didn't replace the top on the '79 just before it was trashed by a rear-ender. (Gone, but not forgotten; planning to replace it this summer with another car needing a top. It's sorely missed, in fact.) I, too, had not known what/how/why for the wires in the area over the windows.

Michael

[Roadtrip]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadwhite Just to address your issues 1. The top is actually very tight, so what I did was during final assembly (pictures to come) I actually took the car out in the sun and let the top warm up, before I started bolting everything in at the back. Even so I noticed the front bead pulled up a little from the windshield( hopefully it will still be OK) 2. I did clean the threads off with WD 40 and am using antiseize. Gabriel

[gadwhite]

John
Thanks for the info on the bead, this has been the only problem so far that is bugging me. Mine points straight ahead as you say, and the top is smooth and tight across the bows. To be honest living in California the top will mainly be up when I park to preserve the interior from the sun.

[gadwhite]

Ok now for the Weather strip above the windshield. I used liberal amounts of Armourall on the bottom of the strip where it feeds into the track and this helped. Note that the side of the weather strip with the bead goes against the roof, and the smaller side with the flap will go against the top of the windshield. I was able to feed a fair amount of the strip into the track from one side, but after the half way mark it became a push pull affair, so patience is required.


At the end I was going from one side of the car to the other alternately pushing and pulling about a 1/4 inch at a time.

PUSH


PULL


In the end you can tell when your done, by the fact that the flap with the T-bolt hole lines up with the bolt hole on the front bow.( Hope this is clear)

[gadwhite]

Next we install the back retaining strips to hold the top to the back of the car, but do NOT Do the final tightening yet. First I cleaned off the Vinyl strips. These go between the inside of the top and the retainer, and hang over the rain gutter into the car.




Use Antiseize on the bolts



Start with the short side strips and note that the small screw hole goes towards the front of the car. Push the holes in the top over the bolts, line up the vinyl strip with the holes, and press it onto the bolts, then push the retaining strip over it and attach with the washers and bolts( 8 mm).



Next install the long back strip. Again make sure the top's holes are over the bolts, and then the vinyl strip by pushing it over the bolts. This took me a while to do, and get it right, then position the long strip. Attach at the ends first, loosely, as you will find this gives you the play you need to get it to line up with the rest of the bolts.



Work your way out from the middle installing the washers and the bolts. do not fully tighten yet.

[gadwhite]

This phase is a little tricky so I'm going to glue the first flap (the back one of two), then show you a dry run of what to do next. First use contact cement on the pillar and on the back flap, and wait for it to dry.



When dry press the back flap firmly over the a pillar. Use an awl or a knife to make holes for the rivets where the flap covers them.



Next did a dry run to correctly position the metal bar within the front fold. The bar goes against the padded edge then the flap is wrapped around it.


The goal here is that when glued and rivetted the metal bar pulls the padded flap firmly against the pillar.



Note that when we glue the bar in place you want the rivet holes to line up. I marked the bar with a sharpie to show me where to glue it.


I will show you how it is supposed to look in the next thread before I glue it.

[gadwhite]

Here is how it is supposed to look when done.



brush glue onto one side of the the metal bars.