[gadwhite]

Weather strip

Thanks for taking the time to document and post your efforts.

The weatherstrip for the front bow is available from Centerline and IAP.

Yep just found that out. Going to order and replace later, but want to get her on the road so I will use the old one for now, then update the thread later.

 

[gadwhite]

Turnbuckles

This looks great so far, keep it up!

I have a question though. When i bought my car, the top was new and recently installed. The turnbuckles on the vertical supports of the top in my car are not connected to anything. I have no idea what they do. My top fits quite well and is tight so I probably won't change anything, but for future reference, where does that tightening wire between the two turnbuckles go? What is its purpose? Thanks.


Happy motoring

The turnbuckles attach to a wire that threads through the top to the sides of the windshield where it is secured by a rivet. I will show this when I do the install.

 

[gadwhite]

Don't worry folks

Don't worry folks, work is progressing well. I am through the clean up phase and into the installation phase. Lots of pictures to upload, but just trying to get her back on the road.

Gabriel

 

[bob7468]

Great post, take your time we can wait!

 

[gadwhite]

Phase1 Removal final step

Ok last part of removal. Peel the top off the front bow.

Ok Here is where we are. time to clean up.

 

[gadwhite]

Phase 2 Clean up

For this phase you will need acetone, rags and a scraper of some sort. Next scrape and clean the old glue off of the bows. I laughed when Home Depot offerred me a quart or a gallon of Acetone, but I used almost the whole quart. REMEMBER DO THIS OUTSIDE, or you will get even more brain damage.

I found this wicked scraper that worked well on the curved surface, I know it scratched through the paint a little, but I touched up with some black trim paint before installation.

In the end it was lots of acetone, rags and , elbow grease.
Here is the side pillar glue removal. BEFORE

And AFTER

Clean the front Bow underside really well.

 

[gadwhite]

Phase 2 clean up continues

Now I vacuumed up all of the junk not caught by the blankets, and ( I didn't forget) cleaned the drains from the rain gutter/rail at the back of the car.

 

[gadwhite]

Phase 2 Clean up continued

I scrubbed, vacuumed, then used some Fantastik to get the rest of the grime out of the back area. This leaves less stuff to trap and hold moisture in the rain gutter.

Here's how it looks now.

final vacuum

 

[Bobcatmo]

Pondering doing this project myself...this is going to be a great help....THANKS!!!!

 

[gadwhite]

Phase3 installation

OK Im ready to start the installation. HAVE A COAT HANGER AND SOME TAPE( Electrical or masking ) HANDY FOR A STEP DURING THE WAIT FOR THE GLUE TO DRY. Skip ahead if you want to see what I mean)

First thing is the front bow. I mask everything off.

I used a good contact cement and a brush. Contact cement is stronger than the other rubber based glues that could also be used, but remember it is a little more difficult to work with, as it will stick (Firmly)on contact

Brush on enough to leave a glossy shine on the underside of the bow.

Also paint the inside flap of the fabric, that will be pressed onto the underside of the bow. And Leave to dry for at least 15 min.

While we wait for the glue to set up We have to run the guide wires through the top to the A-Pillars

 

[gadwhite]

PASE 3 Installation

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]

Phase 3 installation (weatherstrip retainer)

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]

Water channel repair/replacement

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]

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.

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

 

[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]

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.

clean out (cut out) rusted parts, and you can try to fix it with fiberglass.


Gadwhite:
Excellent thread, my suggestion is to put it toghether in one (maby some pdf, your private website), and post it in "restoration" section.

Im about to replace top myself as well, so this is great help.
Thank you.

Ps. your "before" rear windshield, looks exacly like mine

 

[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

 

[144]

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

Regarding the bead issue, that's very common and the reason that when the front is glued, that the front bead seam be turned well-under. That way when the fabric is pulled tight, hopefully the bead will still be slightly turned down. That said, the best I could do on mine is having the bead pointing straight. Looks good but it's technically not the ideal.

That said, some have said that not having the bead turned down causes excess wind noise in the gap between the windscreen and the front bow. I did some experiments by stuffing insulation in that gap and driving at high speed and I could not tell any difference whether the gap was filled or not.

 

[gadwhite]

Bead

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.