Hi all, wondering if you all know where to purchase a replacement center bracket to connect my top to the rear view mirror. Thanks!
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$10 at Glass and Mirror (vintagespeedsterparts.com)
My CMC seems to use a chromed threaded rod (at one end) with a notch sawed in windshield connection end. Looks like the rod in a toilet top for the float valve and float?
https://www.vintagemotorcarsin...ndshield-center-post
you have to modify the one from Vintagespeedsterparts.com and its not the correct diameter.
So I need the small bracket that attaches to the convertible top with the black tightener that hooks to the long rod and secures the top when it’s up.
I think I understand. It’s a small bracket that slips around the top of the windshield center strut and attaches to the convertible top header, drawing them firmly together when the top is up, right?
I don’t know if Greg Leach at Vintage in California has those or not, but they’re pretty trick. Seems to me that someone on here was making those (maybe @Alan Merklin knows something)
Greg’s number is: 714-894-1550
He should understand what you’re looking for.
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Here's a photo of the clamp that was standard on my 2013 VS (before they went out of business and Greg's Vintage Motorcars moved into their shop).
I think Greg is using the same hardware on his cars, but you'll have to talk to him to verify. He'll certainly know about the old VS clamp.
Keep in mind that, to work, the clamp also needs this threaded piece embedded in the center of the top bow.
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Attachments
I always wondered how those gizmos attached. That looks like a Heli-coil threaded into the header.
Thanks, Mitch!
(P.S.: I installed a center latch way before someone came up with those.)
Yes the doohiky I had. I’ll try Greg, unless anyone has a spare one I could buy. Thanks!
@Marc Orloff posted:Hi all, wondering if you all know where to purchase a replacement center bracket to connect my top to the rear view mirror. Thanks!
Why would you want to do that?
The top doesn't keep the rain out! It just mitigates how wet you're going to be when it's up. Still, it's better than nothing, but all buttoned up you'll be wet from your waist down to the soles of your shoes if you have any distance to go.
Adventure drivin'
Very good point.
Part of that, is that Jim lives in Mississippi, where it’s been known to have rains akin to the Monsoons of Southeast Asia, where it rains so hard that it hits the ground and comes back UP!
You could simulate this by following a tractor trailer in the rain on RT 128 at rush hour…….. 
overseas it would rain literally for weeks,very low clouds like a fog..
Unfortunately when you buy garbage parts from www.vintagespeedsterparts.com you have to make a bracket to hold their shitty header bow flat to the frame. When I really started building speedsters I refused to use their header bow and made my own that fits the windshield frame like its supposed to and you don't need the third bracket.
I finally realized most of all vintagespeedsterparts.com parts are junk and made my own. We are working on redoing are website now and will have a cleaner parts page soon.
Greg
Gordon, the 128 Reference I get!! Alan had put the finishing touches on my car, so maybe he knows exactly what I need. Greg, I will call you tomorrow and see what you have. All I know is my deposit is down for one of your speedster's, so looking forward to not having to use that damn center hook, but need to get the one that is gone fixed.
@Marc Orloff posted:Gordon, the 128 Reference I get!! Alan had put the finishing touches on my car, so maybe he knows exactly what I need. Greg, I will call you tomorrow and see what you have. All I know is my deposit is down for one of your speedster's, so looking forward to not having to use that damn center hook, but need to get the one that is gone fixed.
Did you lose it? Not sure what there would be to fix on it. How'd it break?
Yes fell off didn’t realize it and gone. They are very flimsy and barely worked when it was on
@Gordon Nichols posted:I always wondered how those gizmos attached. That looks like a Heli-coil threaded into the header.
Thanks, Mitch!
(P.S.: I installed a center latch way before someone came up with those.)
It's not a heli-coil. It's a nut-sert. They are quite handy. I use them in several locations. The best place is the bottom of the headlight. Makes it easy to install/remove the headlight
@Sacto Mitch posted:.
Here's a photo of the clamp that was standard on my 2013 VS (before they went out of business and Greg's Vintage Motorcars moved into their shop).
Do you think that part might be over engineered?
@Sacto Mitch posted:.
Here's a photo of the clamp that was standard on my 2013 VS (before they went out of business and Greg's Vintage Motorcars moved into their shop).
I think Greg is using the same hardware on his cars, but you'll have to talk to him to verify. He'll certainly know about the old VS clamp.
Keep in mind that, to work, the clamp also needs this threaded piece embedded in the center of the top bow.
.
Wow; this is great; my 2004 VS doesn't have it; looks like they didn't offer that back then. When I hit the interstate I need it; the top acts like a sail at interstate speeds.
Naaaaah......... It's on a "German" car. It could never be over engineered. 
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.Do you think that part might be over engineered?
Maybe in an ironic sense it actually is over-engineered, Jim.
As Greg explains, it's a solution to a problem that shouldn't have existed in the first place. I guess the less planning you do, the more engineering you need.
This is a case of the quality going in after the name goes on.
Maybe VS was just evoking the nostalgic tradition of Porsche's 'emergency' top.
"Here's your top. Real men keep it folded away out of sight. If you insist on trying to stay dry, then YOU figure it out."
Actually I use it to save my scalp; especially important for us hair challenged types. It's almost impossible to wear headgear on the interstate without it flying out.
One of the first things I did was modify my window inserts. I added about 1 and 1/2 inches of material around the perimeter of the windows. You have to manually tuck them in. But it stops most of the wind and leaks. Next I added the top latch you are looking for. With those additions and conversions my Speedster is almost leak free. I also did the frame bypass with the heating system and as long as the ambient temp remains above freezing my car is quite warm, comfortable, and dry in a rain storm. The defrosting system still sucks. I am considering adding a bilge fan to each intake duct to solve that issue.