Not so snug fitting top?

Yesterday I took Oscar to a local upholstery shop to have some snaps and buttons replaced on all of the covers and top that came with the car. When I installed the top, I noticed about a

Yeah, get several pictures all along the header, as well as inside the header channel showing what you have for a gasket in there (and an estimate of the gasket material thickness).

I would like to see how the header fits onto the windshield frame all along the length, but, especially, towards the left/right sides and whether it's cocked back at all.

Thanks, That will all help for us to offer suggestions.

While it's possible to re-shape the channel in the header, it takes a deft hand and lots of patience. Success depends on tools used and the users ability.

I think several Vintage owners have added a center latch because of this condition. Search on center latch.

Scott - i have an extra latch here that you can have for free (you cover the price of shipping).

It's on my desk in a shipping box already.

email me if you want it.

I appreciate the offer on the latch, I sent you an e-mail. Gordon, I will try to get as many pics as I can tomorrow. Today I am stuck in Dallas. Tom thanks for the heads up, I will search for that now.

Super effective VS third latch bow

An alternate to Dr. Clock's system.....

Hey Leon! Doesn't Margaret get upset when you work on the dining room table? 8-)

Peace-Out, my Brutha!

Naw Jim, but the " oil ring " in the sink bugs her......

Naw Jim, but the " oil ring " in the sink bugs her......

Guys, as soon as the system recognizes me as a "Donating Member" then I will upload the pics of the top. Until then, it keeps telling me I'm out of space...

latch mailed out today :)

Thanks Paul. Guys, I finally got a few pics uploaded. Take and look and feel free to give me any suggestions on a good fix!

A few more...

WoW! That is screwed up, you don't need a center latch you need a frig'n come a long !
It looks like the top may be glued too short on the header bow at the center, hopefully if you look under the center of the bow there is enough material there to let some out to increase the distance to the windshield frame, if not you'll need to replace the top.

As I write this I also wonder if the metal bows are reversed causing the top to be short or another thought is the pivot point of the metal bows at the inner tub wall be be wrong. Take more pics of the top sides from both inside and out too ~Alan

also - i don't see a windshield gasket between the glass and aluminum. that would squish the frame down more than it should

So I'm not crazy huh? Here is a pic of one of the side attachments as well as the entire top. When I took it to a local upholstery shop he suggested the same thing, that the center was glued too short and a little of the material needs to be let out.

OK side bows appear to be it the right configuration but I don' t think you'll have enought header material to let it out that, far. Even if you lowered the center ( high bow) a bit to allow for the top to move forawrd I dont think it's nearly enough. ~Alan

Man, that is bad! There is no way that Kirk would have let that car leave Vintage like that, so someone must have replaced that top somewhere along the way.

I almost wonder if your guy could add a strip across the top to relieve that gap.

Maybe at the highest point of the rear-mounted frame (where it goes up behind the doors) and across from one side to the other with a nice jean-style stitch? The additional material could look like it belonged there, but you could still get the extra clearance you need without going whole-hog for a new top.

Scott,

The front edge of the top looks pretty straight but the windshield frame looks like it has a dip in the center. There should be a rubber gasket all the way around between the windshield frame and the windshield, is there one there?

If there isn't one then maybe the mirror post was tightened too tight and pulled the frame down too far. Also, if you drive in the rain water will run up the windshield, under the frame and onto your dash.

Scott--I'm with Bruce--that frame looks like it's mashed down in the center---doesn't look straight accross.

I went through having to release the top material from inside the bow to tighten my droopy top. That's when I added the third latch.

I believe that if that windshield top is not bent down in the center you can bring it up here and I'll help you with it. If the windshield frame IS bent I'm at a loss for what the fix is for that.

Plan on coming on a day you know it'll be at lrast 70 so the glue will work and we'll ger 'er done. I'll also have the good rubber material that goes in the bow plus the glue Gordon reccomended that is so good---3-AM in the green spray can. Also I have 12-15 clamps to hold the material down while the glue dries.

Let us know about that bow. I'm hoping it's just a poor photo and not really a droop in the frame. Also how could it droop without harming the windshield glass--that's why I think it's a bad pix.

An additional thought... Sometimes the legs of the windshield frame are too long and need to be shortened to be installed correctly. If the legs are too long the frame will sit higher on the windshield. If this happened with your car and the person then cranked down on the mirror rod then you would get a dip in the center of the windshield frame. Again, not installing the rubber gasket in the frame would add to this problem. Check to see if the windshield is seated in the frame evenly all the way around or if it's seated better in the center than it is in the outside upper corners.

It sure looks to me like the top of your windshield is curved downward in the center and the top header is straight across - unless that's an optical illusion.

I wish I could see the car in person and see wth is wrong there....

Jack, thanks for offering to help! I want to get up there soon, but it may be a few weeks. I'm on the road until the 19th. Hopefully I can get up there sometime around the 24th of March if I'm not working and the weather is good. I'd like to have someone look over the car that is familiar with them to help point out all the good, bad and even the ugly.

The top issue is not a pressing one, it's just more of me being a perfectionist and impatient and wanting everything done yesterday...

Scott--sounds good. How about the question about the windshield frame? Is it indeed sloping down at the middle?

Jack, I won't be able to answer that question until after the 19th. I'm currently in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico and from here I'm headed to Monterey, CA. I'll be back in Texas on Monday the 19th. As soon as I get back I'll take a look at it and let you guys know...

Man--I want to trade places with YOU!!

Have a good trip--- talk later.

After taking a closer look at the windshield, it looks as if there is a slight dip in the center of the windshield. It looks as if someone tightened the center support rod too much and pulled the frame down.

Do you guys think I could just loosen that center rod to help bring the center of the windshield back up or do you think it would be too loose after doing that?

I'm guessing my other option would be to order a new rubber seal and frame for the windshield?

It's a little hard to tell from your pictures, but it doesn't look like there is a seal in there at all. That may be all you need.

Frame is fine. Windshield gasket appears to be missing. Make sure your mirror rod is not to tight (I cracked a windshield)

Scott...if you don't have a dip in the center of the windshield frame and don't have an easy way to add a third center latch you might be able to cobble up an easy solution like I did. I bent up a little "cee" shaped clip out of mild steel. My top has over-center type latches and when putting the top up, I first attach both sides with the latches set...but loose. I then grab the center of the top bow with one hand and squeeze it down to the windshield frame and snap on the clip. Then I finish clamping down the over center latches on each side. It'll withstand hard rain at high speed. Then I employ the over-center levers on each side of the convertible roof
hinges to taughten up the rest of the roof. Those are a nice feature that I only discovered somewhere in Kansas after driving from Idaho on the way home. I gained about an inch in roof height and some quiet.

Am I far off in thinking that this could be fabricated at home with a bolt, star knob and some half-inch wide metal bar?  It seems like a great solution that could be easily retro-fitted:

I'm sure that's all it is, but Alan would have to verify.

Yes easy to fabricate.....

Is Texarkanapilot still out there?  Did you ever resolve the problems with your top?  This thread was started almost a year ago.