My CMC needs the "C" shaped steel piece that's inside of the canvas top where it meets the top of the windshield. When I got the car it was bent. It's spring steel. I tried to reshape it - dumb, I know and it snapped. The top is in great condition other than that. Anyone here have an old top that has a good steel insert laying around? Or know where I can buy just that steel piece? Thanks in advance for your knowledge and help, guys. Great community!
Rob.
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Wow - mine was laid up fiberglass which had to be sanded a bit to mate to windshield frame. It did start to delaminate. I've replaced it with one from VS that seems to be a molded polypropylene. (Does yours have the windup windows - maybe?)
Top Bow Header With Clips - Vintage Motorcars of California Inc. (vintagemotorcarsinc.com)
Oh yeah? That's fiberglass in there? I just assumed it was steel! Wow I feel dumb now. I don't have the wind ups. by the way. Thanks for the link!
I too replaced my crude CMC piece with one from Vintage.
I have a New bare windshield header bow from Vintage Speedsters. Sometimes they need to have the U channel that goes over the top of the windshield frame opened up a bit... sand paper works. Message me .
The VS one seemed to fit very well out of the box when I replaced my laminated (delaminating) CMC one. You can easily move your clips to DrClock's bare VS one. Great deal!
Now - does anyone have a set of VS top bows (2 steel piece of wiring conduit) - they want to trade for CMC ones?
You can certainly use a VS top with CMC bows.
I have CMC metal "high-bows" but bought a "low-bow" Haartz top from VS. I put it all together with the rear snaps installed and then temp-fitted the bows to the side latches to get the height right. From my top installation instructions in the knowledge section:
"I got the height of the bows “right” by holding them in place with vice grips, then standing off to the side and looking at the line the top made. When I was satisfied with the look, I scribed them, drilled new holes and cut off the excess on the bottom. "
I think I cut about 2" off of the bottom of each bow. YMMV so set it up where you like it. You can even leave the original length as it won't interfere with anything going up or down.
I used the CMC windshield header but as Greg mentioned, I had to remove some material to get it to fit the curve of the windshield properly. I just used a Dremel tool with a rasp bit and had at it, messing with it til it fit. It's not changed shape since 2004.
Everything you ever wanted to know about installing a convertible top from scratch (and a whole lot more info) is up under "Resources/Knowledge Base" at the top of this page but you need to be a donating member to see it.. If you PM me I can send you a copy of the top installation stuff that Alan Merklin and I wrote years ago.
@ROBTRANSGUY ......... PM sent
