Thinkin' up things to do...Top Frame Latch

Nice improvement Jim.  That steel cone washer behind that arm had to go too. It kept loosening up so I made a couple out of aluminum on my lathe to replace them. It's threaded inside and the bolt comes in from  the wheel well screws on to the new aluminum cone washer. I drilled two holes in the new cone washer to fit a face spanner wrench to tighten this assembly snugly to the fiberglas and carpet. The stainless bolt is long enough to mount the bow  and secure it with a polished stainless acorn nut bottomed out so it won't come loose..........Bruce

Bruce,

I haven't had the top bows off so am unaware of that problem. I'll have a look.  The builders could have definitely done a better job with the bows. The ends really bother me emotionally. They are just round pipe that could have been easily flattened and rounded off like your sketch.

I'm bored and was looking for something I could do.

We've had a couple of days of good weather. High 60's to 70, but the rain stays close by. We get about 60 inches a year here so the top will stay up until Spring.

JIm

Here is what I did with mine:

I made threaded aluminum inserts to slip into the rods and used JB Weld to hold them in place.  I bought the 5/16" full threaded, stainless steel rod ends from McMaster-Carr.  I used 5/16" studs and Loctite into the threaded holes in the car with SS acorn nuts. I think it looks much more finished and the best part is that the tension on the top can be adjusted on each side.

I also remade the little cam lever with the holes drilled out of line.  This allows the lever to toggle into position and the tension of the top helps hold everything in place.

James

James, that is very clean.

One question: Why not buy four stainless steel jam nuts for the rod ends rather than use Loctite?

Very Nice James !.............Bruce

Jim........When you're looking for things to do these cars provide countless hours of what I call  "entertainment".  Just trying to make things a little better and pretty ?

Rain 60 inches per year ?  I'll shut up now about the 16 inches per year we get out here in SoCal !  Of course we Gulp down nearly all of the water in the Colorado River so our gardeners have jobs !.................Bruce

James - look so much better than the kit solution!  Mike Mc did a similar solution.  I like that it give more adjustability for tightening creases. Gordon used aluminum valve keepers for the spacers.  He also cover the bare metal hoops with electrical shrink wrap.

@DannyP posted:

James, that is very clean.

One question: Why not buy four stainless steel jam nuts for the rod ends rather than use Loctite?

Danny,  Thank you!

I am using locknuts on the threaded rod ends, not Loctite.  I only used Loctite on the studs that are screwed into the threaded inserts that are embedded into the fiberglass sidewall of my car.

I too was bothered by the crude ends of the top bows. I put Heim joints on the ends of the bows and added extensions to the bolt holes in the brackets.

Nice work to both of you!