<VV> Installing convertible top

Fri Jul 15 09:10:47 EDT 2011

I fully agree with Mike; let a pro do it. I've done maybe three tops in my
life; never again. The frustration and a not quite so perfect finish made me
go to my trim shop, and hand him the Clark's top and have HIM install it.
Call me when it's done, and I'll write you a check.
Can't remember what it cost, but it was worth it; the installation looked
factory.

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Mike Jacobi
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 12:32 AM
To: Robert K. Henry; virtual Vairs
Subject: Re: <VV> Installing convertible top

Hi Robert

Im going to chime in here.  Putting a top on a vert is a miserable
frustrating job.  And it can be terribly expensive.  I bought a top for my
58 VW and tried to put it on.  The result after nearly a month of effort was
a ruined top and a sizable hole in my bank balance.

I gotta tell you from the heart that the best move you could make is to
check round town for a really good top/trim shop and have them do it.  The
cost is tiny compared to what it will almost certainly cost you in time and
anguish, not to mention money.

And the finished job will look great.

Mike in Michigan  (Never again will I try this job)

On 7/14/11 10:24 PM, "Robert K. Henry" <robertkhenry at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> At Christmas I bought a new top for my Corvair from Clarks and only now am
I
> finally getting around to attempting to install it. I think I need advice.
I
> have installed tops before on this car. Back when my Dad owned it (He
bought
> it new in '65. I have the sales ticket.) he put at least two new tops on
it.
> Neither were very good tops, from J.C. Whitney. This Clarks top is a nice
> top and I'd like to have it look right when (if) I ever get done.
> 
> 1. Because the existing top never really fit right, I'm reluctant to use
it
> as a template to make holes in my new top/curtain. How can I make sure
these
> are fitted right before making irreversible holes in it? The new curtain
had
> holes already punched in the transparency and those seem to fit pretty
well.
> Still not sure how to get the fabric fitted exactly right, which was not
> punched but had circles printed where they might go. Just a tiny change in
> tacking makes a big difference in how the fabric lies. Right now I have
the
> tack strip held with a few bolts and three staples in the bow. I think
it's
> close to correct. How can I be sure before I get too far in?
> 
> 2. I could use advice how to install the side pads. The Chevy manual
> describes installing them in the conventional manner, but I have no
> reference to tell me what "conventional" means. Clarks only has a diagram
> showing which way round they go. They do have an instruction to not staple
> them to the first bow (with the sleeve) Can anyone explain why they don't
> recommend stapling to the first bow even though there's a tack strip
there?
> How are these supposed to be trimmed? I've trimmed the front at the angle
> necessary to staple it to the windshield header but I've left the rear
until
> I'm sure where to trim. How are the flaps closed? The pads I took off were
> held closed with a lacing stitch my mother had applied when it was
> installed. Right now I spritzed a little 3M Spray 77 to hold them lightly
> closed. Is there a proper way?
> 
> 3. I have the top on the car attached by the side cables though everything
> else is still loose. I've tested the fit of the quarter window flaps, but
> they're not quite right. I think it's because I haven't trimmed the side
> pads at the rear bow yet and the padding is pushing everything out of
> position. I think if I trimmed the padding it would allow the geometry of
> the top to fit right in. A fraction of an inch makes a big difference. But
> I'm reluctant to make the cuts until I'm sure I have the rear bow in the
> right place. Chicken and egg...How to break this cycle? Clarks recommends
> the rear bow at 17-1/2" from the second bow and that seems to be pretty
> close to correct, probably within +/- 1/4" of where it needs to be, so I
> could trim the padding just short of the bow and it would probably be just
> about right. The old top didn't quite cover the side rails and left them
> exposed. The instructions said to remove the rubber spacers in the first
> bow. It looks like this top will fit much better and I wish I still had
> those spacers.
> 
> 4. I haven't cut the holes at the bottom of the top yet or tried to tack
it
> to the strip. Like I said previously, I'm reluctant to use the old top as
a
> template. I'd like to know if there's a clever trick to put those bolt
holes
> right the first time. The original top had a few orphan holes in it,
though
> they didn't show. I'd like to avoid that.
> 
> 5. I bought some monel staples from Clarks but they seem to be too long
> (1/2") to go into the tack strip or in the windshield header. I clipped a
> few so I could get them in but ended up getting some 3/8" stainless steel
> staples for those locations. Maybe I can use the monel in locations like
the
> rear bow or maybe the rear tack strip through a few layers of material.
> 
> 6. I worry about continual install/uninstall of the tack strip. I already
> dropped a socket down the hole on the side and had to remove everything so
I
> could fish it out.
> 
> 7. It's hot. I haven't been able to work in the garage for more than a few
> minutes before retreating to the house to cool off under the ceiling fan.
> And drink plenty of fluids.
> 
> 8. One reason I'm replacing the top is that the old one had gotten torn in
> the back on the black bolts in the top mechanism that serve as a stop for
> the side cables levers. One day when I raised the top, the fabric snagged
on
> the bolt and ripped a neat triangular hole in one side. Then later it did
> the same thing on the other side. Was this because the top didn't fit in
the
> first place? Or because it was very old and had shrunk? Or is it something
I
> need to worry about?
> 
> Robert Henry
> '65 Corsa Convertible Turbo
> Knoxville, TN
> 
> 
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