Convertible top install help needed
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,668
Likes: 5
From: Central Kentucky
Convertible top install help needed Installing a USED top from a 2002 Camaro on my 1995 camaro. I am reusing my existing window curtain and am only installing the new top.
Things have progresswed pretty well to the point the entire top is completely installed by I have a slight problem.
When closing the top, it is difficult to pull down to the pont where you can engage the locking devices. Once the top is fully closed (using the switch) there will be a good 2" gap or so that you he to muscle close to engage the locking devices. Once you muscle it and latch it, all is good. I have adjusted the J hooks but I can go any looser or the top just does not seal well in the front.
The top is very tight (drum tight) with no imperfections to be seen. I did not use the nine existing screw holes in the front of the top (from the junk car), I repositioned them as to loosen the top some to help resolve the problem. I dont really have the material to further loosen the top at the front. I could possible loosen the top some in the back body mounted bracket but that would be a ton of re-work and re-stapling. I am hoping there is a simple adjustment that I am just not seeing here.
Is there an adjustment that will allow the top to better close in the front or am I at the mercy of the top just being too damn tight?
Will the top loosen up if I just leave it alone?
Thanks
Things have progresswed pretty well to the point the entire top is completely installed by I have a slight problem.
When closing the top, it is difficult to pull down to the pont where you can engage the locking devices. Once the top is fully closed (using the switch) there will be a good 2" gap or so that you he to muscle close to engage the locking devices. Once you muscle it and latch it, all is good. I have adjusted the J hooks but I can go any looser or the top just does not seal well in the front.
The top is very tight (drum tight) with no imperfections to be seen. I did not use the nine existing screw holes in the front of the top (from the junk car), I repositioned them as to loosen the top some to help resolve the problem. I dont really have the material to further loosen the top at the front. I could possible loosen the top some in the back body mounted bracket but that would be a ton of re-work and re-stapling. I am hoping there is a simple adjustment that I am just not seeing here.
Is there an adjustment that will allow the top to better close in the front or am I at the mercy of the top just being too damn tight?
Will the top loosen up if I just leave it alone?
Thanks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,447
Likes: 6
From: Grand Junction, CO / Tomball, TX
Since you dont want to unstaple it and redo it....and its not summertime so you can park it in the sun to loosen the fabric...the only thing i can think of is steaming it. You can go to lowes and pick up a cheap steamer and steam the **** out of the top while it is latched down to loosen the fabric. Eventually its gonna stretch and not be so hard to close.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,668
Likes: 5
From: Central Kentucky
Thanks for the help guys.
I found a way to build some adiditonal adjustability into the tightness and looseness of the top. The rear folding bow bolts to an arm on each side which is connected to the main mechanism. This allows the upper section of the rear bow to be removed from the arms to make install easier. There are currently two holes from the factory on each arm on each side, this means the rear bow only has a single fixed position and height. I drilled then tapped an additional hole below the existing lower hole on each side which lowered the total height of the rear bow by about 1/2" or so. This loosend the top up enough to make it much easier to close but still remain rather snug. Now I have an adjustment that can be used to tighten it back up down the road easily if needed and no need to touch the staples or glue. The adjustment did not create any additional issues that I can tell. I believe that if the staples were moved by 1/2" or so on the main bow then I would not have needed to do the adjustment. Seems logical that GM would have made the rear bow more adjustable like what I did considering it did such an awesome job tightening or loosening the top.
Before it was so tight that if you thumped on the top it sounded like a drum, clearly I think this is to tight. Now if you give it a thump, it sounds dampened a bit more which just seems more desirable escecially since the top now close like it should.
Whole job took maybe 5-6 hours or so considering I had to figure out how to do it along the way. Stapling the top to the tack frame and bolting it on the car is cake. The most time consuming part was removing old glue from the bows with xylene and trial fitting the main bow and front attach points to ensure that it was dead on. I believe that if the staples were moved by 1/2" or so on the main bow then I would not have needed to do the adjustment. Seems logical that GM would have made the rear bow more adjustable like what I did considering it did such an awesome job tightening or loosening the top.
All in all not a very bad job and worth it from the standpoint that the top I installed only cost me $40.00. The shop wanted $1500 installed.
No pictures yet, but it looks pretty damn good with no imperfections or misalignments to be seen.
I found a way to build some adiditonal adjustability into the tightness and looseness of the top. The rear folding bow bolts to an arm on each side which is connected to the main mechanism. This allows the upper section of the rear bow to be removed from the arms to make install easier. There are currently two holes from the factory on each arm on each side, this means the rear bow only has a single fixed position and height. I drilled then tapped an additional hole below the existing lower hole on each side which lowered the total height of the rear bow by about 1/2" or so. This loosend the top up enough to make it much easier to close but still remain rather snug. Now I have an adjustment that can be used to tighten it back up down the road easily if needed and no need to touch the staples or glue. The adjustment did not create any additional issues that I can tell. I believe that if the staples were moved by 1/2" or so on the main bow then I would not have needed to do the adjustment. Seems logical that GM would have made the rear bow more adjustable like what I did considering it did such an awesome job tightening or loosening the top.
Before it was so tight that if you thumped on the top it sounded like a drum, clearly I think this is to tight. Now if you give it a thump, it sounds dampened a bit more which just seems more desirable escecially since the top now close like it should.
Whole job took maybe 5-6 hours or so considering I had to figure out how to do it along the way. Stapling the top to the tack frame and bolting it on the car is cake. The most time consuming part was removing old glue from the bows with xylene and trial fitting the main bow and front attach points to ensure that it was dead on. I believe that if the staples were moved by 1/2" or so on the main bow then I would not have needed to do the adjustment. Seems logical that GM would have made the rear bow more adjustable like what I did considering it did such an awesome job tightening or loosening the top.
All in all not a very bad job and worth it from the standpoint that the top I installed only cost me $40.00. The shop wanted $1500 installed.
No pictures yet, but it looks pretty damn good with no imperfections or misalignments to be seen.
