Convertible Top Fitting problems

[SaxMan]

I had my car out of the garage in 45 degree weather and thought it would be a good idea to put the top up for the winter. Temperature does make a difference! I was fighting with the top to get it on and get all the tenex snaps to hook up. It doesn't do that when it's 80 outside.

 

[Rut]

Good job Fred!
Rut

 

[TulsaFred]

thanks all!

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Great color Fred but i’m Also going OEW but with a Red interior. Found a painter in Tampa I think for a reasonable price. Have Brother in Kaws garage to use for tear down and rebuild after 1/31. Paint will be happening soon. I can’t wait.

 

[TulsaFred]

Great color Fred but i’m Also going OEW but with a Red interior. Found a painter in Tampa I think for a reasonable price. Have Brother in Kaws garage to use for tear down and rebuild after 1/31. Paint will be happening soon. I can’t wait.

Sounds exciting. Be sure to post pics!

 

[Mk3Sprite]

I'm a bit late to the thread but I've heard of people putting an electric kettle inside the cabin to use heat and steam to aid stretching a tight fitting soft top.

 

[SD Bugeye]

So I’m thinking maybe I’m looking at this all wrong
fitting a top on 90 degree day using heat guns and all matter of witch craft.
shouldnt we be fitting this in the inviorment we would use them?
Root cause analysis is leading down this path I could be wrong but I don’t think so

 

[TulsaFred]

No way my top was going to fit on with heat and stretch. Cutting down the supports on the top frame was a good solution. The top goes on with only moderate stretch and no frustration or scraped knuckles.If summer sun loosens the fit, it will be quite easy to place a couple of dowel spacers in the body slots to raise it up as needed (though I doubt it will be necessary).


Fred

So I’m thinking maybe I’m looking at this all wrong
fitting a top on 90 degree day using heat guns and all matter of witch craft.
shouldnt we be fitting this in the inviorment we would use them?
Root cause analysis is leading down this path I could be wrong but I don’t think so

 

[shalleck]

My top is also very hard to put up. When I bought bikini top from Bugeyguy, it didn't fit at all. I sent it back and he tried it on 8 different cars in his shop - and it fit fine on all of them. After taking a bunch of measurements, we found that my frame is a little over an inch higher than stock. They made a new bikini top adding material so it fits correctly, but it's still a pain to put up the regular top.

 

[TulsaFred]

It's possible that my geometry is off somehow since the body was had quite a bit of rusty components cut out and welded back, not all of it with "real" parts. However, I did use Bugeye guy's measurements to check the geometry and it seemed correct. so I don't know what to think. I do know that the top would never have fit without some significant modification, and the older replacement top I had was the same way.

My top is also very hard to put up. When I bought bikini top from Bugeyguy, it didn't fit at all. I sent it back and he tried it on 8 different cars in his shop - and it fit fine on all of them. After taking a bunch of measurements, we found that my frame is a little over an inch higher than stock. They made a new bikini top adding material so it fits correctly, but it's still a pain to put up the regular top.