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BT7 soft top frame location

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warwick-steve

warwick-steve

Jedi Hopeful
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Hi all
I have had my BT7 for 2 years and in that time have never used the soft top mainly because I prefer to drive it that way. However I am also reluctant to use it as the only time I tried to put it in position I found it almost impossible to relocate the soft top frame back under the rear cockpit. -- A tight fit which resulted in lots of pushing and pulling etc.
Am I missing a trick here?
Is there a recommended way to do this e.g. one side in then locate the other side.
How do you do it??
Advice from long time owners appreciated
cheers
Steve
 
Hi Steve,
I'm not a long time owner, but I can tell you that the top on my BT7 is very difficult to stow. One wonders if they engineered the rear cockpit area to accommodate the top or the top to fit in the rear cockpit area. (or if it was just a happy coincidence) Either way, it's a tight fit, and I've never found an easy way to get it in.

Keith
 
Huh, funny you bring this up. I don't recall having trouble when the car was my daily driver 45 years ago, but after installing a new interior I too find it almost impossible to get the frame stowed. I wonder if the replacement interior panels are just a bit taller than the originals. I've considered peeling back the vinyl and trimming the tops of the panels down, then re-gluing the vinyl.

On a positive note, the frame fits in there so tightly there are no rattles.:smile-new:

Jack
 
Hi Keith and Jack. Thanks for your reply. Good to know I am not alone with this problem.
Jack, maybe the small deck on which the frame sits is a little too high. Like your car mine also had new trim.
cheers
Steve
 
When I restored my BT7, I put dynamat, heat shielding, and carpet in that back area. I think the combined thickness of those materials was greater than whatever was there originally, and this contributes to the tight fit.
 
Depending on production date, the BT7 had two types of soft top frames.

Frames for early BT7s had the "longer" frame that fit into the smaller holes immediately behind the door post. These frames are almost impossible to get in and out of the storage space without assistance from a prying tool, and without scratching the aluminum surround.

Later BT7s had the shorter frame that fit into the larger diameter hole, also used by the tonneau cover frame. There should not be much of a problem storing these frames.

On a side note, no commercial vendor makes a soft top who’s seams match the early BT7 frame.
 
Well, I have a later car (June 1960 build date) and the original frame. As I stated, I never had an issue stowing the frame before the rebuild. Maybe the inner fenders were welded in a bit too high, who knows? I'm hoping trimming the top of the inner trim panels will make life easier.

Jack

1961 BT7
 
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