Convertable Top Fitment Issue

[sfovc2003]

I'm just completing a nuts and bolt restoration on my BJ7 and the time has come to fit the top. I have an uphostery shop familiar with Brish cars doing the installation of the top and interior (both from Heritage) and was told that with the top up and taut, the tension across the top of my windshield will affect my door gaps. I've not heard of this issue before (and have never experienced the problem on my Jag when I had the top on it done).I drove the body and paint guys nuts by insisting on perfect gaps everywhere. However, no one said to leave the gaps wide for when the top is up. Has anyone else had this problem before?

 

[Keoke]

Nope!!!-Sounds like an Irish whisper to me---Keoke- :laugh:

 

[AUSMHLY]

I have an uphostery shop familiar with Brish cars doing the installation of the top and interior (both from Heritage) and was told that with the top up and taut, the tension across the top of my windshield will affect my door gaps.

I hope the upholstery shop you're using was not the one that told you that.
It's untrue.

If the top frame is not set up properly and it's a little short from setting near or on top of the windscreen, when the two clamps are closed, they may pull the top of the windscreen frame to the rear of the car. That may affect the gap between the vent frame and the windscreen pillar. If that's the case, there is wiggle room in moving the vent frame section back and forth.

There are a lot of adjustment areas for the top frame.
Shims under the mounting plates, aligning the vent frame angle to the windscreen post angle, moving the side glass to help with the gap around the side wood and its ease of travel up and down the track. Moving the wood and moving the aluminum channels that the rubber seals attach to. All good times trying to figure out that puzzle.

I'm in the process of getting my top frame on my car. Going on three months of back engineering and the leaning process. I am working with my upholstery guy, and he states, the top fit is only as good as the top frame fit.

Unless your doors are way out of alignment, and it doesn't sound like your's are, the doors don't have anything to do with the top frame. The doors window frames however are part of getting a good fitting top.

Good luck,
Roger

 

[sfovc2003]

Thanks for that last response. It was quite helpful.