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Soft top retaining bar

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jjbunn

jjbunn

Jedi Knight
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My '71 TR6 has no soft top retaining bar, the top clips straight to the bodywork, all the way around. Moreover, the press studs on the soft top are all the same. On other soft tops I see the middle press studs are female on the outside, so allowing a boot cover to be clipped on.

1595835546_8ff55c370c_o.jpg


I'm not sure if I just need to replace the middle studs in the soft top, or if I also need a retaining bar, and what the bar is for (and if this car would ever have had one).
 
DNK said:
Maybe an after market top.
Click to expand...

Very possible.

But what is the retaining bar *for*? What does it retain?!
 
One purpose served by the bar is to make the soft top easy to "dismount" from the body when a hardtop is fitted. Granted, I suppose it's almost as easy if not easier to remove the top if the entire rear edge of the top snaps to the body, but....
 
DNK said:
What part are you talking about?

SOFTTOPFRAME.gif
Click to expand...

Part number 4 on this diagram.

Andy: thanks ... maybe also the flex in the bar makes attaching the soft top slightly easier: it will "give" a little when pulled forward?
 
The purpose of the retaining bar is to be able to stretch the convertible top and keep it taut. When installing a new top, the canvas is first glued to this bar and the slack taken up on the front bar. Bypassing the use of the bar is a recipe for a loose top that will never stay affixed to the body in a satisfactory way. It is possible to correct this by purchasing a new bar (they are readily available) and place the new snaps in with the male portion exposed to the outside for use in holding the convertible top cover in place. The snaps are drilled through the retainer bar. You may have some unwanted holes in the body from your incorrect snaps but these will be covered.

Oh, and your two straps are affixed to same retaining bar. If you have no bar, you have no necessary straps.
 
What he said /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif
 
Strangely, your photo sure looks like you have a retaining bar in there. It is held down with 5 chromed bolts, 5/16" I think. Might be you have a bar and they just put in the wrong snaps.
 
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