Just fitting the t tops, as it came the gap was 3/4" at the front and 1/2" at the rear down the center of the two tops, really, guess they assembled it on a friday.
I put the old weatherstrips on and enlarged all of the adjustments since I was there anyway, wire wheeled all threads and put on anti seize, adjust the 12 point at the front, and have a center gap now of about 5/16-3/8 from end to end and it is pretty parrallel. The aim calls for overly optimistic gap of .100-.140, the outside back edge of the tops would sit in from the body if it was even possible, the compression of the weatherstips here would not allow it.
The tops are a fairly good match to the body at the back, the driver back inside corner is down as I have seen on other cars, the outside edges at the back of the tops are flush instead of hanging out. I had taken the stainless center piece off and the back two chrome pieces and took the old putty out, that was a mistake for fitting as the stainless dropped and then the tops also dropped, so built that back up and am back where I started, realize that putty should be replaced and probably even a little more care used to be sure there are no leaks. Kept all the old stuff it is still pliable, kind of like Dux seal.
What I don't understand is the male triangles that sit on the body. Yes I can see the adjustment and have enlarged the holes under the plate a bit, how are they supposed to seat in the female portion on the back corner of the t top. Logic told me that the triangle sits inside that metal piece because it has a angle bevelled on it's inside and also there is a nylon triangle in there maybe 3/16 away so to me that meant that the triangle contacts the metal, slides down the bevel and then sits between the nylon and the metal.
However I looked at car last night and the triangle on the body sits right on the outside edge of the triangle on the t top, not inside between the triangle and the nylon but directly sitting right on the outside edge of the female triangle part on the back of the t top, the part that is held on wtih two screws. If this car is correct and it is a very pristine car then why is there a bevel inside the chrome piece at the back of each t top and why is there the little nylon piece in there.
I could look in the AIM but prefer to hear the extra thoughts that come from responses here.
As far as the rear deck I did a post a few weeks back, then go sidetracked. I did finally get out to measure a car and also had a few responses. I would say the original painter who told me that going from the rear window to just in front of the gas tank filler(about 22") there should be a slight crown was correct. He had told me that since my car was down a tiny bit there it must have sagged from not being supported. Not sure what the reason is, either they come out of the mold wonky or they sag a bit in time but the people that responded found the same thing on their cars as well. Thanks Jim Trekell for measuring for me and taking your window out twice to check what I was after, it is appreciated as well as the guys up north of Toronto who put on their snowshoes to go out and check for me.
I checked a 71 original owner and it was also concave for the most part but convex for half of that dimension back behind the passenger area, a speck less or mine. It occured to me one day that if the painter was correct maybe the slight crown would be on the back deck where it meets the section that comes down behind the tops. I checked it and it was on both sides, so that was the orginal intention. I only brought this up cause as I was looking at the body I noticed an area that was slightly concave and I wondered if it was just this car or on others.
So back to the t tops if you are not snoring yet, what's the deal with the triangle and how it should be seated?
Thanks,
Warren
I put the old weatherstrips on and enlarged all of the adjustments since I was there anyway, wire wheeled all threads and put on anti seize, adjust the 12 point at the front, and have a center gap now of about 5/16-3/8 from end to end and it is pretty parrallel. The aim calls for overly optimistic gap of .100-.140, the outside back edge of the tops would sit in from the body if it was even possible, the compression of the weatherstips here would not allow it.
The tops are a fairly good match to the body at the back, the driver back inside corner is down as I have seen on other cars, the outside edges at the back of the tops are flush instead of hanging out. I had taken the stainless center piece off and the back two chrome pieces and took the old putty out, that was a mistake for fitting as the stainless dropped and then the tops also dropped, so built that back up and am back where I started, realize that putty should be replaced and probably even a little more care used to be sure there are no leaks. Kept all the old stuff it is still pliable, kind of like Dux seal.
What I don't understand is the male triangles that sit on the body. Yes I can see the adjustment and have enlarged the holes under the plate a bit, how are they supposed to seat in the female portion on the back corner of the t top. Logic told me that the triangle sits inside that metal piece because it has a angle bevelled on it's inside and also there is a nylon triangle in there maybe 3/16 away so to me that meant that the triangle contacts the metal, slides down the bevel and then sits between the nylon and the metal.
However I looked at car last night and the triangle on the body sits right on the outside edge of the triangle on the t top, not inside between the triangle and the nylon but directly sitting right on the outside edge of the female triangle part on the back of the t top, the part that is held on wtih two screws. If this car is correct and it is a very pristine car then why is there a bevel inside the chrome piece at the back of each t top and why is there the little nylon piece in there.
I could look in the AIM but prefer to hear the extra thoughts that come from responses here.
As far as the rear deck I did a post a few weeks back, then go sidetracked. I did finally get out to measure a car and also had a few responses. I would say the original painter who told me that going from the rear window to just in front of the gas tank filler(about 22") there should be a slight crown was correct. He had told me that since my car was down a tiny bit there it must have sagged from not being supported. Not sure what the reason is, either they come out of the mold wonky or they sag a bit in time but the people that responded found the same thing on their cars as well. Thanks Jim Trekell for measuring for me and taking your window out twice to check what I was after, it is appreciated as well as the guys up north of Toronto who put on their snowshoes to go out and check for me.
I checked a 71 original owner and it was also concave for the most part but convex for half of that dimension back behind the passenger area, a speck less or mine. It occured to me one day that if the painter was correct maybe the slight crown would be on the back deck where it meets the section that comes down behind the tops. I checked it and it was on both sides, so that was the orginal intention. I only brought this up cause as I was looking at the body I noticed an area that was slightly concave and I wondered if it was just this car or on others.
So back to the t tops if you are not snoring yet, what's the deal with the triangle and how it should be seated?
Thanks,
Warren
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