67 Hardtop install problems

[Lawrence S.]

Guys, I have never installed a C2 hardtop, but my car once upon a time had a hardtop. The holes to accept the top are all there. The top I am trying to install is off another 67 and it has never been restored. Just an old top. The issue I am having is aligning the brackets that bolt to the deck lid right behind the seats. The dimension from inside the deck lid is 48.5" and the dimension from the two brackets is 49.25" inches apart. I was wandering if the forward deck lid brackets slide like the rear bolts that bolt through the deck lid? I pulled the weatherstripping off, removed the old dum dum and could not see that the brackets were slotted? Look fixed? I also took a pair of channel locks and gently tried to move the brackets. Still no luck. I need a little education.

Thanks guys

Lawrence

[Greg W.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Lawrence, This brings up a question I have in the same area. My 66 deck lid is 1/2" short or so of the door/rear fender line. Had it out at Bloomington and asked about 10 guys about it with no real answer. Does anybody know if all 63 to 67 deck lids are the same size. Or is there a differance in SL bodies vs AOS bodies.Could they not all be interchangable. Just a guess someone had that may explain your poor fit and mine as well. Any help from the wise would be great. Thanks Greg

[Mike E.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Lawrence,
I have read your post through a number of times, trying to see if I can help, but I am having trouble understanding the dimensions you give vis-a-vis your proposed solutions. Exactly where is the 48.5 and the 49.25? 48.25 from side receiver in deck lid behind the seat to the other, straight across the car? And the 49.25 from the corresponding brackets on the hardtop that bolt into the receivers with the stainless bolts that are domed and have an integral washer as a part of the head? Mike

[Harry S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

I just measured the distance inside the deck lid (glass to glass) on a 63 and it's 48.75. Then I measured the outside distance on the brackets attached to the hardtop, same 48.75. The top is original to the car.

[Jim S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

I just measured the distance inside the deck lid (glass to glass) on a 63 and it's 48.75. Then I measured the outside distance on the brackets attached to the hardtop, same 48.75. The top is original to the car.

I just did the same thing on my 66 , original to the car ,hardtop . Deck lid inside measurement 48 3/4 ish. Hardtop outside bracket measurement 48 15/16 ish !!

I Know for a fact that my hardtop has not been on the car for a loooooong time . I suspect that the one Lawrence has was sitting around "off car" for a long time as well ! I think both have relaxed a little bit . His way more than mine .

If the difference can't be compressed by hand at the time of installing , I would say maybe a piece of 55 inch or so
bar stock and a couple of nuts might be in order for a week or so to pull it back into shape ?

Jim

[Mike E.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Jim,
That is exactly what I was thinking. But he was talking about brackets and are they slotted, and that's why I asked.
Regards,
Mike

[Lawrence S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Guys, the 48.5" dimension is inside the deck lid side to side. Where the side bracket bolts mount. The 49.25" dimension is off the top from side bracket to side bracket.
I spoke to Jimmy Gregg here in Charlotte and he said the same thing you guys said. The top has "settled" out of shape. I guess I need to put bar stock between the side brackets and slowly tighten it up over time until I have the correct width.
Thanks for the help
Lawrence

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

I recently helped a buddy install his HT for Bloomington. Same issue. The distance between the forward mount brackets on the top was about a inch or so wider than the receiver width.

We used a small nylon rope with a few riggers' knots, i.e. 2 loops in the rope to act like pulley blocks, and tied it to the 2 forward brackets of the HT. We pulled on the rope to pull the sides of the top together to get it's width within range of the decklid receiver width. We placed some protective thick tape on the lid paint near the receivers. We then lowered the top onto the car and it slipped right in between the receivers. We released the rope and installed the bolts and all was fine.

Rich
ps The car is a '67, it's blue, it's a BB, it's stunning, and it's a OEM Gold now.

[Jim S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Jim,
That is exactly what I was thinking. But he was talking about brackets and are they slotted, and that's why I asked.
Regards,
Mike

(A) Great minds think alike , or (B) fools seldom differ .

I am going with A !!!

Jim

[Lawrence S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Now that I know why the top does not fit...thanks guys. I have a question. If it take a rope and put the rigging knots in the line and tighten it down to the correct width, will the top eventually "bend" back to the right width? I.e. if I want the top to be 48.5" wide at the welded mounting plates and it is 49 now I was thinking of seizing it down to 48.25" and keeping the rope on the top for a few weeks to see if it will "mold" back. Any thoughts on this? Perhaps I go to 48"?

[Mike E.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

There is really no reason to do that, because as soon as you mount it to the car, you will put the bolts in horizontally through the side brackets, and you will take it back to 48.75.

[Lawrence S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

My thoughts were that it would spring back to a size close to what I need if I pull it a little tighter than what I need? I have never worked with a mid year hardtop?

[Jeff S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Lawrence

In my experience, the hardtop will indeed "spread" when left unconfined in a long term storage situation. I find that 48-1/2" inside dim for the hardtop's attaching brackets works on my '66 (St Louis body). Something to consider follows:

Using a piece of 1-3/8" OD closet rod cut to 48.5" ... drill two pilot holes at the ends ... use #14 phillips flat-head wood screws, as in the photos below. This makes a sturdy way to handle the top for benchwork or wall storage, plus it keeps the top from relaxing/spreading at those attachment points. Wall brackets are located at studs 16" o.c. X 2 for 32" spacing. I don't know if this will correct your existing top's dimension to the required decklid dim; probably after a winter or year's storage; perhaps shorten the closed rod length by 1/4".

Jeff

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Guys, I have never installed a C2 hardtop, but my car once upon a time had a hardtop. The holes to accept the top are all there. The top I am trying to install is off another 67 and it has never been restored. Just an old top. The issue I am having is aligning the brackets that bolt to the deck lid right behind the seats. The dimension from inside the deck lid is 48.5" and the dimension from the two brackets is 49.25" inches apart. I was wandering if the forward deck lid brackets slide like the rear bolts that bolt through the deck lid? I pulled the weatherstripping off, removed the old dum dum and could not see that the brackets were slotted? Look fixed? I also took a pair of channel locks and gently tried to move the brackets. Still no luck. I need a little education.

Thanks guys

Lawrence

I would venture to say the top has sprung a little you should be able to push the brackets together that extra 3/4 of an inch and install the top. Hope this helps. Jeff

[Lawrence S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop install problems

Lawrence

In my experience, the hardtop will indeed "spread" when left unconfined in a long term storage situation. I find that 48-1/2" inside dim for the hardtop's attaching brackets works on my '66 (St Louis body). Something to consider follows:

Using a piece of 1-3/8" OD closet rod cut to 48.5" ... drill two pilot holes at the ends ... use #14 phillips flat-head wood screws, as in the photos below. This makes a sturdy way to handle the top for benchwork or wall storage, plus it keeps the top from relaxing/spreading at those attachment points. Wall brackets are located at studs 16" o.c. X 2 for 32" spacing. I don't know if this will correct your existing top's dimension to the required decklid dim; probably after a winter or year's storage; perhaps shorten the closed rod length by 1/4".

Jeff

Jeff,

That looks very handy. I will use that. Thanks for the idea.

Lawrence