C1 Hardtop installation

[Gerry P.]

I have recently purchased a hardtop for my '57 and am having trouble getting the bolt holes aligned to the point so I insert the bolts. The top is off of a '60 but I wouldn't think that should matter. After some effort, I was able to get two bolts in but the 3rd (one of side bolts) has me baffled. I can get the pin in the hole right in front of it. On the other side I have the bolt in but the pin is proving difficult to get into its hole. I would welcome anyone who has ideas or proven methods of making simple what's proven to be a difficult task for me.
Thanks
Gerry

[Wayne P.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Put a jack midway of the frame on that side. It will fall right in place. Not unusual.

[Gerry P.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Wayne - could you elaborate a bit. What kind of jack are you referring to. I was thinking of getting a shower curtain rod which you twist to tighten. Is this what you had in mind or maybe a broom handle cut to a length that can be wedged in between the frame?
Thanks

[Wayne P.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Place the jack under the car frame about middle of the door. Jack up until the hole aligns. Install bolt. Remove jack. This assumes hole is too far forward which is the normal problem.

[Stewart A.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

I thought the hard tops were the same but I'm sure I read somewhere that they are slightly different between 57 - 58 60-61 The main pros at hard tops are the glass works, I may have read about it there. There is a couple of cosmetic changes that could slightly alter the pin holes. Get on the Glass works site and have a read about them or even give them a quick email. Mine is the original hard top with the car and it pops on without jacking up the chassis and getting 5 mates to sit on the roof. something aint right.

[Gerry P.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Wayne, thanks again for your replies. Your suggestion will likely solve the front/back alignment problem. However, I am also having a problem with the top holes not quite being far enough apart, maybe about 1/2" for the bolt to go in. I can almost pry the top apart enough to align the bolt holes but having trouble getting the bolt in at the same time. I need another hand.

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Gerry;
There are a few things that can contribute to the misalignment; position of the windshield frame on the body and adjustment of the deck lid. Also the amount of body shims can move the hold down attachment points forward or to the back.
I have a 62 with a great fitting hardtop. I bought another hardtop with the proper color headliner and have never been able to get all the hold down bolts to line up.
Sometimes if a hardtop is stored with the back window down (on the floor)the rear molding can move and cause allignment problems.
Good luck.

[Gerry P.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Wayne -I was used your suggestion this weekend and was able to get the top installed by placing jacks under both sides of the car (placed them under the front spring bracket). This allowed me to get the side window pins in their respective holes. I still had a problem getting one of the side bolts to align in a reasonable manner so cheated a bit. I took about 1 inch of 1/4" bolt stock and screwed into to rear deck receiver hole as I didn't want to chance a cross thread situation with receiving nut. With the bolt stock sticking up, I was then able to get the top receiver hole onto it and used a nut and washer to tighten it down. Maybe with some time the top will spread out a bit and I'll be able to use a regular bolt to secure the top. Anyway, thanks again to everyone for all their suggestions.
Gerry

[Wayne P.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Gerry,
Nothing will change unless you reshim. I would jack more toward the front. That will allow more flex and you should be able to use the bolt rather than the allthread.
Wayne

[Dennis C.]

C1 Hardtop installation

Gerry, I might add that, with rare exceptions, 56/57/58 hard tops are the same. 59/60 are different, and, certainly, 61/62 are different. My comments are not to point out why your hard top won't fit - simply to indicate that 56 through 60 do not use the same hardtop. This will only be an issue should you have your car judged. Otherwise, who cares - they are quite similar. Dennis

[Dennis C.]

C1 Hardtop installation

Just for fun, have owned 5 - C1 Hard Top Cars. Never, never had to put a jack under one of them to make the hard top fit. My guess is that if you do - you've got other problems that need to be identified and addressed. Best, Dennis

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

I tend to agree with Dennis.
The downside of jacking the car up and "making" the hard top fit is the real potential to over stress the rear window and create cracks.

[Joe M.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Found this on the CAC website

Corvette Action Center Knowledgebase
1957: Zone Letter: Fitting Hard Top on Corvettes

-1. Model Year: 1957
Subject: Fitting Hard Top on Corvettes
Source: Denver Zone 10 Letter
Bulletin Number: DZ-57
S&M-12
SMD-57-10
Date: February 26, 1957
Some field reports have been received where the dowel pins in the hard top would not line up with
either the holes in the windshield upper molding or the holes in the molding in the deck area.
Generally the hard tops are not too long but the distance between the two points on the body is too
short.
The correct center to center distance between the hole in molding on the deck area and the
windhshield upper frame is approximately 31-5/8".
If this dimension is short any one or all of the following methods of correction may be used:
If the vehicle also has a convertible top, especially a good tight fitting one, check to see that the
windshield upper frame has not been pulled off from the glass.
If the hard top fits poorly on the left side only, check the adjustment of the parking brake length
between the underside of the instrument panel and the toe pan. Increase this length if the adjustment
is inclined to be tight.
Elongate the hole in the rear upper panel moldings. This change to be incorporated in the future
material.
The pins in the hard top may be carefully bent to permit entry.
Shim between the windshield and the cowl. Shim the windshield high at the rear to nothing at the
front.
This is for your information.
Very truly yours,
L.E. Brown

Zone Service & Mechanical Manager

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

Joe, that was the reason for the change from a hole to a slot in '57 and thereafter. Gary....

[Larry C.]

Re: C1 Hardtop installation

When I bought my '62 hardtop only many years ago, I had a similar problem. But, I quickly found that if I placed the hardtop on the car where the rear bolt holes lined with so I could start the bolts. I left the rear two bolts and the two side bolts loose. The hardtop header would then extend out over the windshield frame a little too far for the two hardtop pins to drop in the holes. However, if I then pulled the hardtop header with my hands rearward, the pins would drop in.

Then, with the front pins in place, I could tighten the two rear bolts, then finally the two side bolts. Always worked for me and didn't seem to put the hardtop in any real bind.