C1 soft top replacement in San Antonio

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 soft top replacement in San Antonio

Steve -

The top assemblies were forecast and ordered from the supplier in advance based on rolling 500-unit schedules, and staged on the line side based on the required color of top ordered for each car (customer choice from the color & trim chart availability matrix).

Thanks John! That makes since as just having rows of each color top would result in not enough of some and too many others or alot of wasted space.

Steve

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 soft top replacement in San Antonio

This is a 'grey' area that you need to research. Because we're talking about a body component and every other Chevy car was Body by Fisher, some aspects of maintenance that would normally be part/parcel of the Fisher Body manual didn't get 'translated' to the Corvette literature.

Check your copy of the Corvette Shop Manual (I don't have a straight axle book in my library). But, BURIED in the 1963 Corvette Shop Manual under Body, Top Assy, and Frame & Linkage the following passage appears...

"The pivoting joints should be lubricated with light machine oil once a year. Apply oil sparingly so as not to stain top trim."

That's the maintenance item I mentioned that virtually nobody did unless they used a Chevy dealer to work on 'baby'...

Thanks Jack! I will check tonight.

Steve

[Greg L.]

Re: C1 soft top replacement in San Antonio

I started this post because the current owner was having problems latching it due to shrinkage. This was an issue for shipping the car so I figured that it needed to be replaced. However, it was recommended to leave it in the sun for a few hours and then try it. Well that got it to latch but it still doesn't seal properly.

Since this car is just going to be a driver for now the top will almost always be down anyways so I wasn't too concerned about the tear and was hoping to be able to use it "as is". But from looking at the pics I'm thinking that maybe it is too far gone and really does need to be replaced.

It has about a 1" gap all across the back which I'm pretty sure is wrong and you can see that the frame over the windows is still "bent".

Is there any way to revive this top or should I just say the heck with it and get it replaced?

If I go the replacement route what brand should I get? I've always been a firm believer of Al Knock but I'm just wondering if there are others out there just as good for less money?

Thanks

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 soft top replacement in San Antonio

During the C1 era, the soft top was purchased as a complete assembly from the supplier, who built it up on a jig that duplicated the body and windshield frame and shipped it to St. Louis ready for installation. If you look closely at the photo below of the Final Line in 1958, you can see several folded top assemblies stacked adjacent to the install station on the line at the upper left (note the hardtop temporarily "parked" on the hood of the second car while its soft top was installed).

During the midyear era, the process was similar, except the front 8" of the top skin was left unattached by the top supplier, and that front flap, seals, windlace, and weatherstrip was pulled, fitted, stapled, trimmed, and glued as part of the top installation on the Final Line.

I have not checked Noland's '53-'62 book yet but in his Vol 2, '63-'67, on page 30 there is a picture of a soft top on a jig assembly next to the '63 assembly line.

Steve