67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

[Jerry A.]

Hi Everyone,
Well, with the help of my wife we installed an Al Knoch, latest level top and it turned out great! I am amazed as this was my first top installation and it's really not that bad to do. I will write an article describing how we did it in the near future as there are some things you have to know.
If you order a Knoch top you have to specify if you want a correct front wind lace or their normally supplied thicker/shorter one. This is what I want to confirm. I've been told that the correct wind lace diameter should be 3/8 inch. Is that correct as that is what I've partially installed? Please advise.
Thanks, Jerry

[Wayne W.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Little hard to measure, but 3/8 is about right.

[Chris E.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

I don't see a different item to order online. So, you have to specific what SIZE windlace you want?

[Jerry A.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Yes Chris you have to specify and there is a charge for a correct one as they are made up separately.
Jerry

[Chris E.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Thanks!

[Henry S.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Jerry,
This is weird, not 15 minutes ago I was looking through some past Restorer articles and came across the one by Jerry Fuccillo on 67 Convertible tops. I now have a saddle top on my 67 and we all know the colors in 67 were white or black. So hopefully in the near future I'll be changing mine. Anyway back to the article, Jerry talks specifically and about the front windlace and has pictures of an original 67 top for verification. The article is in Volume 34, Number 3 Winter 2007-2008 edition. I'm sure Jerry will post if he has any addition information. The article was very informative as are all of Jerry's articles. Take care, Shooter

PS Jerry, I'm glad you pointed out the option of the 2 different types of wind lace offered by Al Knoch. If not I probably would have just ordered the one they normally offer and not the correct one, THANKS!!

[Wayne W.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Jerry,
This is weird, not 15 minutes ago I was looking through some past Restorer articles and came across the one by Jerry Fuccillo on 67 Convertible tops. I now have a saddle top on my 67 and we all know the colors in 67 were white or black. So hopefully in the near future I'll be changing mine. Anyway back to the article, Jerry talks specifically and about the front windlace and has pictures of an original 67 top for verification. The article is in Volume 34, Number 3 Winter 2007-2008 edition. I'm sure Jerry will post if he has any addition information. The article was very informative as are all of Jerry's articles. Take care, Shooter

PS Jerry, I'm glad you pointed out the option of the 2 different types of wind lace offered by Al Knoch. If not I probably would have just ordered the one they normally offer and not the correct one, THANKS!!

And Blue.

The amazing thing is that they will make you a correct one for extra cost. Why not just make the correct one and put it in the damn kit. It cost no more to do it right. I have argued this to them for 35 years. No change yet.

[Henry S.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

And Blue.

The amazing thing is that they will make you a correct one for extra cost. Why not just make the correct one and put it in the damn kit. It cost no more to do it right. I have argued this to them for 35 years. No change yet.

You're right Wayne. Why not just switch over to the correct one or at least offer it at no added expense, unless there is a reason we don't know (besides money). Maybe the one they normally send out doesn't leak like the original or something along those lines, but if that's the reason I'd think most C1-C2 owners are used to leaky tops and probably couldn't get use to one that didn't.

[Mike M.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

The one they sell is better then the original design. Thats what i put on the one i just did. i would rather have something like that better then original and lose a few points which is nothing. Dale will explain the differencs and why to you when you order if you ask.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

The one they sell is better then the original design. Thats what i put on the one i just did. i would rather have something like that better then original and lose a few points which is nothing. Dale will explain the differencs and why to you when you order if you ask.

I would think that the real reason is they dont have a supply for the long grained material that the originals were made of and they just dont want to have any made up for this purpose. The last one that I got in the correct material was rotten. That material must have been some very old stock they found. And then they didnt sew it correctly so when I tried to take it apart it split and self destructed.

[Gerard F.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Jerry, Shooter,

I got so frustrated with that front windlace in doing my top about 3 years ago, I finally resorted to making my own.

With all due respect to Al Knoch, the top kit I had wasn't his, but an older Zip top from the 90's which had a windlace with the blunt ends, was oversize, and was so old the foam inside had cracked. I got a new one from CC, same thing blunt ends, and humongous.

So I went looking for the right crushed gran material to make my own. Nada, could not find that material. So I got some matching top material and made my own with upholstery foam rubber beading:



Even hand sewed it:



I did this twice, first with 3/8" upholstery bead. The corners came out just right, but the windlace wouldn't seal to the top of the windshield frame:



So I took this one off and made another with 1/2" upholstery bead. That one sealed but the corners just didn't fit just right. But that is how I left it.

If I could find the right material, I think I would do it again, maybe with the 3/8" bead wrapped in some lighter fabric.

Another trick I learned after the fact is that with 1/2" beading, one could taper the beading at the ends where it tucks into the notch at the corners.
Might try that next time.

Frustrating, but it's all fun.

[Henry S.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Jerry, thanks for posting and explaining. Your article was informative and I have it marked for when i decide to tackle my top. I'm going to BG the end of June and planning on taking my camera to check out as many midyears in the judging field as I can. Take care, Shooter

[Chris E.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

Can someone post a picture of an Al Knoch top with the correct windlace installed on a car? I've seen both a incorrect and correct windlace in person, so I understand the difference. What I'm wondering is what the Al Knoch product looks like these days. I'm interested, because I'm ordering one in the next month sometime.

[Gerard F.]

Re: 67' Al Knoch Convertible Top Frt Wind Lace Dimension

I'm also interested in the correct size of the foam rubber bead within the windlace of the latest correct windlace. Like I said above, I've tried the 3/8" and 1/2" and am still confused which is correct.