C1 soft top too tight - help?

[William F.]

First time I have gotten soft top out of storage compartment since I bought '62 a few mos. ago. Top looks to be in good shape but can't get it to stay clamped down on deck-about a 2"' gap. Have left it out in hot sun for several hrs. with only slightly less tension but still won't clamp.Don't know make of soft top, Suggestions?Thanks

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

Years ago I tried to erect my '57 GM soft top had been stowed for over ten years. I had to let it set attached only at the front for a few days (IIRC 5-6) and then used a hair dryer just to be safe. It was 2-3 inches short of latching in the back.

[John F.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

Try the above but don't force both front and back together. You could pull windshield upper chrome right off the glass. I have gotten used to only clamping the front and not the back. The soft top was installed in 1976.

[Steve N.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

My 60 has the vinyl top ,maybe the original, I used leather conditioner every day for a couple of weeks and it stretched enough to fit. What a pain.

[Tom P.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

Yep, typical!!!!!!!
Same for my 56, when it was installed new, it fit fine and the latches pulled it down just right. In time, it shrunk and now if I pull the rear latches down, it pulls the windshield frame so much that there is a gap between the frame and glass.
Over the years, multiple people have told me that when a soft top is installed, it should be installed saggy loose to allow for shrinkage. At first, I thought "ya, right!". Well, apparently that is pretty much true. Oh well, too late now. On the super rare ocassions that I pull up the soft top, it ONLY gets latched up front. The back just hangs there.

[Edward B.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

You might want to look at my post from Christmas Eve of last year - this multi-step procedure has worked for me: https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...light=soft+top

[Leo M.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

William, pretty common problem for C1 tops. Even a brand new top by Al Knoch fits this way, and most folks simply do not use the rear latches. Al Knoch does have available a top I believe called the "Kennedy Cut" which is made from a bigger pattern and has a better fit.

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

If a new top fits to tight and does not latch properly it was not installed correctly.
Al Knoch installed tops always latch both front and rear as did one installed by a friend.
Yes it will shrink after time but the top on my 57 is about 12 years old and it latches fine , both front and rear.
Whenever it is in the garage it is left up and latched.

[Kenneth F.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

I installed the top on my 1962. I pulled the material forward over the latched header, until it looked pretty smooth. Before attaching the material to the front header, I unlatched the header, raised it about 12 inches, pulled the material another 1/4" and attached the material. I wish now I had attached the material without pulling it the additional 1/4." Now, I do not attach the rear latches, because it is really tight, even after using the heat gun, and leaving in hot sun. I will probably try installing another top. I would be interested to hear how much others are tensioning their tops when installing, and having a top that is not too tight and mostly wrinkle free.

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

A friend of mine installed his top (58 Corvette) using the Al Knoch video.
It came out great and still is a few years later.
BUT, you must follow the directions exactly, and the results are great.

Can anyone comment on how the tops looked from the factory???

[Gene M.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

A few years back I had a long talk with John Kennedy (rest his soul) about the soft tops produced by well known AK. The conversation got around to John's pattern and how AK did not produce the tops exactly per his pattern. No Corvette top should fit anywhere near the tightness as an AK top yields, this include the erroneous poor duplication of John's pattern. John went on to tell me AK did not copy his pattern correctly. According to John the tops should have some slack as the originals were never "skin tight".

So my stand if you are showing your convertible use the hard top...........

[William F.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

Apparently tight C1 tops are a common problem. Just to be clear, My top is on the frame and apparently has been for some time before I bought the car; I'm not putting new top material on the frame. Don't know make of top. One member suggested that the wire "hangers' attached to rear of top may be installed upside down as reason that clamps on rear deck won't stay clamped to hangers, but top is very tight and don't won't to pull chrome windshield header off glass. May try heat gun but don't know if this will be any more effective than letting it sit out in sun on a 90 degree MS day.

[Kenneth F.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

Bruce, I have a C-2 with the original convertible top. The fit is relaxed. I wonder if there is original convertible top material from the different years, people saved when they restored their cars? Perhaps the new top material cut could be improved with an original, accurate pattern.

[Greg S.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

I installed an Al Knoch top on my 62. I used his video which was a big help. It was my first and only top installation to date. Where I went wrong was listening to Al comment that you can't get it too tight. I did. It latches with some pulling but there is an air gap above the windshield and the rear bow is about 1/2 inch off the body. If I had to do it again I would raise the front bow off the header about 2 inches while attaching the top material to the front bow. I raised it about a foot as did a previous poster. It's been about six years and the top has not stretched. It is still tight front to rear. Other than that Al's top and video were great.

[Donald H.]

Re: C1 soft top too tight - help?

I am in the process of installing a top on my 1960. Using the Knoch video, and I think they do install them to tight. I suspect most of us C1 owners drive very little with the top up. It is way to uncomfortable for me to drive with the top up and I'm 5' 10". So I want my top relaxed so that I can get it up easily when the car is parked in my garage.

This is the second install on my car. The first was done by a fellow NCRS chapter member who does top installs part time. This was his first C1 top in long time, and mine came out pretty bad. I lost 5 points at the Bowling Green Regional due to top fit. I decided to redo it myself as I had assisted him on 80% of the first install. I'm pretty happy so far with my install. It's not as tight and crisp looking at Al's guy does, but my labor is free.