67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

[Gerard F.]

PT,

You got me started with a thread here, and on the other site.

Figured I'd restore my original 67 hardtop, which I used for many years because the convertible top was so bad.

Here's the interior:



A few years ago, I took the headliner off, re-dyed it, and then repainted all the interior trim. However, the padding under the headliner was completely disintergrated, just powder left. Tried to glue it back on but to no avail, the headliner still sags, but I was able to tighten the sag up a bit.

But I think it is time for a new headliner, or maybe have someone mold my original liner to a foam backing, as I've heard on this forum.

As you can see, the weatherstripping is shot. The rear window is not that bad, but could probably use a new weatherstripping around it.

Here's the exterior, hanging in the shop with my jury-rigged work setup:



Yes, it is covered with white vinyl, totally incorrect. I always liked a white convertible top over Marina Blue, so in 1973, I had a local upholstery shop cover the hardtop in white vinyl. Very nicely done, but not an available color in 67. I took a total deduct for paint color at Regional Flight Judging for it in 2006.

So, I figure I'll bring it back to the original condition when I got the car in 68. Here's the original paint I covered up in 73:



I guess it will need a paint job

Here's the full demolition of the white vinyl:



So, I'm just starting out and haven't ordered any parts yet. I need a weatherstrip kit and a new headliner plus a paint job. Been looking at catalogs, and they all seem to be priced about the same for the parts.

Have heard of problems with headliner fit and the plastic backing (which I don't think was on my original). Not sure about the weatherstripping but they all seem to come from the same manufacturer.

Any advice here. Who provides the best in parts? Who can mold an original headliner cover to the backing? Anyone done this.

Gonna take my time, and have a lot of fun.

[Patrick T.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry, I have found out the hard way if you get a Corvette America headliner they come cut to the exact size and no cutting by you is necessary. Not true with Al Knoch headliners.

The AK headliners are oversized and you have to trim them to get the exact fit and that HDPE plastic base is impossible to trim. You can get the same CA headliner from Wilcox Corvette for $188. They get their headliners from Corvette America.

Stay away from the Al Knoch headliners as they are impossible to trim. PT

[Donald O.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Is the headliner glued in or held in place by the edge trim pieces?

I need a new headliner for my 67 too

DonO

[Patrick T.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Is the headliner glued in or held in place by the edge trim pieces?

I need a new headliner for my 67 too

DonO

Don, no glue needed if you use the Corvette America headliner, they just pop in under the frame edges. Then the trim pieces hold it in place. That HDPE plastic backing isn't going to sag or go anywhere. PT

[Donald O.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Don, no glue needed if you use the Corvette America headliner, they just pop in under the frame edges. Then the trim pieces hold it in place. That HDPE plastic backing isn't going to sag or go anywhere. PT

How is the headliner material as compared to the OE?

[Gerard F.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

How about the weatherstrip kits. Is one provider better that another?
Or are they all from the same manufacturer.

Anyone have any comments on the hardtop weatherstripping.

In the factory, did they use the black or the yellow adhesive, or any at all on the hardtop?

[Gene M.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry,
I just tore my 67 top down. The areas where there was glue was a brown color. It may have been yellow when the GM workers assembled it but it is old. Much like us......

There was a lot of black and gray dumb dumb to seal up the spaces between the fiberglass and the stainless trim. The windshield and rear lexan window areas also had black and grey dumb dumb.

[Joe C.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry,

What are you going to use for paint?

[Harry S.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Any of you folks need the C2 Hardtop AIM for the restoration? I have a soft-copy I can send you!

Send me a PM.

Cheers

[Brian M.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry, have you considered black vinyl?

[Ara G.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry,
I restored an original 67 vin; hard top on my lynndale roadster when I owned it. It was a LOT of fun, but some things were a pain in the bumb. I ordered a headliner from Al Knoch and the first 3 came damaged from transit. The boxes were terrible that they shipped them in. I finally got a good one and it was a TOUGH fit into the hard top, but I eventually got it. I did NOT trim any of it. It fits, it just takes time to do and a lot of patience (something I am NOT known for having a lot of). I used plastic and wooden shims to slide it into place.
Also, the weatherstripping was a bear to keep in place while the glue set up. I used some real "custom" clamps....The front lip weatherstripping was the toughest to do. Keeping that front lip in place and perfectly in place until the glue driied was tough. I needed to do one area a day. Then the next section the next day and so on.
The front small clips might be shot on your hard top. I am not sure if the repro's are good, but a guy had an NOS set on flea bay a week ago or so that didn't sell. I can find them maybe for you if you want.
When you take off the outer stainless moldings, be careful as the outers hold the inners in. Also, take care when screwing in the inner moldings so as to not mar the painted moldings.
I also put NOS latches on, they made the final touch nice. I might have an extra set of those for you.
Most of the weatherstrip was easy to do. Removing the dumdum on the front header was a bear, and time consuming but believe it or not it really protected the chrome channel so it was worth the time to remove it.
I have seen some of your work, and you can handle this job with no problem. Just patience my friend. Was great seeing you at the Nationals. Be well my friend. Keep in touch. Be well
ARA

[Gerard F.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry,

What are you going to use for paint?

Joe,

You know me. It has to be lacquer in the original color. Got a painter to work with, and an auto paint supplier within a block from me who can get me anything.

The top will be the test of the paint and color to do the rest of the car-- someday.

I have a lot of memories in this car and remember when it was brand new. Always amazed me that a Marina Blue car, looked like a different car at night than it did in the day. Also when I seasonally changed to the hardtop in the winter, people thought I had 2 cars.

[Gerard F.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry, have you considered black vinyl?

Brian,

Just my preference, I never liked black over Marina Blue. Don't tell anybody (only kidding), but my original convertible top was black and I thought it looked drab. So I covered the hardtop with white vinyl in 73.

Here's how it looked in 2006 coming back from a Regional in Flagstaff:



Red, white and blue, but I got a total deduct on paint color for presentation with the white vinyl hard top. But still made Top Flight on the driving points from CA.

After putting the white vinyl on the hardtop, I then went to the white convertible top, as I thought the white over Marina Blue looked sharp. Still do.

But now in restoring the hardtop, I'm thinking about going back to original, in memory of driving from Hollis, Queens to California in 1969 with everything I owned in the back (including the black convertible top)
That's my 1969 Samsonite luggage on the rack in the photo. There was no room in the back for anything else.

[Joe C.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Joe,

You know me. It has to be lacquer in the original color. Got a painter to work with, and an auto paint supplier within a block from me who can get me anything.

The top will be the test of the paint and color to do the rest of the car-- someday.

I have a lot of memories in this car and remember when it was brand new. Always amazed me that a Marina Blue car, looked like a different car at night than it did in the day. Also when I seasonally changed to the hardtop in the winter, people thought I had 2 cars.

That's why I asked you........................and I wouldn't expect anything different from a true-blue NCRS guy like you! Lacquer is easy to paint yourself.................. I'm gonna do mine maybe next year or year after, but I'm gonna do BB/CC urethane.

You never know........maybe it WAS a different car. Was it up on milk boxes, in Hollis?

PS..............I think Marina Blue/Ermine White is one of the most outstanding color combinations offered on your Corvette.....................especially if it had a white gut and white soft top. Even better, was the 2 tone interior offered in 1965-66................blue/white..............sweeeeeeeet.

[Joe R.]

Re: 67 Hardtop-A Winter Project

Jerry,

Maybe this will help you. There is a hardtop restoration seminar video on the Michigan NCRS site. It was done by Glassworks. Just scroll down till you find it (there are other videos on the same page). Here's the link:

http://www.michiganncrs.org/page1/page1.html

Joe