Hard Top fitting, 1961

[John H.]

My hard top doesn't line up at the four bolt holes when I have the two pins set into the windshield frame. Is there an alignment procedure that will correct this? It seems to be about 1/2" off along the right/passenger side holes - front to back. I want to get the hard top set so I can adjust the door glass before I install the soft top frame and adjust it to the door glass. Also, what kind of lubricant should I use on the soft top frame moving parts? TIA, John.

[Wayne P.]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

How do the doors fit? Sometime these old cars get a little out of shape. A jack under the middle of the car will probably line it right up.

[John H.]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

Wayne;
The doors fit pretty well. They close nicely with nice even gaps all around. I have a jack stand under each corner so it is pretty close to level. John.

[Dennis C.]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

John - My procedure for hard top install is to start the 4 bolts before you concern yourself with the front attachment. Typically, the alignment with the front pins will not be perfect, but a little nudge will get you there. I would not suggest any major surgery unless things are WAY off. Best, Dennis

[Ed Jennings]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

Concur with Dennis. Also, if the top has been stored off the car for a while it may have gotten a little out of kilter. Getting it fastned and fitting right may involve letting the car sit out in the sun for a few hours and gradually tightening the top up.

[John H.]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

Thanks for the advise gents. Good idea to put it in the sun for a while and make it more pliable. Regards, John.

[Mike E.]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

is the original top on the car? (Are dates right on, etc.?) Often tops were swapped or, worse yet, a car came soft-top only and later on, someone bought a hardtop and drilled holes in poor locations. You would assume that they would all fit the same, but believe me, they don't. I can't prove it, but I think that the factory fit the hard tops to the car and then drilled the rear deck holes. I've had unmolested tops unwilling to fit on unmolested cars.
For wht it's worth.
Mike Ernst

[James F.]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

John,
On the earlier C-1's there is a specific dimension from the hardtop pin hole on the body by the decklid to the hole in the windshield header bar. To adjust these hardtops to get the hardtop pins to fit the windshield, the windshield is shimmed at the pillar corners. Perhaps your '61 could be aligned the same way, get the back holes to fit and shim the windshield pillars enough to fit to the front hardtop pins. Regards,

[John H.]

Re: Hard Top fitting, 1961

It seems like the most correct procedure is to bolt the top at the rear and then mess with the windshiled frame adjustment. I bought this can is boxes - don't know if the top is original or from another car so I may never get it to fit. The next best thing would be to buy an undrilled deck lid and drill it to fit if I can first align the holes at the door jamb and windshield. Thanks for the info. John.