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I have been assisting my father over my holiday break for the past couple of days with the installation of a convertible top on his newly acquired ’56 as it had no top when purchased. As you can see in the attached photographs, we are almost to the point of installing the rear straps and attaching the vinyl top. Before proceeding to do so, I persuaded my father to let me work on the window to top-frame and the windshield to top-frame fit as I felt that they were not optimum. After a couple of days I have improved the fit but I am still not completely satisfied and somewhat frustrated. Any feedback on the following points would be most appreciated:
1. How well should the side windows fit to the top-frame? I am fairly satisfied with the fit of the passenger side window to the top-frame; however I have some more work to do before I am satisfied with the fit of the driver’s side window to the top-frame. So far, the adjustment parameters associated with the side windows that I have been varying have been the two “bumpers” located at the top of the doors and the window tilt adjustment as built into the window track mechanism. The A-pillar has been adjusted for fit with the front windshield.
In my opinion the bumper stops don’t work so well as a sufficient amount of pressure exerted on the window regulator can pop the window’s bumper seat past the bumper.
In addition to the window bumper adjustments I have adjusted the mounting position of the top-frame pivot. Currently those adjustments are to their extreme positions so tomorrow I will attempt to slot the top-frame pivot mount holes to close the gap between the rear of the driver’s window to the frame top. The three holes in the frame top connected the front most part of the side frame to the front transverse member have been slotted to their maximum on both the driver and passenger sides.
2. What are your opinions on the dimension between the frame-top and the windshield as seen in the third photograph? Currently, I estimate it to be about 0.5 to 0.625 inches. My gut feeling is that it is too large, but we have no comparisons to verify this assumption. The latch adjustment is at its minimum. The top pins are 0.875 inches long (from bottom to the frame surface) and were supplied with the top-frame.
3. Is this an extreme amount of effort to be putting into the installation of a convertible top that will likely leak and produce wind noise even at its optimum? After all we are using a reproduction frame fitted to what is essentially a hand-made chassis suggesting that compromises on fit might have to be made.
Any advice that you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Additionally, any detailed photographs from your vehicles of these areas would be valued for comparison purposes.
Sincerely,
Matthew
1. How well should the side windows fit to the top-frame? I am fairly satisfied with the fit of the passenger side window to the top-frame; however I have some more work to do before I am satisfied with the fit of the driver’s side window to the top-frame. So far, the adjustment parameters associated with the side windows that I have been varying have been the two “bumpers” located at the top of the doors and the window tilt adjustment as built into the window track mechanism. The A-pillar has been adjusted for fit with the front windshield.
In my opinion the bumper stops don’t work so well as a sufficient amount of pressure exerted on the window regulator can pop the window’s bumper seat past the bumper.
In addition to the window bumper adjustments I have adjusted the mounting position of the top-frame pivot. Currently those adjustments are to their extreme positions so tomorrow I will attempt to slot the top-frame pivot mount holes to close the gap between the rear of the driver’s window to the frame top. The three holes in the frame top connected the front most part of the side frame to the front transverse member have been slotted to their maximum on both the driver and passenger sides.
2. What are your opinions on the dimension between the frame-top and the windshield as seen in the third photograph? Currently, I estimate it to be about 0.5 to 0.625 inches. My gut feeling is that it is too large, but we have no comparisons to verify this assumption. The latch adjustment is at its minimum. The top pins are 0.875 inches long (from bottom to the frame surface) and were supplied with the top-frame.
3. Is this an extreme amount of effort to be putting into the installation of a convertible top that will likely leak and produce wind noise even at its optimum? After all we are using a reproduction frame fitted to what is essentially a hand-made chassis suggesting that compromises on fit might have to be made.
Any advice that you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Additionally, any detailed photographs from your vehicles of these areas would be valued for comparison purposes.
Sincerely,
Matthew
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