1969 hardtop question

[Gary H.]

I am considering the idea of buying a vinyl hardtop for judging. The soft top on my 69 is totally the wrong style and I lost a boatload of points during flight judging. My car did not come with a hardtop. In terms of judging, would I need to modify my car in any way? rear decklid,etc?

Gary

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

I am considering the idea of buying a vinyl hardtop for judging. The soft top on my 69 is totally the wrong style and I lost a boatload of points during flight judging. My car did not come with a hardtop. In terms of judging, would I need to modify my car in any way? rear decklid,etc?

Gary

Gary------


The only thing you'll probably have to add are the nuts in the "wings" of the deck lid. These are shown on UPC C07, sheet A1. Adding these nuts is very simple.

[Gary H.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

In the AIM it appears like there are attaching points drilled into the side of the decklid to allow the top to bolt through the sides. My 69 does not have these.

My 63 is a 2 top car and has these bolts on the decklid

Would a July 24 car use the center attaching stud?

Gary

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

Would a July 24 car use the center attaching stud?

Gary

Gary----

No. My original owner, mid September, 1969 with hardtop only did not have one.

[Michael M.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

When were the two studs that go into the convertable hold down in the deck changed from the convertable style to stud with washer and nut?
Mike

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

When were the two studs that go into the convertable hold down in the deck changed from the convertable style to stud with washer and nut?
Mike

Mike------


My mid-September, 1969 has the conventional stud with special washer and nut.

[Michael M.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

Joe,
Thanks for the reply.
Mike

[Dan D.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

Gary,Just an observation...for what it's worth... I have a '72 and about 15 years ago I decided to get a hard top. To make a long story short: From start to stop, I spent just south of 3G (2008 prices) acquiring and restoring the top, even down to the correct paint. I chuckle every time I look at the top covered up in the carrier, sitting in the corner of the garage. If your original frame is in good shape, you could probably get a correct top put on for maybe half that. And, not have to store something you will end up getting very little use out of. Of course my car is not a show car; I drive it a lot and I like the top down. By the way, some years had a center pin that would require a base being drilled into the center of the deck lid. Since my car isn't a show car I just removed the pin a made a gasket for the plate on the top to rest on. Good luck, Dan

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

Gary,Just an observation...for what it's worth... I have a '72 and about 15 years ago I decided to get a hard top. To make a long story short: From start to stop, I spent just south of 3G (2008 prices) acquiring and restoring the top, even down to the correct paint. I chuckle every time I look at the top covered up in the carrier, sitting in the corner of the garage. If your original frame is in good shape, you could probably get a correct top put on for maybe half that. And, not have to store something you will end up getting very little use out of. Of course my car is not a show car; I drive it a lot and I like the top down. By the way, some years had a center pin that would require a base being drilled into the center of the deck lid. Since my car isn't a show car I just removed the pin a made a gasket for the plate on the top to rest on. Good luck, Dan

Dan------


In about 1987 I purchased all the pieces needed to add a soft-top to my original owner, hard-top-only 1969. At that time, the total cost to me for everything was about $2,500. I never used the hard top again [but it's not for sale].

[Floyd B.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

Gary,

At Spring Carlisle last year I came across a vinyl covered hard top with a date code on the glass about one month prior to the build date of my car. At the time I wasn't considering the strategy of using a hardtop for judging. A hardtop with correct date code was fortunate enough but what really blew me away was what I saw when I lifted the top to see the interior color - Bright Blue - just like my interior!! (and yours). It seemed like this top was meant to sit atop my car. I walked around the swap meet for another 10 minutes considering if I wanted to pay $800 for a top that would need a full restoration (even thought it was complete and every part usable in the restoration). It didn't take long for my wife to convince me that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Even if I were to change my mind, I wouldn't have any trouble selling the top for what I paid. I negotiated a price of $700 and loaded the top into a rented Toyota Corolla (that's a story all its own).

My car is a very early production '69 with an October 4, build date. I have had the top on the car several times and it fits - well - like a top. I haven't researched it yet but I think Joe is correct; any modifications I need to make seem to be very minor. I can use it now without any modifications but it probably isn't 100% correct. All the attachments are identical to the soft top - except the two rear corners have threaded shafts rather than the friction pins and you would need to drill the holes for the t-nuts at the side attachments.

All that said, I have to agree with Dan. It will cost me $2-3k to restore something that I would only use to obtain the points for the window date code. We live in FL so a hard top isn't a very practical item both in terms of $/point and storage.

[Dan D.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

Floyd,I have to be honest here. Even though I chuckle when I see it, I have never regretted getting it, and I will never sell it. Believe me when I say you'll never regret it either. Even though you might not use it often, you'll really dig it when you do. Mine had those threaded shafts; no problem, I bought a set of friction pins and popped them right on. Also, drilling the side holes was no problem at all. I put the top on, marked the centers with a fine point "Sharpie" and it was a piece of cake. Every once in a while you'll feel like making it look different - so you can just pop on the top. Mine really does looks different because my convertible top is white and the hardtop is Elkhart green to match the car.Best of luck and enjoy,Dan

[Richard K.]

Re: 1969 hardtop question

Gary, if you do purchase a hardtop for your car, be careful opening and closing the doors for the first time with the windows up. With the doors open, roll up the window(s) completely then slowly close them toward the hardtop to see if you have clearance from the stainless trim, and the correct engagement to the hardtop's weatherstripping. You may have to make an adjustment to the window height so as to not chip the top of the glass on the stainless trim when opening and closing a door. I bought a vinyl covered '71 hardtop back in the 70's, and I thought that it really dressed-up the car. I leave it on permanently since I feel that it ads some torsional rigidity to the car (noticed when driving over a curb with one front wheel). BTW, I've seen them for sale on major cities' Craigslist occasionally.