help with top installation.
Dang should a hit me up in june, I was in Michigan headed out towards north dakota to pick up a parts car for my wife's 66 convertible restoration. couple questions first. Is the rear window and bow height set with a tight window and the wires tight also at the correct height? Did you mark the center of the bow AND the window top and bottom? Did you mark the center of the top in the rear (I use blue masking tape on a light top and light white masking tape for a dark top and mark on that for centering) and in the front so it's not twisted at all? Did you have to adjust the bow height to get the wires to equalize? if so, then raise the front header up about 1.5 inches (trust me you can nit actually pull the top tight enough with the top latched down so that 1.5 inches to latching gives it the correct tension after you have pulled it as tight as you can by hand.) been there done that and got a loose top for forgetting it. the front part of the rear sail panel that gets cut goes inside the well so water can drain into the car but goes in the well to drain out the weep hole in the well liner (most well liners don't even come with the plug and grommet anymore though so a towel is needed sometimes to dry the liner out.)
spring goes to the back stretch it out and you will see a screw hole for it to attach too in the black aluminum arm at the rear of the frame(orange circles.). The dart frame is /has a square corner and is easy to align. But the Valiant is rounded so you have to align the front edge of the top with the quarter window flap so it looks like ....ummm post #2 picture # 3 so that the stainless steel trim holder will hod the top to the frame (contact cement on both frame and top,let dry 15 minutes then position it for a smooth look.)
Here is the well put on before the top and curtain use lots of landau contact cement. 3m 77 or 90 just doesn't do as well
those 2 screws are here in orange. and go in the pocket in the top to hold down the top when driving.
hope this helps.
Dang should a hit me up in june, I was in Michigan headed out towards north dakota to pick up a parts car for my wife's 66 convertible restoration. couple questions first. Is the rear window and bow height set with a tight window and the wires tight also at the correct height? Did you mark the center of the bow AND the window top and bottom? Did you mark the center of the top in the rear (I use blue masking tape on a light top and light white masking tape for a dark top and mark on that for centering) and in the front so it's not twisted at all? Did you have to adjust the bow height to get the wires to equalize? if so, then raise the front header up about 1.5 inches (trust me you can nit actually pull the top tight enough with the top latched down so that 1.5 inches to latching gives it the correct tension after you have pulled it as tight as you can by hand.) been there done that and got a loose top for forgetting it. the front part of the rear sail panel that gets cut goes inside the well so water can drain into the car but goes in the well to drain out the weep hole in the well liner (most well liners don't even come with the plug and grommet anymore though so a towel is needed sometimes to dry the liner out.)
spring goes to the back stretch it out and you will see a screw hole for it to attach too in the black aluminum arm at the rear of the frame(orange circles.). The dart frame is /has a square corner and is easy to align. But the Valiant is rounded so you have to align the front edge of the top with the quarter window flap so it looks like ....ummm post #2 picture # 3 so that the stainless steel trim holder will hod the top to the frame (contact cement on both frame and top,let dry 15 minutes then position it for a smooth look.)
Here is the well put on before the top and curtain use lots of landau contact cement. 3m 77 or 90 just doesn't do as well
those 2 screws are here in orange. and go in the pocket in the top to hold down the top when driving.
hope this helps.
