When does one unzip the window?

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dibbons

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I have a 1965 Plymouth Valiant Signet with a manually operated convertible top. Never really had any training on how to lower/raise it. My question concerns the plastic zippered rear window, is it supposed to be unzipped before lowering the top? I just leave it in place, it's a little hard to push the top down, but it seems to work. Don't know what the zipper is for in the first place.
 

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Leave it zipped. The zipper is to change the rear window separate from the top. Is the top material really dry? If so I would condition it and hope it softens up so it doesn't crack when you retract it.
 
The window is zippered so that it can be lowered with the top up for flow through ventilation. Some cars need the window laid down before the top, but I have never seen a Mopar that way.
 
I normally leave mine zipped while lowering mine. but it's not the factory way to do it. yes it will scratch a new window. but on an older window that has hazed it makes no difference in that respect and may be hard to zip back up if it's brittle. I do wax my window zipper and have scotch guarded my cloth that the window is sewn to to help make it last a bit longer.
here is a shot of the 66 dart/coronet lowering procedure on page 77 in section 23 of the FSM.
View attachment !!!!!!lowering top pg 77 section 23.jpg
 
I'm an unzipper. It's down quite a bit and it goes down easier unzipped. This all sounds naughty, but the top folds into the well easier and I've never had a problem. UNLESS someone tries to help me with the top which I can zip and put up in the rain in under a minute.
 
I always unzip. Been doing it for 20 years on my challenger and 6 on my Dart. I unzip and lay a towel on the plexy. But, don't think you have to and they are a bit hard to zip up fast if caught in the rain.
 
Mine is manual , and I do unzip it , and yes it is hard to get it pushed all the way down and snap into the clips that hold it in place. I think the clips are very hard to find , so don't break one.
 
I very rarely drop my top but when I do, I unzipper the window to prevent it from bending or causing a crease in the window as it folds. Before I replaced the top, I left the rear window in when I lowered the top and the window had all sorts of bend and crease marks.
 
I thought the reason you unzipped the window before dropping the top was so you didn't fold and crease it.
 
Some can't be unzipped on more modern cars. Like my 2008 Chrysler Crossfire. It's a soft window never been a problem. My 70 Challenger window a hard glass zipped window (plexiglass) pulls a bit harder on the top. The window will not bend. I've always unzipped them if I could and layded a towel over them to avoid a scratch. Probably cause I'm to cheap to replace on if , by chance it got nicked.
 
With the soft plastic window the proper way that is explained in the owners manual says to unzip it before lowering and lay it flat in the well. This avoids the window being folded. Of course I never have done that with any of my '66 Valiant converts.
If the top is getting stiff it maybe dry rotting. I bought a parts car with a top that looked beautiful after I cleaned it but it was all dry rotted & it was a bit more effort to lower it. So you might need to start planning for a new top.
The cars with glass or hard windows are a different story from a '65 Valiant.
 
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