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Convertible-Top Replacement - Going ToplessIf You're Going To Drop Your Top, At Least Have A Good One From the October, 2003 issue of Mopar Muscle By Randy Bolig Photography by Randy Bolig
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Although a matter of debate, for us there is no better ride than one in a convertible. Whether cruising around town or flying up the interstate with the top down, it's easy to forget about the past workweek and enjoy the weekend-nothing but open road, blue skies, and sunshine. The down side is over the years, weather and improper care have left your convertible top with a less than stellar appearance. Many tops are in such bad shape the owners refuse to put them up, reducing drive time during the year. Let's face it-if there is even just a chance of rain and your top is in bad shape, are you going to go for a ride? Such was the case of Dave and Amy Young's '68 B-Body. Recently purchased, the B-Body has been left to weather the elements, and a new top was the first of the repairs to be made. We contacted Hydro-E-lectric, in Punta Gorda, Florida, to get our new top and back glass. Originally, the '68 came with a plastic rear window. It doesn't take much neglect for the plastic to form a yellowish tint, making it impossible to see through, so we opted for a glass rear window. Hydro-E-lectric supplies everything from top-lifting cylinders to hoses and latches. Convertible-top replacement is not a job for the faint of heart. It can be a trying task, but if you take your time and measure twice before you cut, it can be done. You'll need a friend's help (that way if something goes wrong, you have somebody to blame).  Begin by unhooking the hydraulic...  Begin by unhooking the hydraulic cylinder from the top mechanism (arrow). This will allow you to lift the top halfway in order to get to the seals and perimeter tack strips.  With the top half open, remove...  With the top half open, remove the side-window top seals and the metal strip that screws to the top frame and retains the top material. Begin by pulling the seals free, and then unscrew the metal seal retainers.  After you remove the header...  After you remove the header seal, remove the screws that hold the retainer in place and remove it. This will enable you to see where the front of the top is glued to the frame.  Here is the side-window seal...  Here is the side-window seal retainer being removed.  Remove the chrome end caps...  Remove the chrome end caps on the roof welting that runs from side to side, and then remove the welting.  Next, remove the header seal...  Next, remove the header seal by sliding it out of the retainer. No, this isn't a special effect; Emo is just so quick he's a blur.  After you remove the retainer,...  After you remove the retainer, peel the top material from the framework.  Next, start by removing the...  Next, start by removing the top material from the header, as Emo did, and work your way back.  Following Emo's example, after...  Following Emo's example, after you work the top loose from the metal framework, remove the rear window panel. This piece of the top is made from a separate panel and attaches individually at the top of the last bow with staples. On the morning of the top install, Florida weather was true to form; the ride in the rain to Emo's Upholstery in Lakeland, Florida, confirmed our suspicions-man, did the roof leak. Even though it took Emo only the better part of a half day, he's been doing the job for quite some time. Plan on it taking a little more time if you do it yourself. We asked Emo what he thought it would take to give our top the longest life possible in the Florida sun. His personal favorite is Formula 2001, by Turtle Wax. He has used it as a cleaner and protectant for quite some time. When your new top is finished, it's a good idea to leave it up for a week or so, and if it has small wrinkles, parking it in the sun can help remove them.  When it comes time to remove...  When it comes time to remove the staples left behind in the tack strip, be gentle. From the factory, this is only a pressboard material, and if you destroy it, an aftermarket material will need to be installed.  Under the canvas top is a...  Under the canvas top is a padding that runs front to back on the sides. To remove it, take out the screws holding it to the header and work it to the back. It should be fastened in the front and back only.  After you unsnap and remove...  After you unsnap and remove the well liner, remove the tack strip that the top material fastened to. To do this, remove the screws (or bolts) holding the top to the body, and then lift it all out.  Remove the tack strips from...  Remove the tack strips from the old top. Don't get the tack strips mixed up or turned upside down; if you do, the holes to attach them to the body won't line up.  Next, remove the well liner...  Next, remove the well liner (plastic bag in which the top folds down).  Now attach the new foam and...  Now attach the new foam and its wrap. The foam and covering wrap are wider at the back than at the front. Fasten the wrap with the screws in the front, and then gently pull it taut and staple it to the rear top bow.  With the foam covering attached...  With the foam covering attached to the top frame, apply contact glue to the inside of it.  Then, place the foam on the...  Then, place the foam on the wrap, fold the flaps over, and tape the seam. We used masking tape.  Cut the wrapped foam along...  Cut the wrapped foam along the contour at the header, and flush behind the rear bow where you attached it .  Sometimes it helps to measure...  Sometimes it helps to measure the distance from the bottom of the window to where the tack strip attaches. We chose instead to use the supplied marks as our reference point. We marked them with a pencil to make them easier to see.  Lay the middle piece of the...  Lay the middle piece of the top-well tack strip on the bench, and, after locating the center of the rear-window panel and tack strip, attach the panel.  After you attach the center...  After you attach the center panel, continue to attach the sail panels to the side tack strips. Remember, we followed the factory-supplied marks.  Cut the wrapped foam along...  Cut the wrapped foam along the contour at the header, and flush behind the rear bow where you attached it .  Now the top can be attached...  Now the top can be attached to the tack strips. Again, we used the factory-supplied marks to attach the top.  Cut the top where the screws...  Cut the top where the screws for attaching the tack strip to the body belong.  Don't forget to reinstall...  Don't forget to reinstall the tensioning wires on the sides. These keep tension on the side edges of the top and slide through pockets in the top. They then attach to the top frame.  Lay the top over the frame...  Lay the top over the frame and slide the back and sides into the well.  After fastening the top of...  After fastening the top of the window panel, lay the top out over the frame.  Reattach the tack strips to...  Reattach the tack strips to the body.  The window panel has a centering...  The window panel has a centering mark at the top and aligns with a mark on the rear top bow. Fold the main portion of the top back over the trunk, exposing the top of the window panel. Attach the rear-window panel to the rear bow first.  On the sides (sail panels),...  On the sides (sail panels), there is a flap that should be pulled around the framework.  You should be able to pull...  You should be able to pull the side-panel flap around the framework and have no large wrinkles, but if you do have them, remove the tack strip-with the top-from the body. Move the material slightly lower on the tack strip to remove the wrinkles. Small wrinkles can be removed with the careful use of a hair dryer or heat gun. Don't get the material too tight, or the top will not go up when finished.  When you have the rear of...  When you have the rear of the top properly attached, join the framework to the windshield, pull the top material taut, and mark the edge of the header with a pencil. This mark will be crucial in the next step.  After you apply the contact...  After you apply the contact cement to the header, raise the top a little bit to apply the cement to the bottom side of the header, and fold the material over it. Without the mark, you won't know where to fold.  After you have reattached...  After you have reattached the tensioner wire, there is a flap that attaches to the side of the top framework. This is only on the front couple inches of the top, near the header.  Reinstall the seal retain...  Reinstall the seal retainers.  Don't forget to reinstall...  Don't forget to reinstall the well liner.  The welting can now be installed...  The welting can now be installed along the top, above the rear window. Attach the welting with staples, fold it over itself, and cap it at the ends.  With our new top installed,...  With our new top installed, it was a lot nicer riding home in the rain.  Finally, the top is folded...  Finally, the top is folded down, and the header-seal retainer is reinstalled on the car. First, install the new seal between the roof and the seal retainer, and fasten the retainer to the header.  The new top seals from Steele...  The new top seals from Steele Rubber Products are exact replacements. As bad as our old seals looked, it was a good idea to change them. Replace the seals in the reverse order you removed them, and voila-a new cover over your cockpit.
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