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Kevin in NJ · 04-28-2021, 05:08 PM

So I have not done a top as of yet. I have a 68C and have limited clues about it.

I have some questions you will want to think about as you might find a big difference in how the process goes.

What type of joint does the #1 bow have? That is where the upright piece meets the cross piece. If you have an overlap joint, good luck and I will end the conversation there. If you have the bottom piece fitting in a slot in the cross piece things will work much better.

Is the back side of the #1 bow where the upper landau screws in flat? It should be.

Have you check the curve of the #1 and #2 bow against the prints? From the factory they would have a curve. Over time they flattened out and pushed out the sides. This is what some wood guys have copied. This will also cause the top irons to not fold back properly and the top will not fully go down without messing up the fit.

The rear bow will be set to cause the rear of the top to lean forward about 4 degrees. You MUST be sure that the belt wood has been angled forward enough to allow for the tilt plus the thickness of the bow drill.

You need to understand the body is actually a mechanical device. When the top is up the forces on the hinge point will be high. You must mock up the top wood until it goes up smooth and does not distort the body. A small amount of force compressing the landaus is needed to hold them. More force will come when the top is installed, or at least that is what I was told by people who have done this.
The header and header pan set up the relationship of the stud to the top of the #1 bow. This sets #1 bow upright to be parallel to the back of the window. I can tell you from experience things being off by 1/8" here and there can wack out the top installation.

Your door dovetails. The sliders MUST move with moderate pressure from your fingers. If they are real hard to move they will break things and the door will not close properly. The dovetails are critical for keep the door from beating the door jamb to death.

What I am trying to say is, if you want the car to work right you really need to pay attention to details. If you look at the 68C article you can see the jig system they used. They were likely building the bodies to 1/16" or less accuracy if I had to guess.

Good luck and have fun.

04-28-2021, 05:08 PM	#11
Kevin in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East NJ Posts: 3,398	Re: Cabriolet Top Installation So I have not done a top as of yet. I have a 68C and have limited clues about it. I have some questions you will want to think about as you might find a big difference in how the process goes. What type of joint does the #1 bow have? That is where the upright piece meets the cross piece. If you have an overlap joint, good luck and I will end the conversation there. If you have the bottom piece fitting in a slot in the cross piece things will work much better. Is the back side of the #1 bow where the upper landau screws in flat? It should be. Have you check the curve of the #1 and #2 bow against the prints? From the factory they would have a curve. Over time they flattened out and pushed out the sides. This is what some wood guys have copied. This will also cause the top irons to not fold back properly and the top will not fully go down without messing up the fit. The rear bow will be set to cause the rear of the top to lean forward about 4 degrees. You MUST be sure that the belt wood has been angled forward enough to allow for the tilt plus the thickness of the bow drill. You need to understand the body is actually a mechanical device. When the top is up the forces on the hinge point will be high. You must mock up the top wood until it goes up smooth and does not distort the body. A small amount of force compressing the landaus is needed to hold them. More force will come when the top is installed, or at least that is what I was told by people who have done this. The header and header pan set up the relationship of the stud to the top of the #1 bow. This sets #1 bow upright to be parallel to the back of the window. I can tell you from experience things being off by 1/8" here and there can wack out the top installation. Your door dovetails. The sliders MUST move with moderate pressure from your fingers. If they are real hard to move they will break things and the door will not close properly. The dovetails are critical for keep the door from beating the door jamb to death. What I am trying to say is, if you want the car to work right you really need to pay attention to details. If you look at the 68C article you can see the jig system they used. They were likely building the bodies to 1/16" or less accuracy if I had to guess. Good luck and have fun.