Progress on #782 - Page 20

DanEC · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2014, 02:44 PM

I replied to my brothers suggestion that I would probably be banned from Club Cobra unless I resigned first. His suggestion was in jest (I think). At least JAMO hasn't unplugged me.

RodKnock · #2 (**permalink**) 03-03-2014, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Is he, by any chance, related to the goof ball Weiner from New York?

Two different wieners and spelled differently?

Is Weiner Bad for the Wieners?

Dan, thank goodness. We were moments away from taking away your CC secret decoder ring.

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 03-03-2014, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Two different wieners and spelled differently?

Is Weiner Bad for the Wieners?

Wait a minute... wasn't his real name Carlos Danger?

DanEC · #4 (**permalink**) 03-10-2014, 05:49 PM

The weather and streets finally cleared up enough here today to venture out for a short break-in drive up and down some nearby boulevards. Started out and ran up through first and second into third - and thought wow, third is really pretty tall, cruises pretty nice in it. Then I shifted into what I thought was fourth and seemed to hit second - the revs shot up. That was odd - played around with the shifter and seemed to have two gates to the rear OK - what's going on? Then it dawned on me - fourth and third are reversed in the pattern.

Dang it - this would never happen to me with a Muncie. I guess I have the 3rd/4th transmision lever bolted on in the wrong direction. I finished up and drove home shifting from 1rst to 2nd to 4th and finally to 3rd.

Hopefully I can fix this from underneath without having to pull the transmission tunnel again. Otherwise no major issues.

*13* · #5 (**permalink**) 03-20-2014, 05:00 PM

Mine gaps behind the side windows, also. I had it installed locally. Wouldn't have been cost effective to send it 3000 miles to be installed & return to CA. Nor did it want to attempt that type of job myself, with out experience. Other than the gapping, it fits nicely. If you ask my opinion, best place to have it done is in the hands of the people who do them the most. Likely ERA

DanEC · #6 (**permalink**) 03-20-2014, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *13*

Mine gaps behind the side windows, also. I had it installed locally. Wouldn't have been cost effective to send it 3000 miles to be installed & return to CA. Nor did it want to attempt that type of job myself, with out experience. Other than the gapping, it fits nicely. If you ask my opinion, best place to have it done is in the hands of the people who do them the most. Likely ERA

Doug advised that the way to close that is to bend the main bow forward to bring that side material forward. You could still probably do that on yours but it might leave it a little slack towards the windshield. Cranking the adjustment of the bow up a little might take that out - but best not to take any advise from me at this point. I'm still a long ways from declaring this a mediocre success. A sunny, warm day use roadster is looking better all the time.

kevins2 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-20-2014, 05:57 PM

Hi Dan,

Yes, I'm watching...gulp. I thought Jack was the soft top fitment expert up there. I'd recommend sending these photos up there for him to look at so you're not guessing what to try next. I expect ERA to ship my top to me sometime in the next week or so.

Hey, I've got an idea. Once you've figured this out, why don't you come over and fit mine?

Hope you have a better time with this over the weekend.

Kevin

DanEC · #8 (**permalink**) 03-21-2014, 05:54 AM

You're right - it's Jack who does that work. I mis-spoke. I think the main bow adjustment is the key. We'll see what happens when I play with it some more this weekend.

DanEC · #9 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 11:21 AM

Making a little headway. I re-bent the main bows to lean forward at the top of the ferrules and remembering that Jack said to just remove the back bow until later, took it off. That closed up the gaps at the rear of the sidecurtains and straightened out the major wrinkles in the side. I ended up having to screw the ferrule fittings out on each side to tighten the top up and get the opening up near the top of the doors.

Then I put the back bow sections in un-joined and pushed them up to see what I have. The bend on them just seems all wrong - they push out too far to the rear in the corners and overall it is just too long. So I will probably have some major re-bending on them to get them to fit. I think I will screw the ferrule fittings back down just to make sure when I cut, that I don't cut too much.

Patrick - you have to admit it's looking a little better.

1795 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 12:06 PM

Dan,

You are getting there. I am going to be paying close attention to the top install, as I am hoping to have mine here in about a month. I am not sure how long it will be for the side curtains, and of course I have the added problem of having to adjust the top for the roll bar.

Nothing is ever as easy as it should be. Learned that growing up and helping my father with projects that were going to take just a couple of hours.....

I wish that I had some experience with fitting the top so that I could offer some help.

Jim

patrickt · #11 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanEC

Patrick - you have to admit it's looking a little better.

Yes. I'll admit it. But don't call it a job well done quite yet....

DanEC · #12 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Yes. I'll admit it. But don't call it a job well done quite yet....

Well, I thought I was on the verge of a breakthrough and the downhill slide but hit another problem. My windshield header bows are hitting the clips on the sides of the windshield and won't even come close to seating down over the frame.

The holes for the clips were pre-drilled but it looks like the down leg of the header bow is just way too long. So I pulled off until I can send John and Jack at ERA some pictures and see what they think. I suppose the simple solution is to cut off enough of the legs to clear the clips. I'm beginning to see that I should have waited to have the bows powder coated until I had everything completely dialed in.

Quitting point for now.

frdfver · #13 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 10:43 PM

I had to trim my front top header pieces to fit and clear the side latches on the windscreen frame. Were the top bow adj ferrules on the original Cobras, or is that just something ERA does? I also had to reshape my top bows, rounded them more in the corners, still need to do a little more. Installing the top is quite a challenge. Top came from Cobra Restorers and I believe it is a Robbins top.

Paul T.

DanEC · #14 (**permalink**) 03-23-2014, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frdfver

I had to trim my front top header pieces to fit and clear the side latches on the windscreen frame. Were the top bow adj ferrules on the original Cobras, or is that just something ERA does? I also had to reshape my top bows, rounded them more in the corners, still need to do a little more. Installing the top is quite a challenge. Top came from Cobra Restorers and I believe it is a Robbins top.

Paul T.

Thanks Paul - that pretty much confirms about the only avenue to take that I could see. Surprised Jack at ERA didn't mention that when I talked to him a few weeks ago. I don't know about the adjustable ferrules - it kind of makes sense the originals used those also but I don't know. I've had to do a lot of bending of my bows, although I haven't concentrated on rounding the corners much. By any chance was it the back bow that you did most of the rounding on - it seems to be a little small in radius?

I cut an inch off the main bow, and 1-1/2 inches off the back one so far - but it's going to have to be trimmed some more. With the adjustment screwed about a 1/4 to 3/8 inch out the top seems pretty tight over the main bow but until I get the back one fitted it's hard to tell where I will end up. Did you do much trimming on your back bows?

My top is from Robbins also. Unfortunately I had all of my bows powdercoated first and they are getting pretty marked up. I guess I will have to take them back down to be recoated after I get everything trimmed and properly bent. Fortunately the powder coater I used is very reasonable in pricing.

Dan

1795 · #15 (**permalink**) 03-23-2014, 05:12 AM

Dan,

How much was your top from Robbins? I have not ordered mine from ERA yet, they are not getting a new shipment in for a few weeks and I wanted to compare pricing. Thanks.

Jim

DanEC · #16 (**permalink**) 03-23-2014, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1795

Dan,

How much was your top from Robbins? I have not ordered mine from ERA yet, they are not getting a new shipment in for a few weeks and I wanted to compare pricing. Thanks.

Jim

Jim - I actually bought mine through ERA. But it came in a Robbins Tops box and has a Robbins tag sewn into it. I have looked at Robbin's website but they pretty much just advertise for original CSX cars. I can't be sure if it's a straight forward CSX car top (which I suspect it is) or if ERA has them manufactured to their own template. They advise to check with the replica manufactuer for top fit.

ROBBINS AUTO TOP COMPANY | CONVERTIBLE TOPS

1795 · #17 (**permalink**) 03-23-2014, 07:42 AM

I was wondering if that might be the case. When I spoke with ERA they said that they had to order more parts for the tops and once they had all of the parts in order, they would ship them out.

Waiting to hear what you hear, and I will be certain to ask a lot of questions when I complete making my order.

DanEC · #18 (**permalink**) 03-24-2014, 09:58 AM

The answer from ERA was to cut the windshield bows off above the clip on the windshield. I cut 3/4 inches above the clip as that left enough for riveting the clasp to. The driver side bow fit on the windshield well but the passenger side was kind of a mess. So I spent about an hour twisting and bending it to get it to fit down over the top of the windshield without drama. I filed down all the rough edges and smoothed out a couple of spots and I'm going down to return it to the powder coaters today to get it re-coated. I expect to have to make one further cut on the back bow but I should be able to touch it up with some semi-flat paint to match the powder coating. Maybe I can resume by next week end.

I guess the lesson learned is if you intend to coat or paint the bows, wait until you get everything trial fitted and then do so.

DanEC · #19 (**permalink**) 03-27-2014, 02:40 PM

I got my bows back from the powder coater and started back at it. Anyone have any observations or suggestions on the slack material above each side curtain? I cranked up the main bow as tight as I thought I should but it didn't make a lot of difference. I can pull a lot of it out by pulling the fabric very tightly down over the turned down end of the windshield bow. Problem is I'm not sure how to pull it that tight and get it glued to where it will hold until I can rivet the bow clamps on.

Tried to call Jack for advice but he's through for the week and won't be back until Monday.

tboneheller · #20 (**permalink**) 03-26-2014, 05:59 AM

I still have a brand new-in-box top with all hardware that I purchased from Cobra Restorers if you need a spare.