Progress on #782

kevins2 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-20-2014, 06:57 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 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-21-2014, 06:54 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 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 12:21 PM

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 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 01:06 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 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 02:47 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 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 06:28 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.

patrickt · #7 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 06:34 PM

Uhhh, maybe you should concentrate on making a doggie harness for the passenger seat instead?

1795 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-22-2014, 07:35 PM

Dan,

I am waiting to hear what ERA has to say, my guess is that you are right in that the legs will have to be trimmed. It is frustrating to be so close, and then have something like this happen. Just a minor pause in the project. On Monday will be presented to you and you will be finishing up in no time.