1970 300 need help with tight convertible top please

[challenger]

I have a 3 year old top on this car. It has been driven maybe 150 miles since the top was put on. It was super tight when we got it from the installer and kept it up for a while. Last time I did battle with it was about 2 years ago. Now I am starting again. I know it is way too tight and I am hoping I can make some adjustments??
Anyone know much about these tops?
Thanks
Howard

 

[1970cat]

there are multiple adjustment points as far as the frame. it all depends on where the top is tight. if you have a service manual,check it for the adjustments. if the fabric was installed too tightly, there isn't too much you can do about it because it is glued and stapled on, also there are multiple holes where it fastens to the rear deck and rear of the side rails.

 

[challenger]

there are multiple adjustment points as far as the frame. it all depends on where the top is tight. if you have a service manual,check it for the adjustments. if the fabric was installed too tightly, there isn't too much you can do about it because it is glued and stapled on, also there are multiple holes where it fastens to the rear deck and rear of the side rails.

I do see several adjustments in the FSM butI can't see any that would fix my problem. The top doesn't "reach" the front header. The top material doesn't seem to be the problem though. The vinyl seems as if it has plenty of slack in it. I have to literally hang from the front to get it to touch the too of the windshield and even then the top is short of where it should be in order to latch.
I noticed after I picked it up that there were a couple of bolts that were broken & replaced with hardware items.
I also noticed last PM 4 bolts I cannot find in the FSM. There is a spot on both sides that sit near the corners of the well just above the main hinges. These are in slotted holes and are obviously adjustable but I can't see what they adjust.
Currently it is as if the top mechanism has to get longer as well as lower. As I said when I put the top up the top header doesn't land near the windshield header.It is short to the point that I cant even open the latch, hook it, and use the latch to force it to come forward & down.
Almost forgot-when I first started messing with it a couple of years ago I found that the installer had broken one of the latches so I think he was forcing it with the latch. The latches are stout but shouldn't be used to force the top into the proper position .
Thanks
Howard

 

[mdh157]

sounds like you need to discuss this with the installer....it totally depends on whether or not the fabric was installed too tightly. My car has a decent original top, and i have no intention of opening up another can of worms until it is time to do so.

 

[bluefury361]

It sounds to me like the tension cables are either improperly installed or the wrong ones, (to short). I would take it to a reputible trimmer and see what he says.

 

[polara71]

My car has a decent original top, and i have no intention of opening up another can of worms until it is time to do so.

Good to finally hear you say that

 

[challenger]

It sounds to me like the tension cables are either improperly installed or the wrong ones, (to short). I would take it to a reputible trimmer and see what he says.

I could be wrong but I think the cables are for holding the top material against the rails only. They are the original cables and they have preinstalled ends so they can't be too long/short. I've been studying the manual more and I think I'll start by looking at the cam bolts. The FSM states that these adjust the "throw" of the top and the relationship between the top header and the windshield header.
I'll report back with findings.
Thanks
Howard

 

[1970cat]

does the top sit even across the tops of the side windows when latched? if it is high at the hinge over the door, the cam bolts at that hinge can be used to push the top forward. if it looks even, you will have to move the whole top forward from the rear quarter area. the grooved parts with the bolts that are on either side of the seat are to raise or lower the rear bow. you may have to raise the rear of the top some with these plates to get enough "slack" to move the top forward. this is provided that the top material isn't too tight. really just a matter of playing with the adjustments until you can reach the best compromise. when you get it as adjusted as you can,then you have the fun of adjusting the windows so that they seal to the top

 

[1970cat]

I could be wrong but I think the cables are for holding the top material against the rails only. They are the original cables and they have preinstalled ends so they can't be too long/short. I've been studying the manual more and I think I'll start by looking at the cam bolts. The FSM states that these adjust the "throw" of the top and the relationship between the top header and the windshield header.
I'll report back with findings.
Thanks
Howard

right, the cables run loosely through pockets sewn into the sides of the top. one end of the cable fastens to the rear bow and the other to the header. they are there to keep the sides of the top from flapping in the wind

 

[challenger]

does the top sit even across the tops of the side windows when latched? if it is high at the hinge over the door, the cam bolts at that hinge can be used to push the top forward. if it looks even, you will have to move the whole top forward from the rear quarter area. the grooved parts with the bolts that are on either side of the seat are to raise or lower the rear bow. you may have to raise the rear of the top some with these plates to get enough "slack" to move the top forward. this is provided that the top material isn't too tight. really just a matter of playing with the adjustments until you can reach the best compromise. when you get it as adjusted as you can,then you have the fun of adjusting the windows so that they seal to the top

I adjusted the can bolts so the top is as far forward as possible and it still isn't going far enough forward. I suppose the bolts with the serrated plates are the next place to adjust.
I can pull the top down onto the windshield header fairly easily but it is just too far back from the header to latch. There is another bolt on either side that I'll try before the serrated plate bolts. The FSM says these can be loosened to move the top header forward. The FSM says that adjusting these and/or the can bolts may require adjusting the serrated plate bolts as well.
To adjust these it says to raise the top by lifting the front of the rear rail so the top is 6-7" above the windshield header. Once at that height loosening these bolts that go through the serrated plates will allow the top to seek its proper position. This sound easy but I'll have to cut some 2X4 to the proper length to place on the top of the doors to raise it because I am working alone. It's also pretty tight and hot as hell inside the car so I hope it is as easy as the FSM says it is. Yeah right. I can hear the neighbors calling already complaining about my language.
Where would I post looking for advice on after market stereo speaker ideas?
Thanks
Howard

 

[1970cat]

sounds like you are on the right track. if you have to move the grooved plates, moving them up will pitch the top forward. 6-7" sounds like quite a bit to me. i want to say that i adjusted mine to 4-5" but it has been a couple of years. can't help with the stereo

 

[challenger]

sounds like you are on the right track. if you have to move the grooved plates, moving them up will pitch the top forward. 6-7" sounds like quite a bit to me. i want to say that i adjusted mine to 4-5" but it has been a couple of years. can't help with the stereo

According to the FSM if you prop the top up at the front of the center rail so the top header is 6-8" above the windshield header & loosen the bolts with the serrated plates the top will automatically find the right location for these bolts/plates. I did this last PM & now it is worse.
I'll try something else when I can.
I wish there was a way to determine if it is a tight top or a misadjusted mechanism. When I pull down on the top header I really don't feel like it is a stretch problem. It is more like I am trying to force the top frame to comply?

 

[1970cat]

if the top frame moved down on the plates when you loosened the bolts, this would make it tighter at the header. hard to tell over the computer, but i wonder if the rear window panel is too tight. i'm not sure how you could check this, it should be firm, but not tight like a drum. most of this panel is covered by the top so ,the top could look ok but if the window is too tight it will put pressure on the frame between the rear bow and where the top fastens to the body. if this is the case it might be a job best left to a professional who could save your top and reinstall it without damage.

 

[challenger]

if the top frame moved down on the plates when you loosened the bolts, this would make it tighter at the header. hard to tell over the computer, but i wonder if the rear window panel is too tight. i'm not sure how you could check this, it should be firm, but not tight like a drum. most of this panel is covered by the top so ,the top could look ok but if the window is too tight it will put pressure on the frame between the rear bow and where the top fastens to the body. if this is the case it might be a job best left to a professional who could save your top and reinstall it without damage.

I looked at the glass panel a little. It has a zipper on the top so I though it was removable but the zipper is there for installation because the rest of the rear glass panel is sewn to the top on the sides and back/bottom.
I have such bad luck with other people working on my vehicles to the point that I'd almost rather ruin a top while learning to install one & buy another once I am confident I can do it.
I think I have to take the time to fully understand the mechanism & try to go through the operation and maybe understand where the areas that could cause the top to not close.
Thank
Howard