Era Replica Automobiles 427 ROADSTER, Assembly And Service Manual

Page: 140 / 165

SECTION G - BODY/INTERIOR
140
e\topfit2
Starting on the passenger side of the car, install the
balance of the snaps in the center of the flap, alternating
from each side towards the center.
If the car has a roll bar, carefully make a slit from the
bottom edge of the top to about 1" into the plastic window.
A small boot can be made from two pieces of fabric sewn
together, sandwiching the top material between them.
Glue felt pads to the underside of all snaps to prevent paint
damage..
Use 2" masking tape to tape each front channel down to
the top of the windshield securely at the outer edges. Pull
the top fabric over the top of the channels, beginning at the
center and working over to each side, taping the material
to the windshield glass as you work.
Alternately adjust the top over the rear bows and pull and
re-tape the top material at the front to remove slack from
the top and minimize wrinkling. Do not pull hard at any
time. Stress can break the windshield! Make sure the top
material is centered on the front bows and windshield.
Keep adjusting the fabric at the rear and front of car until
the top is smooth and sag free.
Beginning at the center, carefully un-tape a portion of the
top fabric from the windshield. Glue a portion of the top
fabric to the front vertical face of the channel with contact
cement.
Do not apply the glue to the top of the front bow,
only to the front surface. Work from the center to the
sides until the entire top surface is glued.
Remove both front bows and wrap the front of the fabric
around inside the channel, leaving a couple of inches
hanging at the sides. Trim the excess front fabric and glue
the material into the inner surface. See above.
With the top installed, tape down the edges of the front
bows securely.
Attach the latch "hooks" to the windshield frame using the
hardware provided. See the diagram below. Determine
where the latches must be installed on the front channel to
provide proper tension on the front channel when installed
with foam rubber between the channel and top frame.
Mark the holes for the latches on the fabric of the front
channel, then remove the channels from the car to drill the
holes for the rivets. Rivet the latches to the front channel.
Remove the remainder of the mandrel from the rivets, and
peen the backside of the rivet as flat as possible.
Glue the extra flap of material on the top over the exposed
rivets on the backside of the front channel.
Glue 1 /
8
" thick foam strips to the inside of the front bow
channels to seal the top of the windshield frame.
E\topfit3
REMOVE AND REPLACE
(After fitting)
Cold temperatures make top installation difficult.
Install the top bows with the hinged frame toward the rear.
See above.
Lay the top in position across the top bows. Install the
header channels on the windshield by engaging the header
tang into the slot in the top of the windshield.
Engage the outside windshield clamps to the header, but
don't cinch them down.
Working toward the center from each side, press the lift-a-
dot fasteners onto the body studs. It helps to rock the
fastener back and forth a bit.
When all lift-a-dots are secure, cinch down the windshield
clamps and adjust the height of the bows at the sides.
If the top is too loose, unscrew the knurled ends of the top
bows to raise everything.
Remove in the reverse order.