POJ - Top

The Beginning	The Donor	Floorpans	Wiring and Interior
Cutting out the rust	Heater channels and support rails	Brakes	Reassembly
The motor runs!	Paint Prep	Paint	Top

January 2, 2005 Earlier in December I called and ordered the entire top package (including top cover, headliner, pad, bows and seals) from Chuck's Convertible Parts. Chuck was very helpful and responded quickly, getting the stuff here for me to work on over the holiday.

Unfortunately, schedules and the weather didn't permit me to get much done until the last couple of days. Once I was able to get into the garage, I worked on the top frame getting ready to restore the top. Here is the car's original top frame after being sanded for painting.

Before painting the frame needed some work. This pic shows one of two problems that are circled in the picture above. (The metal bow needed to be welded back to the the main frame noted on the left.) This pin assembly (on the right in the pic above) needed to be drilled out and some welding done to replace the receiving socket.

I thought for some time on how or where I would find a pin to replace the one I'd drilled out. In sizing it, I used a 5/16 bolt to get an idea of the size. It occured to me that I could cut that bolt down and make the pin. I cut it to size, then ground on the head of the bolt to round it off. I cut a V into the end I could peen once installed.

The completed pin assembly.

Once I fixed the two issues with the frame, I wire brushed and sanded it, then applied a liberal amount of Extend to neutralize the rust. Then it was primered and painted.

The completed frame installed on the car. This was a pretty big step, so I had the family out to admire this step! I'm sure it was among the highlights of the weekend!

Since I always seem to have to back out Gretel, the rabbit, in order to work on this car, I was able to talk the mom into moving Gretel to the corner and putting the 66 into a better spot in the garage. This allows me to work on the car from all sides without moving it or having to move Gretel outside.

Next it's work on getting the bows into place.

January 20, 2005
The bows come without a finish, so I sanded them lightly and gave them a coat of varnish. The ones in front are the rear quarter pieces that fit at the corners of the top above the hinge. The three longer ones in the back are the front and rear bows.

These are the installed rear bows. I had to fit the ones that fit along the back edge of the car. I used the grinder which was slow but didn't take too much off so I could "sand" and fit until they matched the curve the car. If you look closely you can see the holes that had to be drilled on teh rear bows to accept the nuts and bolts that hold them to the car. The rear bow that will be above the rear window and the rear quarter bows are also visible.

The front bow. I'll go back with something, like "Great Stuff" to fill the holes for the nuts and bolts that hold the bow to the top frame.

This bow is sort of a pain as it is not drilled and must be fitted. It's a 4 handed job in fitting, marking and drilling, so I enlisted the assistance of the Outcrop Acres proprietor in this task.

Headliner is next; I'm waiting for the weather to give me a break so I can rely on the glue sticking correctly. Check back!

February 6, 2005
Superbowl weekend. I spend yesterday getting the details of the bows right to accept the headliner. The weather was pretty, so I filled the holes shown in the pic above with wood filler, and sanded the bows to tweak their fit somewhat. Today, I was able to get the headliner in place. This shows it stapled to the front bow.

Next the headliner is stapled to the back bow. I've tacked the webbing strips into place. Some instructions call for them to be put in after the headliner, so I've sort of test fit them in this shot.

Using spray adhesive, the headliner is in, glued to the top bows. It has a pretty good fit, becoming taut by virtue of its design. I didn't have to stretch it beyond the listings, so other than the front driver's side corner, there are no wrinkles.

This shows the headliner from the inside.

Next is the installation of the rear window. Here I'm drilling holes to mount the hard rubber "bow" to the window frame.

After bunches of holes are drilled, the rubber insert is screwed inside the window frame.

Next, I'll install the window frame and add the top pad, then the cover.

February 13, 2005
Another pretty weekend so I'm able to be in the garage. The rear window frame is installed onto the webbing straps. Measurements are critical here for the proper folding of the top.

Next is the padding on the edges of the window, they're called quarter pad. They are stapled to the top and bottom bows, as well as the window frame.

The top pad is next. I had an old top I'd gotten at a swap meet hoping to use some of the bows. I didn't but I was able to salvage the original horsehair pad. I used it rather than the pfu pad that came with the kit. (I used the original doing the 70 convertible top too.) I think it fits better.

After the pad, the top is glued and staped at the front. This part is straightforward as there are pockets at the front of the top that easily fit the front bow. I was able to salvage some of the smaller pads for the front bow from the old top as well.
I quit at this point in order to fit the Sunday nap into the schedule. Plus the next step is attaching the back part of the top to the back bow. On the later cars, like 68 up I think, there is a channel and cable arrangement that makes that part simple. This 1966 calls for the top to be stapled to the bow then apparently the staples are covered by a strip of top material. The original chrome strip isn't made anymore, so I guess I'll look for this part. My concern is the degree to which I stretch the top when stapling, it, keeping it straight, and getting the staples in the right place so the strip will cover them. See how the nap fit right it? Check back for future progress!

March 13, 2005
Back at it, I got the front of the top squared away. This the folded top showing the front header cover and the driver's side latch in place.

Next comes attaching the back of the top to the car. I started by putting these screws with finishing washers in place. The top is very tight at this point, particularly at the point in the middle where the lowest screw is attached to the car. I think I can pull out the wrinkles as I get the back of the top stapled the the rear bow.

I was somewhat frustrated as I had pieces I couldn't identify. I took a trip to my friendly local auto upholstery guy (FLAUG) who identified this piece you see stapled below the top cover. This is the canvas material that the top is made from with a plastic dowel tube sort of thing in it. This is the transition piece between the metal and the wood at the back edge; the dowel provides a rigid edge to which the top cover is stapled.

This shows the top cover having been stapled which is followed by this piece, being spread apart by GHB. The top cover is stapled as I've described above, then that bead of staples is covered by this piece. This is more of the canvas material with two smaller plastic dowels or tubes that run through the material. The two pieces are separated, then after being stapled, they close together, (like to the left of his hands) and hide the staples.

In the picture is a chisel we used to ensure the staples were seated securely.

All finished. GHB and I were too busy getting the top cover stapled to take pictures. At the left of the lowest screw is the edge of the cover thing shown above that is finished with a cool piece generously donated by the FLAUG.

In the picture you'll notice I used an old sleeping bag to cover the deck lid. After dropping a couple of tools onto the lid, I decided to cover the lid to keep its remaining paint intact. As I was putting the sleeping bag into place, the lid dropped and caught two fingers and my thumb in what used to be an opening at the top edge. Some hollering followed the pain that this age old issue of two objects occupying the same time-space continuum brought about. For an instant I was concerned that I might have become separated from those parts of my hand. Fortunately a black thumbnail and scar tissue on my fingers were the costs; it reminded me of how fast accidents happen!

Here's a shot of the back of the car, before the window is cut out. That comes next.

You can see the one remaining pea shooter. (I didn't take a pic of the bruise on the shin of GHB when he learned of its existance; more of that continuum thing going on here.)

Another shot of the car with the new top. The front bumper is also evident, as is the new running board, with the protective plastic still on the chrome strip.

The next step is the rear window and some policing of the headliner inside the car.

March 26, 2005
Today the cutting of the top for the rear window is detailed. The top is cut to relieve tension in the canvas so that it can be stapled to the window frame.

I've continued to cut the canvas and staple the top to the frame. The corners require smaller cuts to get the curve right.

The canvas is cut and now stapled securely to the window frame.

Next, the headliner is cut and after spraying some glue on the inside of the headliner to attach it to the frame, the headliner is stapled to the window frame. Again, smaller cuts are required as the corners or curves in the window.

All finished and ready for the window installation.

Unfortunately, putting the window in requires about 7 hands to get the gasket around the window glass, then the chrome strip into place, then installed into the top. As I haven't had 2.5 others around, this step will have to wait. I'm afraid that I may need to sub this task out as the instant I say install windows or windshield to any potential helpers, their mother calls them home, or they have to get their nails done, or they come down with some ailment that calls them away... sure is peculiar those things always happen when glass installation is mentioned, isn't it?

After glass installation, seals, and minor policing of the inside of the headliner are the only things left.

I finally was able to coerce my youngest son into assisting with installing the rear glass. I had to wait as the Cal-look gasket came in the stuff I'd gotten from Chuck. I wanted to keep the "American" look with the chrome strip in place, so once that arrived, my 11 year old and I tackled the rear glass.

Glass installation is best done on a hot day so the gasket can sit on the pavement for a couple of hours to become pliant. Then, with the help of silicone spray in getting the chrome strip into the gasket, using the cord and after several trys of muscling the glass into place on the outside while the boy pulled the cord on the inside, we got it done.

Definitely better on a warm day!

May 2, 2006
Seals are in place between the top and the windows, to provide waterproofing when the top is up. Here is the typical condition of one of the seals before I disassembled the top.

Some of the seals in place on the top. The seal has an aluminum insert that is drilled to match holes drilled in the top's frame. Take care to remember these seals, as they're pricey to replace. Fortunately, I was able to use the original ones.

Seals in place making the car completely water tight.

Final step in for the new top is the replacement of the hinge covers. I used the original covers which were a bit discolored from the PO's rattle can paint job. A couple of days of soaking and scrubbing and they look much better.

That's it for the top. Its probably a $1000 job, but sure finishes the car nicely. I"m happy with the canvas, and the dark brown which matches the interior and contrasts the lighter exterior color.