[Peter Serio]

Look in the Dark Blue Fisher body manual. As I remember from many years ago; I had a 66 GTO convertible. Those screws in the hollow bow(s) with the thin washer were designed to lay flush. They hold the side pads and padding wrap onto the ribs then the top canvas lays over top of the padding when top is in the fully up position.


The washers are really thin and those screws are not very long; which is a clue that those screws are suppose to set in flush, just level with the top "wrapping" of the side padding.


Ask any convertible top shop in business for at least 60+ years and they will tell you. Years ago GM convertible top side padding was made from woven vinyl type cloth with compressed cotton and/or some fabric (very, very-thin) batting material tucked & folded long-ways inside of the wrap.

Fast-forward to today. I ordered a new top and clear plastic back window for my convertible about 10 years ago and all they supplied to me for the side pads were some flat sheets of grey foam.