[gto4evr]

Hey guys, I’ve got a question on the stabilizing brackets that run off the rear bow down to the hinge frames. I’ve got three top frames and was comparing them tonight when I noticed something on that bracket. The ones in my “frame 1” pictures are straight. The second set of pictures has frame 2 with the rear bow from frame 3 right next to it for comparison pics. Both brackets on the frame 3 bow are twisted up and I’m sure they must have started straight when they were born since the bends are all over the place. The right bracket on frame 2 initially appeared to be bent as well to me but when I look at the left side bracket on frame 2, it looks like sharp factory bends bringing the bracket center over the lower mounting point where the straight ones just drift over from that narrower bow section to the wider hinge knuckle section. When I look closer at the bends on the right side of that frame two, it no longer looks like just a simple bend from straight but rather a bulging over the top of the same kind of “factory” bend on the left side. Those two bends on the left of frame 2 look too sharp and uniform to be the bracket failing. Now my first problem is that it’s been too many years since I swapped all of these frames around. The one in pieces that’s all bent up (frame 3) that I think started as flat straight brackets is definitely the original top from my 69. The flat straight “frame 1” is most likely from a 71 and the frame 2 with the percieved factory bends is a swap meet purchase from who knows what year A-body 68-72. First question is if anyone can check their verts and tell me if their brackets are flat or have those angle bends? When I measure the distance between the pivot bolt/rivet holes between the flat one and the angled one, they appear to be the same (which means if I hammer the bracket flat it would become longer) Is this a slight difference in design across the 68-72 frames or a clever conspiracy to hold me up during my top swap!? So the question stands is the angled bracket (if it is indeed supposed to be) the old design that was corrected flat, or the new design that superceded the flat one (no proof of which one’s better since I’ve got a top that’s still straight, a straight top that’s all bent, and an angled bracket top with one good and one failed. I had big plans of getting this top frame all stripped blasted and painted by this weekend but now this is holding me up because I'm not sure which rear bow to use now.

Thanks!
Dennis

[nh68gto]

Dennis. I am having a hard time understanding what you are looking for. If you want I can take some pis of mine tonight to see if you can pic out what you are looking for. The frames have so many parts it hard to see what is what.

[gto4evr]

Dominick,

I think I answered my own question upon closer inspection but am still curious about there being two designs on this rear bow stiffener. This is the metal bracket that comes down off the rear bow (the rear most top part of the frame that's above the rear window) It's riveted to the rear bow and bolts on to the hinge frame knuckle. This bracket attaches to the frame and angles the rear bow as the top goes up and down. I took apart the other frame tonight and laid all three side by side. I also took a hammer and dolley to the twisted brackets, and straightened out the bulged angled version. My memorie's cleared some on the top frames once I saw the remains of the white top on the unknown one. Of the two flat version brackets, one's a 69 and the other's off a 71 The angled version is off a 69. So either they made a change in 69 from the angled versions to the flat ones, or maybe there were multiple suppliers. I've rechecked the measurements, the flat brackets have the same point to point distance as the angled one so if I hammered the angled one flat, it would effectively lengthen the bracket and change the angle of the rear bow. I can't believe how much these three pieces vary between them. One's almost a half inch wider and each one has at least a 1/4" height step compared to another one. I'm not sure which one I want to use now.

Appreciate you checking yours...I was beginning to think I posted this thread with invisible ink!

Later,
Dennis

[69Customs]

Most likely different suppliers or could be that GM was changing the design to see if they could get the wrinkles out of the top, which is a common problem with the "A" body top.
It ain't the best design back there!

[69gtocv]

I've already sent Dennis my pictures, but I thought I'd throw one on here as well. Mine has the arms with the jog in it like his single ones of the three. I have no way of knowing if mine were original, though the top on mine had been on for yeeeeeaaaaars when I got it in 91. Hopefully another 69 vert owner will pipe in.

Jeff

[nh68gto]

Dennis mine look the same same jeffs.

[gto4evr]

I started stripping all three frames today. I decided I may as well restore the other two while this is all fresh in my mind since I'll sell off the other two when I'm done. I've noticed it's not just the rear bow brackets that are different between these two style frames. The rolled edge on the angled version is much shorter than the other two where it runs along the entire length of the three scissor sections. The rear most piece is also constructed differently than the flat versions. Surface where the top of the pistons mount to the frame are different too, the angled bracket version has a recess that cups over the top of the bolt, the flat verson has a flat surface there. Hardware was different on how the third bow section mounts and pivots. (I wonder how that universal rebuild kit I see on ebay deals with that)

Big picture means you shouldn't mix and match parts on your frame unless they're from the same version top unless you don't care about the aesthetics. Yes, all 68-72 are interchangeable but there are differences between them, I'm just not sure where you can draw the lines, as to what's causing the differences -- either year, or production plant, or just multiple manufacturerers trying to keep GM supplied.

And thanks Jeff and Dominick for checking...I guess I'm going to have to go with the angled "elite" verson to keep up with you guys!

[1968GTOGary]

Guys

A bodies came with both power and manual tops You think the design difference could be the reason for the different bracket?

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by 1968GTOGary

Guys

A bodies came with both power and manual tops You think the design difference could be the reason for the different bracket?

not these, they're all power top setups