[Huss Meister]

I have to replace the vinyl top on my 67 gto ...who sells the best top? (white)...and should I install it myself or is it a major project??the roof has already been stripped and painted.. Thx John

[Huss Meister]

I have to replace the vinyl top on my 67 gto ...who sells the best top? (white)...and should I install it myself or is it a major project??the roof has already been stripped and painted.. Thx John

[jim darlington]

Send it out to a trim shop . You need experience with luck to install vinyl tops .

Man is not complete until he's married , then he is finished !

[Half-Inch Stud]

Jim, et al,

I plan on installing my black vinyl top. got all the parts, and will soon buy the glue material.

I see installation and long-term issues, and have pre-conceived solutions...here's my plan:

1. To achieve Wrinkle-free, stress-free lay: The wrinkled top is unfolded, and hung around for about 2 months for de-wrinkle.

2. Centering the top: paint a 2foot diameter glue patch on the Hardtop center, lay top onto car and perform positioning. OK to walk the glue towards the sides, but not fore/aft. Measure the 2 seams to be equal-distant from drip-rails. Place a uniform weight(s)(I plan to use a spare decklid) on this area. Recheck these 2 seams to be equal-distant from drip-rails.
Walk away for a few days of curing.

3. Peel back the un-adhered regions, paint some more glue onto the hardtop, to finish the adhesion job. Use hands to squeegie the excess glue risers out, by stroking towards edges. Stuff suitable rope or hose along the drip rails to keep the top adhered to the hardtop curvature.

4. Install Windshield and rear window. Cut slits for windshield chrome clips, add 3M black adhesive to seal these clips during stainless re-install. Hero effort would be to wrap top material along the windshield gutter, and install clips onto rivet-studs that are popped-through top material...the 1972 top was done that way by GM. Again, seal top material breaches with 3M black weatherstrip adhesive. Terminate top edging material along the windshield sealant edge....this will promote a continuous top-edging appearange in the long-term event of shrinkage.
Leave the lower rear window section and sailpanels undone for now...

5. Install drip-rail stainless moldings; along side windshield and side windows. The illusion here is the top material terminates at the upper edge of the molding. Use a Stanley No 1992 blade to trim the TOP material flush to the metal drip rail, then add 3M sealant along this seam, and install stainless trim to catch only a little of the top material, if any get caught at all. Long-term shrinkage should cause top material to rise from the gutter, rather than visibly pull away from the side-molding.

6. Work the lower rear window panel, starting from center, work toward sailpanels...Certainly apply glue in this region to promote a sort of water barrier.

7. Lastly, "dry-fit" install sail-panel molding, and mark the lower edge onto the top material. Also, mark the upper edge onto the body paint. CUT the top material to follow the lower edge. Paint the glue onto the hardtop, staying above the upper hardbody line. Hand-Squeegie as you go. Slide-Install molding in manner that allows top edge to tuck into molding. Squeegie some more.

8. paint the glue as needed in the rear corners. Install corner molding. As usual, use windshield sealer (like dum dum) to waterseal around each cast stud.


Notes: Remove drip-rail moldings by stroking a hammer onto a stainless putty Knife handle. Blade is worked into the underside lip of the drip-rail molding. Work from front to back...takes 10minutes to remove the 4 moldings.

Any problem s with this Plan. Aspiring minds want to know!

HIS

[Huss Meister]

Thank much guys for your info.....I probably will attempt it myself...after all I have plenty of time...and HIS I dont know what will take me longer; Reading your plan or doing the job!thx much again John

[Marty Phipps]

I installed the vinyl top on my 69 bird myself.
Next time I'll pay a professional to do it.
They use a sprayer to apply the glue to both the top and the cars roof.

Cheapo me.... I didn't want to pay $500.00 for a glue sprayer, or even want to attempt to rent one, So I bought the glue and brushed it on.

After I ran out of the Vinyl top glue, and couldn't seem to find any more.
I went down and bought quarts of Contact cement.
It actually seemed to work and adhere better then the 3M vinyl top glue.
The 3M glue, if applied too thick will actually allow the solvents to bleed through the vinyl.
Resulting in excessive "glue lumps" that seem to have a tendency to attract dust.
So I'm now constantly having to clean my top with solvent, and immediately applying Armor All on top.
I figure the top will last about another 2 years before I have to pull it and have another one installed by a Pro.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Marty,

Thanks for the glue tip.

I was hoping to find a tar-based glue (the old Ortho pruning sealer formula ) instead of a Rubber Cement based glue...because you are correct about the Tolulene solvent boiling through the vinyl-impregnated fabric top.

For those that might think so...3M spray adhesive is out...the same solvent will bleed right through & spot the top, and it doesn't retain it's stickiness in the weather.

Heck, hot candlewax would be better than a solvent based glue...Iron-out the bulges..

HIS

"tbdET/1xxMPH/1.xx 60foot/28"/3.54:1/10"/469 #48/Flat HYD/DualQ-Jets/Offyl/3xx0Lbs
11.00/123MPH/1.50 60foot/29.5"/4.10:1/10"/469 #48/FlatHYD/DualQuad/Wenzler/3250Lbs
12.00/112MPH/1.61 60foot/26"/3.31:1/10"/469 #48/FlatHYD/Q-Jet/Torker/3650Lbs
12.70/103MPH/1.71 60foot/28"/4.10:1/12"/469 #48/FlatHYD/Q-Jet/Torker/3950Lbs"

[sviguy]

trick is to apply consistant thickness of adhesive and applied evenly so there are no "glue lines" visable with the otherwise perfect wrinkle free top

can you hear me now? is this thing on? test 1 2 1 2