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Convertible Top New Install 63 Fury

Ron H

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Seems that few things have gone without a hitch on my Fury restoration! Latest is the new top installation by a top shop that's been in biz for 30 years and came recommended. The top doesn't appear to fit properly at all. The top guy said "older Chrysler tops are a nightmare to work on". Wish he would have just said he couldn't do it and find another place after keeping my car a week. I'm posting a couple photos wondering if fellow members have encountered a problem like this on their earlier B-Bodies or if I'm making too much of a deal on what is supposed to be right. In the 1st photo the top bows upward over the top window line exposing a lot of the sub-channel and it's easy just to reach in under with the hand to inside. My guess is the top will rise up at faster speeds exposing to outside. The 2nd photo shows a gaping holes to the inside or out behind the rear windows. Nothing to enclose this area from the elements. It seems that the top isn't wide or long enough.
Any comments advice is appreciated!

Ply Top Pic 1.jpg Ply Top Pic 2.jpg
 
My neighbor had a top put on his mustang. Its a 2007 but it fit terrible in the beginning. But the top guy told him it will take a bit of time for it to stretch/settle into shape. Took a month or two of the car sitting in the sun for it to get to where it closes with ease. His car had the same area above the door glass that just didn't fit right. But in the end it settled down and fits well.
 
That would be great news if I get that lucky.
Thx Ron
 
Well Ron, I put my own top on my '70 and I believe they're pretty similar to your '63 (I "think").

For your 1st picture with the top sitting up too high on the bows, on my '70, each bow has an up/down adjustment. It's a stud/nut sitting inside an oval hole so you can raise/lower the bows about 1".

For your 2nd picture, it "looks" like the top is not positioned correctly and should be pulled forward in that section, just like it looks to your eye.

At least on my '70, the reason it's a PIA to work on is the design of how the top attaches in the back/boot well area/rear window. On Chevy's (sorry to use bad language on this site), the there are what's called "tacking strips" inside the that rear area of the boot well. You just lay the top down along it & staple the top material to those strips...easy-peasy. For Mopars, the "tacking strips" aren't built in to the body, they're separate pieces that bolt in & the top staples to the BODY SIDE of those strips. You have to lay the top in that area, partially install the tacking strips, use a grease pencil to mark where the top goes in relation to the tacking strip, take everything back off, staple the top to the strips (basically to the back side of the strip) and then bolt the strips back in place. At least when I did it, I had to take the strips off, adjust, re-staple & repeat several times. If you're not concerned about it being original, you could install "GM-style" tacking strips on the body itself and do it the GM-way.

As far as the top "settling in", what I was told is that tops shrink in the sun, so if it's a little bit "loose" and/or has a couple "minor" wrinkles, they'll shrink a little bit and fit snug. Your top already looks too tight, not too loose.
 
My top was done by Dave up there in Bristol, WI when I lived there. His business is known as
"Vintage Stitch". He does outstanding work. Dave's email [email protected] Here are a couple of pictures of my top. I was VERY happy with his work. I went with a canvas top simply because I like the look. In your case it looks like the top is simply too small. If the installer provided the top and it doesn't fit it's his problem. By the way, your post says '63 but the dash is '62? If you speak with Dave tell him Rick with the black '62 Sport Fury sent you his way. He also did my interior. If you have more questions feel free to PM me.

Top 1.JPG Top 2.JPG Top 3.JPG
 
I see the bow adjustment is already set down as far as it can go and top is stretched tightly over the bows making them more noticeable. My concern as Rick62 stated is the top just looks too small or just installed incorrectly. The guy ordered the top and assume it was for the car; I'll have to call him again on this. Rick62 your top looks great nice to know somebody out there knows what they're doing. PurpleBeeper I wonder if a shop could redo this top or if it's a matter of a new one put on by someone who can do it. The entire area around the rear looks stretched as far as it can go so moving it forward looks like a no go as it's trimmed right to the edge of the hold down strips maybe there was more material that he cut off rather than move it ahead or see he should have done more repositioning before he cut it. Photo shows this area at rear window. I suppose take it to a shop to see if it can be readjusted or have to have it redone...(I installed a 62 dash as I like the looks of that dash more than the ranch gauges 63's had).

Ply Top Pic 3.jpg
 
Well, if he already trimmed the top right at the tacking strips, then there's probably no way to adjust it. I mean, you'd have to pull it "up & forward" from those rear tacking strips, but then you wouldn't have any material left to re-staple. I left mine with about 2" extra cloth sticking out "just in case".
 
That would have been a great thing to do (leaving the excess) for checking if further positioning was necessary or after doing a re-check before calling it a job done, especially by a professional huh? He was given the outer trim to check how that would appear...how much more obvious could those large gaps behind the rear windows be as I posted? My only hope is if there are any other linkage adjustments possible besides the adjustable bow mentioned that's already set to its lowest setting. And I've also found I can't put the outer chrome trim on if I wanted to now as the screw holes are out of alignment. The under trim gets the slotted holes while the outer doesn't at least as installed so zero margin for error to replace the outer trim where it needs to be...
 
My neighbor had a top put on his mustang. Its a 2007 but it fit terrible in the beginning. But the top guy told him it will take a bit of time for it to stretch/settle into shape. Took a month or two of the car sitting in the sun for it to get to where it closes with ease. His car had the same area above the door glass that just didn't fit right. But in the end it settled down and fits well.
I agree with this as growing up in a convertible family, and I myself owning three convertibles I have experienced similar that over time the top will stretch and form.

There is a big difference in convertible top quality. Robbins are considered the very best and I've had great luck with them (and perfect fitment).

If you are dissatisfied, you need to be firm with the shop.
 
"The top guy said "older Chrysler tops are a nightmare to work on" -- It sounds like he's trying to take the easy way out. Blame Mopar. I'm no convertible top expert but I'm not sure there are substantial differences between Mopar tops, top mechanisms and others. If it were me I would take him some pictures of tops that appear to be done correctly and ask him why his work doesn't look like that. It doesn't look right to me. If mine would have looked like that I would have taken it back. Maybe you can take it to another shop and get their opinion?
 
I looked at the pictures. Obviously he put in new pads and they are probably really firm (which is good). This will help settle over time.

I assume new cables? You might get some pull down by adjusting the cables, but then it could be a issue to latch.

Disclaimer: I have never replaced a top on a MOPAR. Helped with my dad's Catalina and a 1970s VW Bug, but have owned three convertibles and had tops replaced on each car by upholstery shops, etc.
 
Thanks so much gents for your tips and feedback...it helps as I scratch my head trying to figure next steps. Rick62 I copied your photos with mine and included a pic of my old top that fit a lot better with an explanation letter in mail today. I talked to the shop guy on the phone yesterday and we left things as bring it back; but my impression is he will say he can't do anything since as PurpleBeeper has mentioned about possible resetting, there ain't nothing left to reset the top.
Billccm I've owned several drop tops too as I always preferred them (67 GTO, 70 Cuda, 72 Cutlass my mom drove for years that my dad and I cloned to a 442). I sold the Olds when I came across this CA Fury 20 years ago. All of the tops fit pretty well, at least a lot better than what I have now. The shop that did a nice job on my Olds is still in business and had thought to take it there first; but the shop I used came well recommended and nearer to my house. He's been in biz for decades so thought he has to know what he's doing. As I measured things up: if the top were set an inch forward would be pert near on, each side looks about an inch shy to conceal the top window channels. Yep, new pads were installed. I could imagine (and hope) some stretch is going to happen fore-aft but how it would stretch 2 inches across...seems a far stretch. I put some plastic clamps on each side with towels along the top window edge; but could be peeing in the wind.
 
Another excellent looking top and car! I hope to get mine as nice as yours and Rick62. I'm already into mine for $20k and counting. Likely over 30 by time I'm done. Well I sent info to top guy with photos of what a quality top is supposed to look like and he left me message saying he will put new top on it need be. Positive news! I'm calling him tomorrow to work out details. Thanks!
 
That's good news! Hope it gets right for you.

Jealous! Man, wish I still had my 63 ragtop. Kinda hard to put a hardtop down! :(
 
That's great news! lets hope he installs a new top! I have the same concerns on the area over the windows.Its been 10 years now since it was replaced and I'm happy with how it looks!

DSCN1082.JPG DSCN1959.JPG
 
My 63 Savoy slant six stick that started my love of Mopar! Dad bought in Jan 64 and I bought from him in 72 $250.00! Took my drivers test in it in 1969! Its a keeper!

DSCN1953.JPG
 
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I had another chat with the shop that installed the top and he "qualified" he is talking with the company he ordered the top from to see if they will replace it...he had me send photos of the front and rear of my car to send to the outfit thinking they sent him the wrong top material. I don't think for a second they did send the wrong top...it was just installed incorrectly and he's banking on the outfit saying they sent the wrong top material. So as I have it now, the news isn't quite as positive as initially indicated (my earlier post) and will probably have an interesting hurdle to confront when he finds the top was the correct one. I don't know what possible recourse I have here; but I'm not expecting to have a $25k plus car restoration with a top that looks like it was shrunk in the wash............
 
Just raise a little hell with him and demand a satisfactory outcome. Give him a second chance to install the new top correctly this time or demand a full refund and go elsewhere! Show him this site and how his reputation is at stake!
 
It seems very unlikely to me that the installer could have received the wrong top but the fit was close. If the installer provided the top and installed it, one way or the other it's his problem. I'm not one of those people who looks for excuses to sue people but you have a lot at stake here. Small claims court might be your last option.
 
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