When the top material on my 65 Cutlass was replaced (before I acquired it) they didn't get it tight enough. If the car is left out in the rain water will puddle between the bows. Also it balloons excessively at highway speeds. Can I tighten the fabric? I assume I would have to unglue and untack the material from the front bow to tighten the top. Is this possible without wrecking the material? Is there a better way? I am replacing all the weather stripping so this would be a good time to do this.

 

I would guess the difficulty would depend upon what type of glue was used to attach the material to the front bow. Some stuff comes loose a lot easier than others.

 

Glue may have been used,,,,,,But,,,,,,,,,,,, the top is usually stapled in place in front and back. I say take it to the pros and get it fixed properly.

 

Yes there are tack strips, and glue is used along the wide metal front bow per the Fisher Body manual, section 12-8, step 16.

So yeah, what was said above, maybe see what a professional has to say about it first.

 

I seem to recall that the front bow has slotted holes where it attaches to the main frame. Might be possible to loosen bolts and slide forward to tighten.

 

I didn't see anything like that BSM but I'll look again, that would be great. BSM says to use both glue an tacks.
Guess I'll contact a pro although getting them to do it is not really in the budget, lol.

 

I worked at a auto trim shop, as a grunt. I was laid off and just took what I could get. But one of my best friends was a full time employee and he did the tops. I remember helping him and learned a few things. There is a certain sequence he followed.
1, He positioned the rear bow, where the top is split and has a trim piece to cover it. If he was lucky the old pads helped position it. Then he secured it so it stayed put.
2, The rear curtain goes on next. A lot of trial fitting and making chalk marks. Then he secured the rear curtain with a few staples and bolts them into the body where the factory had it installed. If it looked right he then went on to the top, if not he kept at it until it was right.
3, Then he started fitting the top, more chalk marks and trial fitting, making adjustments to the stuff he had secured, the curtain, etc, if needed.
4, Next he began securing the rear of the top and curtain as they staple to the same tack strips. All the while pulling and fitting the top but not stapling it in front. If all the back looked right and he didn't have to take it all loose and do adjustments then secure it again.
This is where knowledge and experience really comes into play.
5, Now if all looks right he begins to stretch it tight, or "his" idea of tight, and secures the front, hopefully just once. But it is trial and error. Sometimes it goes good and some of them would fight him and get him all flustered.

It can go quick or it can go slow, sometimes the top goes on great, other times it took more than one day complete.

My take was leave it to the pros. I helped him some and learned a lot, but not much either. I never did any sewing, top installing, etc.
I could tear a seat apart, they sew/ repair it, I could put it back together.
Anyone can install molded carpet and door panels

Anybody can do it, just like driving. But someone helped you learn to drive, and driving is a lot easier than installing a top. Like Clint Eastwood said "Mans got to know his limitations".
Good luck, Mike

 

Thx Mike, but I disagree on the limitations. If we didn't try and exceed our preseived limitations we would never learn new skills or advance. I learned some mechanical skills from my Dad, but the rest I learned myself because I assumed there wasn't any limitations on what I couldn't fix on a car or most things mechanical myself. So far I haven't wrecked anything, lol. That being said there are times when repairs a best left to experts.

 

Well I got the top tightened. It was actually pretty easy. I removed all the staples holding the top to the front bow. I replaced the tack strip and then stretched the material only about a quarter of an inch and re tacked. That resulted in a nice taught top. When the time e comes to replace the top I won't be afraid to tackle the job myself.
Don't give in to preseived limitations, lol.

 

Glad it was that easy. Calls for a celebration.

 

Cake! :d