Install a New Fold Down Top
 

 

How to Install a New Fold Down Top on Your Old Midget
By Kent Miller
 
 

The task of installing a new top on your car may be daunting to many. I decided to give it a try because I need to uphold my ranking in the "we tight" Spridgets club! On top of that, I just hate paying someone else to do something that I should be capable of doing.

 

Step 1

Remove the old top. Start by removing the trim strip and the snaps from the very rear of the top. This is easiest with the top up but unlatched from the windshield. Save all the parts, including the screws. Then disconnect the header rail from the top bows by removing the three posidrive screws  from each side. They look like phillips head screws but they aren't... Make sure you use the correct tool! You will strip them if you use a regular phillips head screwdriver... There is no need to remove the little plastic blocks that are held on by two screws each unless you are going to replace them. Now you can move the top to a more comfortable place to work on it. 

header screws

Remove the header rail seal from the header rail. You will completely destroy the seal in the process so just plan on replacing it! The factory used rivets to attach the seal mount but phillips head screws were holding it together in my car. Remove the rivets (or screws). Pop the rail off and you can peel the top from the header rail.

seal strip

Remove the "lift the dot" fasteners from the old canvas unless your new top included them. I made a simple tool to remove and tighten them. A piece of bar stock with two holes drilled through it and some piano wire of the proper diameter worked just fine. Use the holes in one of the securing nuts to measure the space between the two that you drill. If you are off by a little bit you can always bend your wire a bit to fit.

tool
  tool use
   

Step 2

Unfold the new top and let it sit in the sun for a while to allow it to soften up. When it is really pliable, position it on the car being careful to line up the middle of the rear window with the center screw hole. Replace the center snap and screw on the trim strip and begin reassembly with it. After it is started, snug it up a little but do not tighten it down all the way. With the help of an able assistant, pull the top material to the outside and replace the next snap and screw. Repeat until one side is done and then do the same on the other side.

trim
   

Step 3

This involves installing the "lift the dot" fasteners. Pull the material as tightly as you can and mark the spot where the first fastener goes. Start at the trim strip and work toward the door in order to make the material as taut as possible. Use a modeling razor knife and a small pair of scissors for this task. Using the razor knife, cut through the material and make a small hole that is carefully enlarged with the scissors until the fastener will just squeeze through. Then use a small flat blade screwdriver to push the material as far down the threads as possible. Next,  use the razor knife to trim the material around the threads in order to expose as much of the threads as possible. Finally, screw the securing nut on with the cool tool that you made until it is tight. The "lift" side has little nibs built into it to help keep the whole unit from turning as you tighten the nut.

Repeat as above until all of the fasteners are installed. Remember to fasten each one and pull the material tight to find the location of the next one.

fastener
   

Step 4

Reinstall the header rail to the top bows. Have the top bows fully extended but not latched to the windshield. Pull the material tight. There is a flap on the inside of the front corners of the top. Position the top with the flaps wrapped around the header rail. See photo of the flap. 

flap

Roll the edge of the material over the lip of the header rail and clamp it with clothes pins or whatnot... This is the test fit. See how it stretches out as you push it down against the windshield. Obviously, you won't be able to snap it down with the clamps in place but you should be able to tell if you are in the ballpark. When you are satisfied that you have it pretty close, mark the edge with chalk or grease pencil. Put your mark on the material right on the edge of the header rail where it folds under. When you are ready to trim the top material where it attaches to the header rail leave approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch MORE than where your marking are... Back it up and replace the clamps. You want it tight but it will probably be too tight if you don't back off a little!

test fit
   

 Step 5

With the top folded down to where you can easily work on it, cut the excess material off.  

top mat'l

Put the top bows down as in the photo above. Make the final trims and pay attention to the corners.  Trim the material around the little plastic block to make sure that it is firmly attached when it is glued down. Liberally apply contact cement to the under side of the header rail and the part of the top that folds under. Let it set per the manufacturer's directions. When ready to affix, carefully attach one side to the header rail starting with a corner. 

Fold the corners under so the header rail seal mount will clamp them in place. 

Reattach the header rail seal mount to the header rail with the rivets or phillips head screws. If you are using the old mount, the new seal won't slip into it as easily as you would like. Just contact cement it into place and forget about ever removing it with the intent of re-using it!

clamprail
 
 

Step 6

Latch the header rail to the windshield and stand back to admire your work. Looks pretty good, eh?

siderear

Well, you're almost done! Mark the spot on each side where the flap of material needs a snap in order to attach to the inside of the windshield pillar. Install the snap on each side and you're done!!!

Congratulations! You just saved $250. If your top has some wrinkles in it, just remember that it will be down most of the time anyway!!!

pass side
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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