1960 convertible snaps comming undone

[YellowRose]

Jim ~ pghpa412james recently acquired a '60 white convertible with a red and white interior, a very pretty Squarebird. There is a problem with the convertible top when you put it up. It, apparently, is to tight, to the point where it unsnaps the snaps on it. Does anyone know how to adjust the convertible top so that it will not put so much pressure on the snaps so they will not unsnap?

Also, Jim is thinking of going solid state ignition and would like your input on whose system to go with, how to install it, etc.. I am posting this for him because he is running into posting problems that we are working on. You can reply here, or email him at jamesrozzo@yahoo.com
Here is a pic or two of what his convertible looks like.

[jopizz]

Does he mean the top latches pop open? There's a copy of the 1958 Top Adjustment Book in the TRL. It shows you how to do all the adjustments.

John

[partsetal]

Does he mean the snaps that are on the inside of the 1st and 2nd side rails? Factory drawings show these in use, but many tops I have seen, including my show car don't have the flaps with which to use them. On tops that do have the flaps, the top material is sandwiched between the side rail and the roof rail weatherstrip. If the "T" bolts are tight on the weatherstrip, it would take quite a pull to undo the snaps.
There is another snap on the backside of bow #4, and I've seen a snap on the package tray. More details please.
Carl

[YellowRose]

'60 Convertible Top Snap Problems

Unfortunately, Jim is having posting problems, but he can read what has been posted. I gather, but am not sure, that he is talking about some snaps that hold the convertible top in place on the frame rails. Something is pulling so tight that those snaps pull loose, I gather. He will have to amplify this for us and when he does, I will post it for him. Hopefully, we can figure this out and also why he cannot post.

[Joe Johnston]

If the car has been stored with the top down for a long time I'm wondering if just having it up and out in the sun all afternoon would allow the vinyl to warm and stretch a bit? Without having a 58-60 I am unfamiliar with the snaps mentioned. I have experienced tight tops with other cars over the years if the top was down for weeks or if raised when cold.

[YellowRose]

'60 Convertible Top Snap Problems

I just talked with Jim regarding this problem he is having with the snaps on the top. When the top goes up all the snaps on the back bottom section below the window, where the bottom of the top meets the body, pull loose. I will post a picture he sent me where you can see the black snap strip where the bottom of the convertible top snaps into the snap strip. Most of the snaps are not strapped in place. I gather as the top goes up and when they are snapped in place, they are pulled loose as the top goes up. Now I gather that all the snaps are still in place in the bottom section of the convertible top, but the pressure put on them pulls them loose from the snap rings on that black strip.

He is asking about that chrome strip at the front of the top that meets the top of the windshield. There is material under that chrome strip and he is asking if that can be loosened somewhat to take the tension off that snap strip in the rear so it will not pop the snaps out of the snap rings? I will post a picture of that chrome strip also. Jim is going to get on the Forum and read what you have posted.

He still might be having a problem posting and is going to check that also. I have checked his User CP settings and he should be able to post as I have him set to use the Standard editor and not the WSYWIG one that people using Win 7 and IE9 have been having problems with, as he has. Hopefully, the changes I made fixed that problem for him. Here are those two pix. In the first one you can see that black snap strip with all the snaps having been pulled off the strip. In the second pic, you can see the chrome front piece that he is asking about. Can an adjustment be made under there to loosen the top some and stop this from happening. BTW, Jim does not have this Tbird in hand just yet. It is the process of being shipped. But he is aware that the top has this problem and wants to know how to fix it when it arrives. This Squarebird looks to be in great shape from the pix he and I have seen, and the documentation of the restoration it has received. Everything seems to be working fine, except this minor top problem.

[pghpa412james]

1960 convertible snaps comming undone

Hi i am Jim from pgh pa. I own a 1960 T-Bird convertible. In front of the trunk lid, below the clear plastic window, is a set of snaps. those snaps keep popping apart. Is there some way of adjusting the top so that it is not so tight at the rear bottom of the top preventing the snaps from unsnapping?

[YellowRose]

1960 convertible snaps comming undone

I see that Jim can now post. I am going to move this into the thread that I started so we don't have a duplicate thread going here. I am glad to see that he can now talk directly with ya'll.

[jopizz]

The top is supposed to be tacked down not snapped. That's not a factory job that's for sure. There's a tack strip that goes there and the top is permanently tacked down. With the force generated snaps will never hold. A real butcher job to say the least.

John

[lawyercalif]

Like was stated in the earlier post, the top is supposed to be permanently tacked down to a tack strip, not snapped. It will probably need to be installed properly to hold.

[dgs]

I wonder how old the top is. My top is rather old and has shrunk considerably. When I put it up (and I only do so in the winter ), the tension has pulled the tack strips loose and I can nearly crawl in and out through the opening. I've got a new top ready, just have to get the courage to tackle installing it.

If this top is old, it may have shrunk so that it will no longer stay put. Of course, if it had been tacked as designed rather than snapped, maybe that'd do it.

[partsetal]

The Squarebird top is unique in the way it fastens. There are three points where it is permanently attached at installation: Under the Stainless header moulding to a tacking strip that runs full width and is recessed in a channel; At the Number 4 bow, where the tacking strip is installed inside the channel. (This bow moves as the top operates); At the rear package tray where there is one large channel for the center piece and two short pieces for the sides.

From the factory these tacking strips were twisted paper rope affair treated with something to preserve it. Over the years these took on moisture, rotted and usually rotted the channel they were mounted in.

The first two tacking strips usually pose no problem, but the rear, because of it's curves and dip in the center pose a different challenge. When these are rotted/rusted, some top installers try various things to replace this tack strip. I've seen them cut from 1/8" plywood and done in several pieces to account for the curves, and now I'm seeing the use of snaps to achieve the same purpose. This rear tack strip needs a firm foundation and firm fastening. Perhaps there is a workable solution, but I know of none at present that is dependable.

Here is a photo of this area on a 59. You can see the rusted nails have pulled out of this rope material. You can also see the condition of the channel which is bad, but I think still useable after removal and inspection.
Carl

[lawyercalif]

You can buy new plastic tack strip material at Larry's T Bird.

[dgs]

I bought my top from John at the T'bird Ranch and he sold me some hard rubber / plastic tack strip as well.

[jopizz]

I've used body side molding in the past that I slid into the channel and it worked really well. The key is to use tacks that are long enough so the ends bend back when they bottom out.

John