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BNMike
Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2009
Posts: 333
Location: Hot Springs, SD
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 Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Lettuce wrote: |
| adjusted the bottom windshield latches? Good latch rubber? |
Well....that I don't know. I know the latches have socket head cap screws, and I'm sure that ain't original issue  It's been so long since I had my new '73, I don't remember what the rubber parts are supposed to look like.
BNMike |
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Lettuce
Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2009
Posts: 749
Location: Socal
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| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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the latches are supposed to have those, you loosen them and slide the latch.. in your case, up.  I asked about the rubber because if its old and rotten the latches wont hold tight. |
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BNMike
Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2009
Posts: 333
Location: Hot Springs, SD
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| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Lettuce wrote: |
| the latches are supposed to have those, you loosen them and slide the latch.. in your case, up. I asked about the rubber because if its old and rotten the latches wont hold tight. |
Ahhh Sooo....The rubber is rubber in name only  It's as hard as a rock, and squished down. Do any of the usual suspects carry replacements? It looks like a set of new rubber on the windshile top and bottom, and on the lip that is on the body is in order. Thanks for the info.
BNMike |
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yellow73kubel
Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2008
Posts: 789
Location: Columbia, SC
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| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:38 pm Post subject: |
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I had this same problem, caused by the top stretching and shrinking.
My solution was to draw a picture of the trapezoid formed by the door tops, windshield frame, top bow, and rear angle bow and compare it to how it should be (60* windshield angle). From there, I figured out that the bend on the very top hoop had to be bent up and back about 8* (IIRC). This pulled the bow above the windows into a roughly straight line. I used a long tube with a hook welded to it as leverage for bending the tubes into place. Might be something to consider (both lettuce and BNMike).
The straight windshield frame is a nice plus for both of you. Mine has a bend just above the hinge that I need to deal with at some point. |
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Lettuce
Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2009
Posts: 749
Location: Socal
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| Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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so you did this? I'll have to try it, it might just be it
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yellow73kubel
Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2008
Posts: 789
Location: Columbia, SC
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| Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:55 am Post subject: |
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Yes, that is what I did.
I went out to the garage to snap a few pictures of how it is now, but there isn't much to see... It seems like the pieces may have bent back to their previous shape a little. The difference is that the gap is more consistent overall. The bows running front to back are now pretty much straight at the joint, although they are bent between the joints. The angles I measured were 0* at the door tops, 60* at the windshield, and ~1* at the frame above the windows (should be zero).
You will probably notice that the factory top frames weren't even jigged straight and true. If you want to make it perfect, you have a lot of spot weld drilling and re-doing ahead of you. I may consider this at some point on the worst spots..
By the way, if you haven't done so yet, I'd go ahead and swap out to a Killer Products bolt kit. It is ~$50 well spent, since you can remove pieces at will for reshaping and correcting. |
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emersonbiggins
Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2003
Posts: 1681
Location: Nebraska
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| yellow73kubel wrote: |
You will probably notice that the factory top frames weren't even jigged straight and true. If you want to make it perfect, you have a lot of spot weld drilling and re-doing ahead of you. I may consider this at some point on the worst spots..
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I cut and welded my top trying to fix this problem. I had 2 sets of windows that made the same top fit 2 different ways. I took about an inch out of both sides so that my windows would fit then bought new windows and everything was screwed up again. Now I have 2 tops. The first one got so hacked up and I was never satisfied with the fit that I bought a brand new one. Now I have just learned to be content. The new top fixed a lot of the problem.
I even heated up the flat metal by the body pivot pin to try and align the top to the windows. |
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BNMike
Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2009
Posts: 333
Location: Hot Springs, SD
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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I've got one of K-mann's refinished top frames, with the Killer bolt kit. When he gets his re-inforcing pieces done, I'll get them too. In the meantime, I see that TTS has the rubber bumpers for the windshield latches. I need to get a couple other things from them, so I'll get the bumpers too.
BNMike |
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EDragnDean
Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2005
Posts: 1148
Location: Vancouver, WA
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