<VV> Convertible top pins

[Tony Underwood]

At 05:16 hours 06/02/2005, Shaun wrote:
>My guess is that Late convertibles flex too much to have the top bow pinned
>to the windshield header without damaging the bows or material.<GG>
>
>yea, Early ... Shaun




Obviously NOBODY in here has ever had a late ragtop frame apart.   Nor must 
have they ever actually done any top installations on lates.   The top 
frame is nowhere NEAR rigid enough to even *wish* it could bind up and bend 
the windshield frame, unless of course the windshield frame was a rusty 
shell.

Unlatch the top frame.   Step up and grab the front bow of the top 
frame.   Give it a tug.    You can flex the Hell out of it, swinging it 
left and right easily.   There is almost NO structural rigidity in any Y 
axis direction.    In fact, the cloth top material is about the ONLY thing 
that provides ANY lateral rigidity to the top and even then only when  it's 
clamped in place and pulled up tight with the front latches.

Anybody think that a sheet of rubberized canvas is strong enough to kink 
the windshield frame and break the windshield...?    Besides, once the 
front bow of the top frame is latched into place against the windshield 
frame, it *ain't* moving anywhere, pins or otherwise, even though the 
remainder of the top frame will bend like a three-year-old's erector set 
project.   The car will flex over uneven surfaces and the result is a 
wrinkled top as the top frame distorts.


tony..    done a few tops