57 convertible issues lining up plates

[57bird]

Ok have a perplexing issue 57 t-bird is finally standing on all 4 wheels - brakes - brake lines - exhaust all new engine fresh rebuild......
Have run into a major issue but i cannot find and solid documentation... but i also do find a conflict

convertible top when mounted the left and right hand side plate receptacles that bolt just too the rear of door opening when trying to install the soft top the pins on the soft top dont come close to alignment with the slot they are approximately 5/16 to 3/8 on an inch to the outside location of the slot in the plates on each side so its not a simple side to side location. So overall pin to pin on the bottom of soft top is wider then the slots to slot width by 5/8 to 3/4 inch - the scissor frame work the comes up with top just to the inside of these plase on each side clear the plates by about 1/8 of an inch on each side.

now here comes the conflict one parts catalog shows 2 different plates one listed for hard top one listed for soft top, yet a couple other catalogs do not show hard top soft top different number listing.

can anyone clear this up are the plates that mount just behind door for the pin and front clamp on rear section of soft top different from those used a hard top

 

[cokefirst]

Ok have a perplexing issue 57 t-bird is finally standing on all 4 wheels - brakes - brake lines - exhaust all new engine fresh rebuild......
Have run into a major issue but i cannot find and solid documentation... but i also do find a conflict

convertible top when mounted the left and right hand side plate receptacles that bolt just too the rear of door opening when trying to install the soft top the pins on the soft top dont come close to alignment with the slot they are approximately 5/16 to 3/8 on an inch to the outside location of the slot in the plates on each side so its not a simple side to side location. So overall pin to pin on the bottom of soft top is wider then the slots to slot width by 5/8 to 3/4 inch - the scissor frame work the comes up with top just to the inside of these plase on each side clear the plates by about 1/8 of an inch on each side.

now here comes the conflict one parts catalog shows 2 different plates one listed for hard top one listed for soft top, yet a couple other catalogs do not show hard top soft top different number listing.

can anyone clear this up are the plates that mount just behind door for the pin and front clamp on rear section of soft top different from those used a hard top

There is only one side receptacle that was used hardtop or soft top. The rear plate has two sets of receptacles one is used with the hardtop and the other with the soft top. On the soft top, the rear section bows as you insert it behind the seat. To get it to fit in the side receptacles, you need to push the bottom bow together to get the pins to fit in the slot. To say this was under engineered is obvious

 

[Birdman57]

Ok have a perplexing issue 57 t-bird is finally standing on all 4 wheels - brakes - brake lines - exhaust all new engine fresh rebuild......
Have run into a major issue but i cannot find and solid documentation... but i also do find a conflict

convertible top when mounted the left and right hand side plate receptacles that bolt just too the rear of door opening when trying to install the soft top the pins on the soft top dont come close to alignment with the slot they are approximately 5/16 to 3/8 on an inch to the outside location of the slot in the plates on each side so its not a simple side to side location. So overall pin to pin on the bottom of soft top is wider then the slots to slot width by 5/8 to 3/4 inch - the scissor frame work the comes up with top just to the inside of these plase on each side clear the plates by about 1/8 of an inch on each side.

now here comes the conflict one parts catalog shows 2 different plates one listed for hard top one listed for soft top, yet a couple other catalogs do not show hard top soft top different number listing.

can anyone clear this up are the plates that mount just behind door for the pin and front clamp on rear section of soft top different from those used a hard top

I had the same issue when I purchased a convertible top

 

[57bird]

well thats what i had thought cokefirst but concours parts listing shows two different number a soft top and hard top plat and also show different hold down clamps. which it did not make sense to me at al because you would have to removes so much inner trim to get at the bolts.
i just wanted to verify i wasnt seeing something odd. so now i have to figure out why the soft top pins doent line up with the slots

 

[Douglemmo]

Hi,
My guess would be they don't line up because either the top is "sprung" or the car was hit on the side. Most likely to top's framework is sprung. Does the top line up OK with the swing arm?

 

[57bird]

Hi,
My guess would be they don't line up because either the top is "sprung" or the car was hit on the side. Most likely to top's framework is sprung. Does the top line up OK with the swing arm?

with the plates bolted in place the garnish piece on rear deck lines up for position to match up with the plates. i know there was heavy work done on the body on quarter panels before we got it. So i'd lean to point that top may also be sprung along with maybe some body flex for positions.

Does anyone have a reference drawing or tech sheet of any point to point measurements for a soft top frame that we can refer to for dimension to see if the top itself is sprung

 

[Douglemmo]

with the plates bolted in place the garnish piece on rear deck lines up for position to match up with the plates. i know there was heavy work done on the body on quarter panels before we got it. So i'd lean to point that top may also be sprung along with maybe some body flex for positions.

Does anyone have a reference drawing or tech sheet of any point to point measurements for a soft top frame that we can refer to for dimension to see if the top itself is sprung

 

[Douglemmo]

If the top is sprung, and from what you are saying, it may be, having the "correct" dimensions may be of little help. Since you appear to be talking about a fairly small miss for the pins to line up. I would be thinking of how to bend the top back into position to fit the location of your now current pin holes. Not knowing anymore about you situation than I do, I would think about a cable and a turn buckle to pull the sides together or a jack to move them apart might be the way to go.

Good Luck.

 

[57bird]

If the top is sprung, and from what you are saying, it may be, having the "correct" dimensions may be of little help. Since you appear to be talking about a fairly small miss for the pins to line up. I would be thinking of how to bend the top back into position to fit the location of your now current pin holes. Not knowing anymore about you situation than I do, I would think about a cable and a turn buckle to pull the sides together or a jack to move them apart might be the way to go.

Good Luck.

well they will have to move at least 3/8 of an inch per side to line up with the slot. my thoughts are from what i can see it more one side then other i bet.
right hand side hold down clamp at the plate the front screw was busted off and the foot of the clamp was bent so i have a gut feeling at some point either some owner not knowing top did not have clamps out of the plates and forced the top back OR it came loose while driving and the passengers side stayed clamp and it twisted it at that point so either one side has to move 3/4 inch or both side 3/8 and if i had some simple datum point i could get an idea where the issues lays

 

[fordrodsteven]

well thats what i had thought cokefirst but concours parts listing shows two different number a soft top and hard top plat and also show different hold down clamps. which it did not make sense to me at al because you would have to removes so much inner trim to get at the bolts.
i just wanted to verify i wasnt seeing something odd. so now i have to figure out why the soft top pins doent line up with the slots

Does this information help at all?

 

[fordrodsteven]

or this?

 

[fordrodsteven]

or this?

 

[doug7740]

As a general rule the side latch slotted receptacles for the pins on the convertible top rear deck bow are approximately 56 inches center to center from side to side. This is according to the attached Thunderbird Restoration Manual Addendum 2009, pages 382 and 383.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[57bird]

As a general rule the side latch slotted receptacles for the pins on the convertible top rear deck bow are approximately 56 inches center to center from side to side. This is according to the attached Thunderbird Restoration Manual Addendum 2009, pages 382 and 383.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

thanks that will give me a reference point for a start to verify if its top or body i think i need to get my hands on that manual

 

[Douglemmo]

Excellent information and exactly the right way to "fix" the problem. A "cheap" fix for the problem, would be to leave the pins out. If your front and rear hold-downs line up, and clamp down, and your side hold-downs clamp - just leave the pins out.

If you are going to go into the top to this extent and have everything apart, you might want to check the line up of the swing arm holes to the holes in the soft top. I had my soft top restored by Jewell and when I got it back, I had a very difficult time with the alignment of the hole between the swing arm and the top: one hole was at an angle to the other so that the pin would not fit through.

Good Luck,