Soft Top Retracted And Driving; 1957

knuckle47

knuckle47

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Thunderbird Year
1956
I’ll reference first that I am very new here but saw this on a soft top demonstration on YouTube. Is it acceptable to open and fold the soft top back onto the trunk deck and leave the latch on the rear and side still latched in position ….while we fold the top down like a conventional convertible and drive around?
 

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knuckle47 said:
I’ll reference first that I am very new here but saw this on a soft top demonstration on YouTube. Is it acceptable to open and fold the soft top back onto the trunk deck and leave the latch on the rear and side still latched in position ….while we fold the top down like a conventional convertible and drive around?
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I have done it without issues many Times. Dont know if it is considered proper etiquette, but if you are going to be lifting it back up before putting it to bed, it is much easier especially if you are doing it alone
 
There are pictures of Marylyn Monroe driving her black 56 with the top down as you described
Very practical on a sunny day with a chance of rain
 
Good to know… some days it might be nice to unwind, cruise a few miles and head back home. I did search around online and in the Ford manual but had not seen the answer…
 
You may want to check your soft top to see how well it keeps the rain out
if I stop in a downpour water enters via the A pillar, rapidly
They didn’t all fit very well
my hard top fits is much better
 
CSPIDY said:
You may want to check your soft top to see how well it keeps the rain out
if I stop in a downpour water enters via the A pillar, rapidly
They didn’t all fit very well
my hard top fits is much better
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In '57 or maybe in '56 they started to punch a hole in the front outer corner of the door right before the weatherstrip dog legs to catch that run off and into the door to drain out the bottom through the already there drain holes. Make sure your weather strip is not covering that drain hole
 
I frequently put the top down "baby carriage style" . I always put a towel underneath it and between the folds of the rear window. I think it is best to unlatch the side latches if there is any strain on them.
 
I think it's proper either way. Stow the top if it's going to be down a while or just flip it back and enjoy. Ford was one of the few manufacturers to be able to stow the top and not just sit behind the seat and have a snap-on cover.
 
Interesting. Are you not worried the wind could catch under the top and rip it off?
 
@ohio Tbird that was also a concern of mine. This question was raised in a comment in that YouTube video but the publisher had not responded to it.
when I thought about it, I said to myself…” hmmm probably too heavy“ but, in 6 decades, I have learned otherwise. But I will certainly enjoy just dropping the top and going.
 
Ward 57 said:
Either way is OK in my book. If you were doing 120mph it might be something to worry about.
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Is it key that the latches behind the seats are tight?

Still not sure how I feel about this. You guys have actually driven like this?
 
I would believe just on the principles of the cars movement and inertia …should a bounce dislodge the pin if it were not seated and secured, it may swing off the deck or into the passenger compartment under extremes.
i told my brother that my ‘57 rides like a luxury go- cart. The driver compartment is not “sedan like”, suspension is proper, noise level is high and very opposite ends of the scale compared to my Silverado or Suburban 60+ years later.
 
knuckle47 said:
I would believe just on the principles of the cars movement and inertia …should a bounce dislodge the pin if it were not seated and secured, it may swing off the deck or into the passenger compartment under extremes.
i told my brother that my ‘57 rides like a luxury go- cart. The driver compartment is not “sedan like”, suspension is proper, noise level is high and very opposite ends of the scale compared to my Silverado or Suburban 60+ years later.
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LOL that was the intent of the design. A luxury personal car without the fuss and bother of the imports. When in my 20s and selling cars FIAT meant 'Fix it again Tony'.
Absolutely no worries of just flipping the top back on the deck instead of stowing. Yes the cabin is a little tight but so were the Corvettes and imports at the time. But people were smaller at the time.
Yes the car is the polar opposite of the Silverado or Suburban but all the above drive 'heavy' but the rumble out the back and the open air when the top is off is something many have never experienced.
 
Would you all be comfortable driving in this way at city driving speeds without the side latches secured? I ask because I recently put my soft top up for the first time since buying the car a year ago and was totally puzzled by the references in the driver’s manual about securing the side latches because my car does not appear to have any side latches. I’m pretty sure I know where the latches would go if I had them (into the slots that are toward the rear of the door opening), but my soft top does not appear to have side latches (see attached picture); perhaps they were removed at some point? Or perhaps this is a repro soft top that did not come with side latches.

So, I guess I have two questions:

(1) Would you be comfortable driving in the manner discussed in this thread at city driving speeds (35-45 MPH max) without the side latches secured?

(2) Is the area I’ve circled in the attached picture where the side latches should be?
 

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willcarterdc said:
Would you all be comfortable driving in this way at city driving speeds without the side latches secured? I ask because I recently put my soft top up for the first time since buying the car a year ago and was totally puzzled by the references in the driver’s manual about securing the side latches because my car does not appear to have any side latches. I’m pretty sure I know where the latches would go if I had them (into the slots that are toward the rear of the door opening), but my soft top does not appear to have side latches (see attached picture); perhaps they were removed at some point? Or perhaps this is a repro soft top that did not come with side latches.

So, I guess I have two questions:

(1) Would you be comfortable driving in the manner discussed in this thread at city driving speeds (35-45 MPH max) without the side latches secured?

(2) Is the area I’ve circled in the attached picture where the side latches should be?
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Hey Willcarter

That looks like the spot the latches should be. Maybe find a local resource that can install them? Others might know, but you may be able to simple buy and screw on new latches?

I would think it's critical that all the latches originally designed are installed.
 
Yes that is where the side latches should be. can't quite tell from the pictures on how it has been messed with. The mounts look like they have been filled and the receivers and latches are available from the suppliers. It looks like the receiver has just been covered by tape. The parts catalogs have some very good illustrations on how they should be.
 
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