Convertible top frame restoration

[Bpret]

Not sure but I think I got mine at year one

[anlauto]

My upholstery guy swears by using the original rear tack strip as well. He does a lot of convertible tops and hasn't found one reliable source for a reproduction tack strip that works as good as an original. Most issues come with the staples pulling out. 

I try not to mess with the factory adjustments on the frame itself, if it's in decent shape, I'll leave it assembled, do a good power wash, hand sanding and just paint it. 

[mikep]

Following

[Gary]

Why do you want to risk having a froze up adjustment bolt after everything is painted.  We take it apart, make sure everything is free and adjustable, paint it and then put it back together.

[anlauto]

Yea, that's sound advice for sure, you want to check everything before painting.
In the past two years I've restored four convertibles.
The only one that my upholstery guy had a tremendous amount of trouble with, was one that was supplied by my customer as a RETSTORED unit. I not sure who did the work, it looked fantastic....but it took two extra days to get the thing adjusted and properly squared up, plus the reproduction tack strip was garbage and had to be replaced. PLUS at the last minute I didn't realize the front weather strip channel was removed and never replaced....try finding one of those at the last minute...

[Cuda_mark]

Yea, that's sound advice for sure, you want to check everything before painting.
In the past two years I've restored four convertibles.
The only one that my upholstery guy had a tremendous amount of trouble with, was one that was supplied by my customer as a RETSTORED unit. I not sure who did the work, it looked fantastic....but it took two extra days to get the thing adjusted and properly squared up, plus the reproduction tack strip was garbage and had to be replaced. PLUS at the last minute I didn't realize the front weather strip channel was removed and never replaced....try finding one of those at the last minute...

I found a guy at Carlisle a couple of years ago that said he "a couple". I called him afterwards and he never got back to me. Ended up getting mine from YYZ

[Burdar]

Reviving this thread since it has a lot of good info in it.

I've started the documentation and disassembly of my 68 Dart convertible top and have a couple questions.

1.  When you say that you had the frame "blasted" are you talking sand or glass?  I'm not sure there is anyone locally that does large pieces with glass.  Everyone around here will use sand.  Is that too aggressive?  Will that destroy the nylon bushings on each rivet?

2.  Once the frame is blasted, does the blasted metal need to be sanded before spraying an etch primer?  I seem to remember hearing that paint doesn't stick to blasted metal very good.  Sanding in all the nooks and crannies would be a PITA.

3.  My frame is in good shape.  Even the header shows no signs of heavy rust on the outside.  Once I took off the two latches though, inside the hollow header was filled with scaly rusty crap.  I'm not sure it's possible to get back in there with a blaster to get that area perfectly clean.  What do I do there? 

The body shop sprayed an oily rust inhibiter inside all the frame rails to seal them up.  Once the header is as clean as I can get it, what about spraying that product inside?  I'm not sure how it reacts with heat.  The header will get quite a bit hotter then the frame rails I'd imagine because it will be baked by the sun.  I don't want any oily product leaking out into the interior on hot days.

4. I realize there will be differences in E-body and A-body top frame but...
The two center bows(the ones with felt on them) are somewhat loose.  They can be rotated front/back and if you give it a little force, you can move them up and down slightly too.  The retaining nuts aren't completely tight.  Should they be tight or do the bows need to move/pivot as the top is retracted?