Joe,
Good Morning!
I did a lot of work for a fellow roadster owner last summer, including a new
soft top. She has a 70 1600. The frame was cracked, which I fixed with
some pounding, shaping, and some layers of nice strong fiberglass, then
smoothed and spritzed the whole thing with flat black. This saved a lot
over the quite high price of an uncracked late model frame. The front bow
of the late model frame is made of some incredably flimsy sheet metal at a
point that really needs to be stronger.
I bought all new twisties and posties, and two new clamshells from a
combination of our vendors. I do not want to start vendor wars on the
list....so will not name names, but heck, all I have had dealings with have
done me right. I also got a great deal on a premium canvass top from one of
our vendors, who had ordered it for a customer who then never picked it up.
This is a mercedes benz quality top, and very cool. Its a little harder to
fold than the typical vinal top, but looks real nice.
I recommend putting new twisties and posties in, if yours are messed up at
all. It really makes the whole job look a lot better. Just map out a good
part of time to get the old ones loose, and put the new ones in. If you have
a young teenager with skinny fingers, emply him or her to help. It also
helps to have a 1/4 inch drive socket set, and other tiny tools. Buy a can
of PB Blaster to help out the old ones.
Although I do almost everything myself, I did NOT install the top on the
frame or punch the holes in it for the twisties and posties. I took the top
and frame to an uphostery shop and had it installed, and since the car was
not running at the time, the owner came over to my house and punched the
twistie and postie holes. If even one of these holes is a bit off, your top
will have a wrinkle in it forever, or worse. This guy also knew all the
little secrets about pop riviting back on the top keeper strip, and
installing the cool hidden snaps in the upper front corners, stuff I would
never have figured out how to get exactly right. He also had all the
correct glues and sealers, etc. Bottom line, even though it was $150, it
was money well spent.
Best Regards, and Hope this helps,
Jim
Chesapeake Virginia
>From: "Joe and Kristen Grieser" <jkfroggie@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: "Joe and Kristen Grieser" <jkfroggie@hotmail.com>
>To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
>Subject: Soft top manufacturer Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 08:48:30 -0800
>
>Hello All-
>
>I finally found a good soft top frame and now need to purchase a soft top
>for my '68 1600, and have a few questions.
>
>#1- Is there any particular brand or distributor that anyone would
>recommend?
>
>#2- Should I attempt to install it myself, or is this a job best left to
>an upholstery shop? (I am not afraid of taking a couple days to put it on,
>and I know it is easist in the hot sun to stretch it into shape)
>
>#3- The twisties and posties on my car are in bad shape, where should I
>get new ones from?
>
>Thanks for all the help!
>-Joe
>
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