Old bird needs a little soft top help

[oldguy668]

I'm ten years older than the car, so we're both old birds, I guess.

I just became the proud papa of a 56 baby bird. Not a show car, but not a beast. I am still in the process of determining the road I want to take with it, but at this point I just want to put a little lipstick on it so I can drive it.

My primary questions for today are about the soft top. I don't quite know how to put it up, and I am reluctant to rip or gouge anything trying. It looks like step one is move the seat forward, but I don't know what step 2 is.

What's a swing bar?
Are they factory installed or aftermarket?
Is the soft top deployment a one man job?
Where does the drop curtain go when the soft top is up?

I'm 66, so 4 answers is all I can handle at one time. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[DreemKiller]

Here's answers to 3 of them:
What's a swing bar? - I'll let the next guy answer this.
Are they factory installed or aftermarket? - Next guy.

Is the soft top deployment a one man job? - It's possible to do it with one man, but it isn't easy. It's best to have two people, or you could damage the top.

Where does the drop curtain go when the soft top is up? - It goes right where it is when the top is down. It kinda swings through between the arms. The entire top swings out of the storage area, and the back of the top goes right onto the decklid (be careful). Basically, the convertible top sits on the car the same way the hard top does. The only difference is that there are arms (perhaps swing arms, but I'm not familiar with the terminology) that connect it into the storage area behind the seat.

 

[gbhrps]

oldguy668,

You are advised to be very careful when putting the top up or down, as it is possible to pinch the side material of the top, causing a rip, particularly when putting it down. A soft top equipped car SHOULD have its swing arm already installed, and it is a TWO person job. Trying to put one up or down by yourself is asking for damage to the top or the car.

Put the seat forward and fold the seat back forward. Lay the back curtain on top of the trunk of the car, but fold its sides over on top of the middle section of the curtain. It will only stay here until the top is out of its stowed position.

With both doors open, and a person at each door, both will reach down and carefully pull/wiggle the edges of the top material past the rope trim at the rear opening of the door. With their hand that is towards the nose of the car, both will grasp the bottom hinged portion of the top frame. With their rear most hand, grasp the rearmost frame member and as much of the other frames as possible with an expanded hand and stand the entire assembly as straight up as possible.

Now both persons will swing the entire assembly (while its still standing on its end vertically) in a 3/4 circle towards the front of the car and up above the car and then lay it all flat onto the trunk of the car. Now is the time to lift the assembly up at its rear, and slide the back curtain back inside the car, and fasten its snaps down, if so equipped.

Be sure that bullet pins on the trunk bow lock down into the large chrome side top latch plate, right at the rear most door openings. Lock the side clamps at each pin at the same locations. Reach under top and rotate the rear lever clamps towards the car's front. Push down on the clamp until its pin falls into the top hold down plate, and then rotate the rear clamp back into its lock position, straight along the frame.

Now stretch the entire top assembly towards the front of the car, pushing up on the hinge points, until you can latch each front latch clamp into the top of the windshield latch hold.

Between the top bow above the rear window and the bow that forms the rear most frame for the rear of the door glass, is a scissor brace that is hinged in its centre, Pull down on its centre pin until it locks into place, stretching the roof section between the 2nd and 3rd bow. You are done.

To stow the top is the reverse, being careful to pull the top material out from between the bows as it is folded back up, to prevent pinches and rips.

Hope this explains the process without too much confusion. If you have any other questions, please get back to me. Good Luck!

Another old guy, but just a few years younger.

 

[Lex446]

Old Guy, Amazing how people turn up at different places. I just took a 57 Bird in on trade for my Cobra. Your already asking some of the questions I need to know. Lex from Nashville.

 

[oldguy668]

Damn, it really is a small world, Lex. I just sold my 4th FFR so I could buy the 'Bird. I wonder how long it'll take me to get to 13,000 posts here...

You still visiting the FFR forums once in a while?

 

[Lex446]

Yea I was up to 6000 over there and hadn't really posted much since Bill sold it. Ithink I'm going to really like this T-Bird. At least my old broken up body can get in it and it don't jar my ribs on evey bump.