Convertible top fit

Dad

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This has bugged me since I bought the car. There is a distinct pooch in the top on the driver side at the rear side window. What causes this and how do I fix it?
The passenger side fits nice and snug. I have tried pushing it in, but it doesn't really do anything. Pics don't show it very well.
 

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tjm73

of Omicron Persei 8
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You are talking about this spot circled right?

wwemg9.jpg


I believe that is installation related. Your best bet would be to go to a reputable upholstery shop that does this kind of work and see if they think it can be corrected. Ask around the local cruise nights to find out who does the good work in the area.

I am not a upholsterer, so take this for what it is (my opinion). I think only a top replacement MAY fix that.
 
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JeremyH

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You are talking about this spot circled right?

wwemg9.jpg


I believe that is installation related. Your best bet would be to go to a reputable upholstery shop that does this kind of work and see if they think it can be corrected. Ask around the local cruise nights to find out who does the good work in the area.

I am not a upholsterer, so take this for what it is (my opinion). I think only a top replacement MAY fix that.

Ditto, solid advice.
 

tjm73

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Find a local upholstery guy. You might get lucky.
 

Benwhite911

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I'm in the position where I'm going to have to replace my top. My rear window is the main reason, but there are a few other problems, including the one you're having with the side rear window. That began a few years back, and it grown since then. If you can live with the cosmetics of it, you've probably got a few more years before you start seeing problems. If it's going to pick ar your brain everytime you get in and out of your car, then you need to look at a fix. Others have already said this, and they're right. No reputable upholstery and top repair shop will undertake the task of simply trying to fix this, because unfortunately, these tops can't just be fixed; well at least not properly. Temporary solutions will get you by temporarily.

The good news is these tops are not all that expensive to replace. You can buy them online; rockauto.com being the cheapest I've found so far, for about $450.00 with the shipping. If you have some knowhow, you could do the install yourself, that's the route I'm going to go. Or, you could have someone you trust install for you. That sometimes is a little more difficult, because a shop my not want the risk of getting a bad top and having you blame them. Anyway, short story long, it's not going to break your wallet to go the replacement route.
 

tjm73

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When I had my first convertible my Father told me two things. All convertible tops leak a little bit and none of them will look perfect from the factory. My observations since getting that advice have shown that to be true.

My Dad owned a Ford dealership for 37 years and he sold lots of convertibles. He also has had literally dozens of convertibles in his personal collection. His current count is around 11 cars that are convertibles.

Be careful when buying a replacement top. Make sure the rear window is glass like stock and double check that the glass window is the same shape as stock. My convertible was a '90 GT and they had a double curved window. It was curved side to side and top to bottom. Almost like a very shallow bowl. Many aftermarket top glass sections were not double curved like stock. Not sure if the aftermarket tops are like this with the S197 cars. Also if a plastic back window is an option, DO NOT DO THAT. They suck.

Lastly, make sure the top has the same number of seams in the same place and that the leading edge is folded the same way as the stock top once installed. I can spot a poor top install on a Foxbody from across a crowded parking lot.
 
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