Re: 1955 Caribbean restoration completed...
Posted by Leeedy On 2023/8/6 18:09:14
Quote:
West Peterson wrote:
Thanks... If I remember correctly, it's an Electron top. Their measurements for rear window were way off in the catalog, so I took photos, gave measurements, and we even sent them the old top to show that their window size was not correct in the catalog. Even still... we had to order the top twice, as the first time it was wrong YES!!! I had to pay labor to install and remove the first top. :( I'm only fairly satisfied with the second top, but I think it's the fault of the installer.
Finally, I just tried to put the top down for the very first time, only to find out that the rear-window zipper was installed backwards. In other words, it was made so that the only way to grab the zipper is from the outside of the car... but, of course, that's not possible.
Even if they sent me a new window, that means a whole lot more labor to R&R!!!
What would you do???
I always had good luck with Electron and Robbins. Electron has been around a lot of years and they should know better on the rear window. But I understand that they changed ownership a few years back. So today, anything may be possible.
I once had the original factory convertible top patterns for 1955 and 1956. I gave them to a friend who once made tops for me at Acme Auto Headlining back in the 1970s. But he died and things changed hands. Nobody knew what happened to those patterns.
Many years ago when we had a trim shop, the only problems I ever had with their tops were poor materials. But I fixed that by having the fabricators like Electron use only materials that I specified.
As for the window zipper on your Caribbean– IF they sent you a toothed zipper instead of a modern coil zipper, there is an old trimmer's trick. A toothed zipper (depending on installation and window size/design) can be replaced using half of a new window and zipper. This way you only have to deal with loosening the rear beltline trim and just installing the new window curtain on the tack strip ...without disturbing the rear bow attachment!
Unfortunately, this method will never work with a modern coil zipper since (with exception of special precision coil versions). This is because there is no standardization of coils per linear inch. Thus coil zipper halves are permanently mated at one end unlike toothed zippers that can be completely detached.
This very issue became a problem during development of Mazda Miata when I worked for the corporation. The zip-out rear window on the Mazda Miata folding top was my idea– credited or not.
I had originally intended the Miata rear backlight window to be easily replaceable using half of the old zipper. It was intended to use a tooth-type zipper. But you know what happened.
Other people got involved who thought they were smart and would morph my idea the way THEY wanted it. All without bothering to check with me. Too many cooks spoil the meal. They even tried to re-write the Workshop Manual procedure that I had written (after all– who was I?). That's when they discovered that coil zippers are permanently mated! So the entire method I had predicated and designed would not work. I could have told them that... but nobody asked. Maybe this is one reason why I am never mentioned in the histories although I did so much development work on that car!
Anyway, for your Caribbean, you may be able to grab the zipper tab with the top partially lowered and then unzip it. Primitive and wonky, but a way to do it. At worst you may end up having to detach the fabric and curtain up top on the rear bow. Then going whole hog on rear curtain replacement. Tough to find a good trimmer who can accurately do this kind of work today.
What fabric did you use? I am in the middle of attempting a fabrication and inner face coloring dye of special VERY expensive fabric that looks like 1955. Has already cost a fortune and has taken years...This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=260054