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t-bird top


Guest billybird

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Guest billybird

I'm in the process of putting a new top on my 1956 Thunderbird. I took the entire frame apart, powder coated all the pieces, new rubber, chrome, the whole nine yards. I have the rear "horseshoe" section of the frame fitted on the car with a good tight seal. Questions: Is it easier/better to "build" the top frame from the rear one piece at a time or assemble it off the car and set the whole thing on the car? There seems to be alot of space between the swing arms and the frame. Does anyone know about how much space there should be here? Any thoughts will be appreciated.

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Guest martylum

Hi-I've rebuilt quite a few 55-7 T-Bird softtop frames. You need to comcpletely assembly the softtop frame and install on the car with the 4 rear latches and 2 front latches and a full set of new rubber. If your swingbar arms do not line up nicely with the sides of the topframe where it attaches, then you need to wonder if the bar has gotten damaged somewhere along the line. The swingbar feet will adjust a bit front to back to help line up.

One detail which is most important is making and installing a metal substitute at the 2 joints on the u-shaped rear deck 3 part assembly. The nailer strip here was originally a metal piece with paper nailing material attached and gave reinforcement across the 2 joints. If you do not rivet on a metal reinforcement here, your deck pieces will gap at the outer edges as the chrome metal plates when you go to stretch on the canvas at the joint do very little to reinforce the joint. If your old metal nailer strip isn't rusted out then reinstall it with new tacking material.

Martin Lum

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Guest billybird

martylum: Thanks for the reply. With a little patience, I got everything lined up. I did rivet on a new rear tack strip channel. I'm glad to hear from someone who has done this numerous times. I may have a few more questions as I proceed with the re-assembly. This is my first earlybird top frame. Thanks again.

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