The Roll Bar and The Rag Top

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

In a message dated 3/16/99 8:13:41 AM Central Standard Time, bshorey@domain.elided
writes:

<< hi russ,
 
 exactly which rivets in the top frame do you drill out?  i finally bit the
 bullet and got an autopower race height roll bar to replace my street bar,
 and am looking at ways to get the top to clear.
 
 i've got one other idea, which is to remove the top frame and just drape the
 top over the roll bar for when i need to use the top.  this solution doesn't
 work for everybody, but my spider is a fair weather only car and the only
 time i use the top is when i get caught out in the rain.  the added benefit
 of this method is that i loose the weight of the top frame.
 
 comments?
 
 tia,
 
 bs
 
  >>

	I drilled out the two rivets on each side that are right by your shoulder and
replaced them with 10 mm bolts.  Actually, there are three rivets there, the
one I did not drill out is the one for the bar above the rear window, which is
behind the roll bar.
	The rivet on the small brace that runs up the side of the window was replaced
with a short 10 mm bolt with a nut.  That means carrying two 17 mm wrenches to
undo the bolt.  I need to convert this to get rid of the need for two
wrenches, probably with a clip through the bolt.
	I unbolted the whole top.  The main hoop (the one just above your head) fits
in the box that attaches behind the door.  I drilled out the rivet and welded
in a second tab to parallel the existing tab.  This lets the main bow fit
between two tabs.  The bolt is 10 mm about 3 inches long and ground to a
point.  A hole was drilled in the sheet metal behind the door and the bolt is
pushed through the two tabs with the top bow between them.  This bolt is held
in place with a "hair pin" or clip pin through a hole in the bolt.  The pin is
a bit hard to get in, fitting down in the recesses of the top hinge assembly.
	I have not put the carpet back in my spider, so getting the pin in might be a
problem with the mechanism hidden behind upholstery.
	With both bolts removed, the main top bow will just slip past the roll bar.
Then the bolts are put back in place.  I try to put to top up in the winter
and down in spring.  It can be done by one person, but two is better.

	My original idea was to build something that could be assembled rather like
the old bug eye spridget (Sprite/Midget = Spridget).  In that application, the
top bows were assembled and the top material fastened to it.   The problem was
holding the sides together and all the bolts under the back window.  In some
ways, that is what I ended up with, i.e., a top that has to be partly
disassembled.
	My second idea was to cut up a set of top bows and raise the main bow enough
to fold past the roll bar.  I knew it would look a bit strange with a "tent"
sticking up in the air.  I got so far on this idea as to have the bows all
welded up, ready to have a new top custom made to fit.  However, when I tried
to fold the top, I discovered that it would only fold part way down.  It
looked rather like a VW convertible with the top bows all hunkered up in the
air half way down.
	I remember reading once that one of the hardest projects for the customizers
of forties and fifties (Barris, etc.) was chopping a convertible top.  Getting
it all to fold after lowering the lid took much study.  I guess that is why
removable padded "Carson" tops were so popular on custom convertibles.
	By the way, I have a factory Alfa hard top from about 1978.  It fits over the
roll bar just fine.  But you either put on the top or leave it home.
	Good luck on your project.  Holler if my description is not clear enough.
Ciao,
Russ Neely
OKC

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