76 Eldo convertible top malfunction

[Paul Tesone]

I wrote about this problem last December and have tried to follow the advice I received  . Last year , when putting the car away for the winter , I tried to put the top up . It came to within 4 inches of the windshield frame and would go no further . This had never happened before - always easy to latch . At first I thought it might be a cold and shruken top . Then I remembered that a few months eariier , I heard a noise when putting the top up and found that a small bar portion of the frame in the well had slipped due to a missing cotter pin . I had put it back into position and all worked well until the above occured . So I gave the framework on the passenger side near the rear window a little shove . Not much of a shove , but enough that the window shattered . Responders to my inquiry last December suggested that the scissors mechanism perhaps flipped the wrong way , that the top had shrunk and that I should just get a new top while I replaced the window . I really don't understand the whole "flipping " thing but I didn't think the problem was the scissors flip or the top wouldn't have come to within 4 inches of the windshield . And I was certain it wasn't the shrunken top because there was never a problem shortly before . I was and am convinced that  the small bar part of the frame bent when it slipped . With that as background info , I brought the car to a reputable upholstory guy who also does tops . I gave him my theory and hoped he would find the bent piece and either fix it or get a replacement . When we put the top up , it was clear that the driver's side could be pulled closer to the windshield than the passenger's side . He removed a bolt from the driver's side frame ( in the well ) and the top dropped even closer on that side . When he tried to do the same on the passengers side , the bolt wouldn't come out easily like the drivers side . But when he tapped it out, the top easily dropped into a completely closed position . This , to me , confirmed my suspicion that something was bent on the passenger side . He removed the top to get at the problem . I  reluctantly told him to go ahead with a new top because he said  the  labor involved in putting the old one back would be the same as a new one . In addition to a new top , he wanted to replace my ENTIRE TOP FRAME with a used one from a 80's Olds ( would it even fit ? ). No way - just find the bend and fix it . Today I went to pick up the car . Top was up and looked spectacular . BUT , he said he couldn't get the top to seat completely in the well and therefore couldn't get the boot on . It was high by about "2 inches " and he could make a new boot that would fit ( the old one is original and used to fit just fine ) . When he told me that it was high  but " you can still see over it when using the rear view mirror " , I knew there was going to be a problem . Forget 2 inches - how about 10 inches ! Seems like there is so much new and stiff top material in the well that there is no way it will drop in properly . . This guy is in way over his head . I think he does just fine with putting tops on but doesn't have clue about the mechanics of this scissors top . So the questions are : Does my theory about the bent bar sound plausible given how the top drops into place when the bolts are removed ? Does anyone know someone in the Boston area who has had experience with these tops ? Tomorrow , I'm going to tell him not to do anything else because I plan to find someone who knows the mechanics of these tops . Long post but wanted to provide enough bacground info . Thanks , Paul Tesone CLC # 6876

[76eldo]

Paul,

I have owned a few of these cars and have never experienced the problem you are having.  My 76 needs a new top and I already know that the bar that slides back and forth in the middle of the top as the top comes up it not attached at the sides as it should be, but when I do the top I will attend to that.

1.  The fact that the top won't go down all the way shows that he has done something very wrong in "adjusting" the mechanism. 

2.  NOTHING from the 80's will fit the car.

3.  Make a bigger boot?

You have to get the car to a shop that knows the 71-76 top design.

Suggestion, call Hydro Electric and see if they have any shops in your area that buy scissors tops from them and tell them your situation.  Maybe they can recommend a shop for you, or even tell you what to look for on your top.  Don't let this guy break or rip anything by going any further.

Brian

[Paul Tesone]

Thanks Brian - received your PM . Good point about the hard boot . Will pick the car up next week . We'll see if he fixed it . Tomorrow I'll check with Hydroelectric as you suggested . ....Paul