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69 Dart convertible : Top Adjustment ???? #361757 06/29/09 02:16 PM 06/29/09 02:16 PM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 828 Winchester, In tippytoe OP super stock
tippytoe OP super stock Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 828 Winchester, In	I recently purchased a 69 Dart ragtop & had the top down for the first time this weekend. Releasing the hold downs at the sunvisors took some muscle. At the end of the day, I put the top up but it stopped 2-3 from resting on the windshield frame. It took all my strength to push the top down to get the lockdowns in place & latch the top up. This was a royal pain in the tail ! I am very unfamiliar with ragtops & was curious if there was an sort of adjustment for the top to come down closer to the windshield frame. To me, it seems like it doesn't come down far enough. Any info would be appreciated.

Re: 69 Dart convertible : Top Adjustment ???? [Re: tippytoe] #361758 06/29/09 05:14 PM 06/29/09 05:14 PM
Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 27,347 Today? Who Knows? 1_WILD_RT Management Trainee
1_WILD_RT Management Trainee Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 27,347 Today? Who Knows?	Power Top or Manual?? Power top you use the power to run it all the way up, manual typically moves freely just need to overcome a spring, shouldn't be to hard.. By 2-3 from resting on the windshield frame do you mean 2"-3" ?? If so is the top fairly new? If so it should be warm when you try to close the top, as it cools it contracts & it's hard to stretch the top to latch it... Far better than a loose fitting top..

Re: 69 Dart convertible : Top Adjustment ???? [Re: 1_WILD_RT] #361759 06/29/09 06:21 PM 06/29/09 06:21 PM
Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 MA. P plymguy member
plymguy member P Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 MA.	I'm pretty sure that there are some adjustments on your top frame that can correct this. My '67 Fury convertible can be adjusted at the rear above the quarter window on each side. You could stop by a top place and ask them the procedure. The top should be tight but not so much that you have to strain your arms to fasten it. Good luck to you. John

Re: 69 Dart convertible : Top Adjustment ???? [Re: plymguy] #361760 06/29/09 10:21 PM 06/29/09 10:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,579 Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy Rhinodart Rhinotruck
Rhinodart Rhinotruck Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,579 Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy	All 67-69 Darts are power tops, never made a manual top! I have owned around 20 convertibles and there is some adjustment available but you most likely will have to remove the back seat and the side panels to get to where the top bolts on. If the top is new it will be awhile before it gets better, as mentioned above make sure the top sees plenty of sun before trying to latch it. I left one convertible in the garage with the top down all winter and it wouldn't come close to latching in the spring! The funny thing about science is that if you change one miniscule parameter you change the entire outcome to the way you want it. JB Rhinehart, Realist A-Body's RULE!

Re: 69 Dart convertible : Top Adjustment ???? [Re: Rhinodart] #361761 06/29/09 11:50 PM 06/29/09 11:50 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 14,471 renton, Washington ph23vo I Live Here
ph23vo I Live Here Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 14,471 renton, Washington	your problem is the top material [shrunk] when the top was down...mine does this [which is why i leave it down all the time now] there,s no adjustment that will help.... a new top thats not shrunk would be a good start though...and you WILL BREAK the latches cranking on them hard like it sounds you are doing! dan

Re: 69 Dart convertible : Top Adjustment ???? [Re: 1_WILD_RT] #361762 06/30/09 07:24 AM 06/30/09 07:24 AM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 828 Winchester, In tippytoe OP super stock
tippytoe OP super stock Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 828 Winchester, In	Quote: Power Top or Manual?? Power top you use the power to run it all the way up, manual typically moves freely just need to overcome a spring, shouldn't be to hard.. By 2-3 from resting on the windshield frame do you mean 2"-3" ?? If so is the top fairly new? If so it should be warm when you try to close the top, as it cools it contracts & it's hard to stretch the top to latch it... Far better than a loose fitting top.. It's a power top that is pretty old. Even though its not ripped or torn, its obviously got some age on it. It is 2-3 inches gap. I was in a hurry when typing the original post. Sorry for the confusion.

Re: 69 Dart convertible : Top Adjustment ???? [Re: ph23vo] #361763 06/30/09 07:37 AM 06/30/09 07:37 AM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 828 Winchester, In tippytoe OP super stock
tippytoe OP super stock Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 828 Winchester, In	Quote: ...and you WILL BREAK the latches cranking on them hard like it sounds you are doing! dan That's exactly what I am afraid is going to happen. I am sure the shrinkage fact is something I didn't take into account ( I was in a hurry when I was putting it up ), but to me it just seemed excessive. FWIW: My 67 Fairlane ragtop does shrink when the top is down, but the windshield to top gap is usually only about one inch.

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