new member and soft top advice needed

[Guest]

Hello, new member here with a 1974 mimosa yellow stag from Victoria, Australia.

After many weeks I bit the bullet todan and finally succeeded in installing a replacement soft top as the one in the car had a broken frame and half the canvas was missing. It was also not attached to the car at all but just stuffed in the hood well..so I had not idea of how these fit..:?

Anyhow, I bought a good secondhand top with excellent frame and it certainly opens/closes quite freely on the first attempt. However I cannot get the rear clip to hold it down as there is seems to be too much tension when the rear window is zipped up. I can push it down OK but the clip does not seem to hold well and it springs up if you go over a bump or slam the door.

Any ideas would be welcome.

[Tdm]

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Do you mean the central spring loaded bolt at the rear? because this is adjustable (can be screwed in or out to adjust its length). Also the catch that it engages on is also adjustable for sideways postion (lift the the metal tonneau to get at the small nuts that allow movement left or right). When closing the softop you usually need to "slam" it down to make it engage fully.

[Guest]

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Thanks Terry, thats the thing I mean, I adjusted length and left/right but only on the the soft top, will have a fiddle with the tonneau tomorrow. I am glad it needs a good slam though cause that seems to work after a while.

Now I need to fix all the cables and levers on it as the RHS does not engage and the LHS is temperamental.

[brian0443]

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The handbook and the instruction label do tell you to engage the front catches and then the rear. I have always found it easier to engage the rear central catch first. With a little pressure on the front the catches there engage easily.

Brian

[V Mad]

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If the catch pops up, that is usually fixed by readjusting the plunger. Loosen the two bolts holding it the the frame and you can centre it left/right and forwards backwards (you need to tap it with a small hammer). Make sure the plunger is exactly in the centre of the catch hole.

If you can get the back locked in first, then close the front levers, the cover will get a chance to stretch a bit, and after a few days it may be easier to slam down the back with the front levers loacked.

If not: adjust the length of the plunger by screwing in/out (undo the lock nut inside the spring first). You can pack a couple of shims under the plunger bracket if the plunger does not quite reach.

[adieturner]

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You might want to try soaking the roof before slamming it shut. If it's stood without tension for a while it may have shrunk a bit.

[Guest]

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Thanks for the replies, looks like leaving it up overnight has given it a bit of a stretch and it worked well today and did not pop up after driving. I have given it a good soak this arvo and an added bonus is no leaks

However another issue has cropped up..the err cable for the catches seems to have stretched meaning 1 side catch wont engage and the rear will not disengage. Thankfully i can disengage the rear by rocking the top slightly!

Looks like the little red plastic spacers have broken/come away from the cables, would it be best replacing the catch/cables?

[Marco Polo]

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G'day and welcome to the forum,

I used to live just down the Calder Freeway from you in Gisborne for a few years, I hope the heater works in your car!

I'm not sure what you are describing when you say the little red plastic spacers have broken/come away from the cables, can you take a photo and post it or refer to some part numbers or drawing from the "Rimmers" catalogue.

If you need new cables you can use push bike brake cables, they are alot cheaper, you will need a tandem rear brake cable for the long cable though.

One of the members of this forum has got a downloadable copy of the workshop manual on his website. That will give you all the info you need to rig the catches.

regards,

Raoul 

[Guest]

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I am pretty amazed at the car how well most thing work.Heater is fine, blower works,but the heated screen does not work on the hard top. Was quite nice driving up to Trentham onSunday with the top down and heater on.

I got some replacent connectors, pulled off the chrome covers and connot find the wiring, did not feel up to more dismantling after that espcially as one of the chrome screws fell down the hole.

Bike cables might be the way to go, whjat has broken is the parts that attach the ends/sides of the cables to the catches to keep the tension. Seems I might have broken a couple putting the soft top in on the weekend as they are very brittle. Now you pull the level and the whole cable moves and not the catch. Of course it is so much harder trying to fix these thing with the topin

[Pommie Stag]

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Hello and welcome to the forum, its an absolute godsend and mine of useful and useless (if it coming from me) information.

Raoul mentioned the down loadable copy of the service manual you will need it i guarantee

Don Kennedy is the chap try this link to his site here you will find the manual and a useful breakdown of wiring diagrams.

http://www.donkennedy.co.uk/StagIndex.htm

Raoul you started the air con yet? and did it fit in the overhead lockers on the way home? :shock:

Also Raoul what is your club called up north? I am trying to get my car on club rego but am not having allot of success down south! Wondered if you guys would except a Southerner's membership and assist with Rego stuff.

Regards to you both

Pommie

[Marco Polo]

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Pommie Stag wrote:

Raoul you started the air con yet? and did it fit in the overhead lockers on the way home? :shock:

Also Raoul what is your club called up north? I am trying to get my car on club rego but am not having allot of success down south! Wondered if you guys would except a Southerner's membership and assist with Rego stuff.

Regards to you both

Pommie

Hi Pommie,

Long time no hear! No I haven't started the aircon mod yet, the unit is presently on a Maersk container ship somewhere btween Southampton and Brissy. It weighed approx 17.5 kilos so I thought I wouldn't chance the excess baggage charges!

I've been given alot of info on the retrofit, there are two Americans on the other forum that have given me details of their installation and a member of the SOC Australia has given me a very detailed description of how he carried his mod out.

My local club is the "Far North Queensland Restorers Club", unfortunately for you, all prospective members have to attend 2 meetings before they can apply to become members and then wait a year before the club will carry out the necessary paperwork for concessionary registration.

Have you tried the Australian SOC? They are mostly based in Adelaide however they may be more relaxed with their requirements. "Peter Oz" who posts on this forum, is themembership secretary. send him a PM he is very helpful and would let you know what they can do for you.

I've rejoined the SOC Australia and cancelled my SOC UK membership, it's less than 1/2 the UK membership fee!

hope this helps,

regards,

Raoul

[Guest]

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I did not realise there was an australian SOC, have to look them up might be well worth joining.

Does anyone have advice about leaky soft tops?? Mine is up now and been in the rain for the last couple of days and I have discovered a small leak around the rear window stitching. Nothing major as the top is absolutley soaked but would prefer no leaks or is that too much to ask from a secondhand top.

[Pommie Stag]

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Marco Polo wrote:

Pommie Stag wrote:

Raoul you started the air con yet? and did it fit in the overhead lockers on the way home? :shock:

Also Raoul what is your club called up north? I am trying to get my car on club rego but am not having allot of success down south! Wondered if you guys would except a Southerner's membership and assist with Rego stuff.

Regards to you both

Pommie

Hi Pommie,

Long time no hear! No I haven't started the aircon mod yet, the unit is presently on a Maersk container ship somewhere btween Southampton and Brissy. It weighed approx 17.5 kilos so I thought I wouldn't chance the excess baggage charges!

I've been given alot of info on the retrofit, there are two Americans on the other forum that have given me details of their installation and a member of the SOC Australia has given me a very detailed description of how he carried his mod out.

My local club is the "Far North Queensland Restorers Club", unfortunately for you, all prospective members have to attend 2 meetings before they can apply to become members and then wait a year before the club will carry out the necessary paperwork for concessionary registration.

Have you tried the Australian SOC? They are mostly based in Adelaide however they may be more relaxed with their requirements. "Peter Oz" who posts on this forum, is themembership secretary. send him a PM he is very helpful and would let you know what they can do for you.

I've rejoined the SOC Australia and cancelled my SOC UK membership, it's less than 1/2 the UK membership fee!

hope this helps,

regards,

Raoul

Thanks again Raoul ill get that done tonight, Is this who you are a member of?

Stag Owners Club of Aust. (SA)
PO Box 903, Mount Barker, SA, 5251
Phone: (08) 8370 9930
Email: peter_loit@yahoo.com
I did spot your postings on the other site and some of the replies. Its sounds like a mammoth task, but if any one can do it!

Your poor old Stag complete one minute and dismantled the next.

I am still battling with the leather seats and re upholstering them never underestimate how long a job can take:shock:. I have just noted that all the brake fluid has now decided to disappear from the master cylinder too.

I think it has come from the PDWA out of the switch i did wonder why the electrical connection was offso another little job......

[Marco Polo]

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Pommie Stag wrote:

Thanks again Raoul ill get that done tonight, Is this who you are a member of?

Stag Owners Club of Aust. (SA)
PO Box 903, Mount Barker, SA, 5251
Phone: (08) 8370 9930
Email: peter_loit@yahoo.com
I did spot your postings on the other site and some of the replies. Its sounds like a mammoth task, but if any one can do it!



I think it has come from the PDWA out of the switch i did wonder why the electrical connection was offso another little job......

Yes that's the club and Peter's contact details.

You can get a seal kit for the PWDA from Greg Tunstall, easy to do, don't forget to bleed the brakes afterwards!

regards,

Raoul

[Guest]

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Marco Polo wrote:

Pommie Stag wrote:

Thanks again Raoul ill get that done tonight, Is this who you are a member of?

Stag Owners Club of Aust. (SA)
PO Box 903, Mount Barker, SA, 5251
Phone: (08) 8370 9930
Email: peter_loit@yahoo.com
I did spot your postings on the other site and some of the replies. Its sounds like a mammoth task, but if any one can do it!



I think it has come from the PDWA out of the switch i did wonder why the electrical connection was offso another little job......

Yes that's the club and Peter's contact details.

You can get a seal kit for the PWDA from Greg Tunstall, easy to do, don't forget to bleed the brakes afterwards!

regards,

Raoul

Leather seats, thats on my to do list, going to go black leather for mine, if it turns out good I will keep everyone informed and it is going to be cheaper than getting a retrim kit from the UK.