I need help corvette guys. I pulled a 57 out of a barn. It has been sitting there since 73. Its now running with rebuilt brakes and new tires. I tried to put the soft top up. Its almost like it shrunk. I can get it to the windshield. I cant get the back to reach the body so the latches catch. Any ideas. I also need a few pics of how the drivers seat bolts on. The backrest is not connected. Im interested in what holds it to the seat frame. I just got started on buffing off 35 years of grime. I thought the car was a coffee color. Its actually white. Thanks.
I could also use a few parts sources. It needs. Gas pedal Passenger tail pipe Seat attatching pieces Carpet and door panels Im not going to do a complete restoration yet. Im putting all of the trim back on and cleaning it up. Im going to drive it as is in all its real patina glory for a while. Its actually a cool car as is once cleaned up.
I recently had a 30,000 mile '62 nova ragtop, all original car. Top had shrunk to the point that it barely latched and when it did it had a taunt stretched arc on the sides where it used to be flat above the door glass. Like George implied on Seinfeld, "it's shrinkage". I had to replace it. maybe someone will have better news. Looking forward to pictures.
What about letting it sit in the sun all day and warm it up of soften it up. I don't know, maybe that kind of thing just works in Texas? Good luck, sounds cool to me.
i have all of the trim and hub caps. The hood is off for now. The nasty yellow spark plug wires have been replaced with black ones. The radiator is out getting re cored. All of the fluids have been replaced. Too bad such a cool car sat so long. I did drive it last weekend. It overheated and almost went into the ditch when i hit the brakes. It pulled very hard to the right. I got the tires aired up and that stopped the pulling. The brakes were adjusted and that gave me a pedal and even braking. The radiator had a few mouse nests in it. Thats out being recored. Cant wait to drive it again.
I’ve never had a vette, but they can’t be much different than the 55-57 Thunderbird tops in terms of material. You might get some stretch sitting in the sun but you’ll probably need to latch the back down and jury rig some way to pull the front header down. But I’d guess it’ll never pull out if it’s that old. Or the stitching will let go before it stretches far enough. Nothing to lose by trying
Heat is your friend. Have a (strong, patient) person pull the top towards closure and walk around with a heat gun applying hot air to the tight areas. Be careful; too much heat could ruin it, but if you take your time you'll get it closed.
In wisconsin it can get cold this time of year. A top would extend the driving season. I does have hard top. I started fooling with the top because the body panel that covers the top wasnt sitting flat. Thats how i found the seats back rest wasnt bolted on. I moved the seat and it sits flat again. Now im on the top. There is alot to do here.
I've never had a '57, but the sequence on the '66 that I had is: 1. put the top up and "catch" the front/windshield latch (note: DON'T actually pull it down; just get the hooks into the loops) 2. put the rear "posts" into the holes and push all the way down/closed (I see that the rear latch is different on the '57, but should function similarly) 3. finish latching the front/windshield latch At this point the top is firmly latched and stretched tight. Maybe this is the same on a '57 or maybe not; ymmv
I have the port hole and non port hole tops for mine along with the foldable soft top. My wife made me put on a top when I took her to church in it. Something about messing up her hair. Gotta keep Momma happy. Yea it does help having a top on a chilly morning. I just usually turn the heat on full blast.
@e1956v has a vette he has been working on that may see this and chime in with some answers for you. Another amazing barn find for sure.
Nice clown car. Let me know when she gets tired of it.... My wife had an OT car with a similar top, similar problems. We eventually got it to work, but it took a lot of patience...don't expect it to stretch at once, it takes a while, if it is going to happen. Like a month or so. I hope you plan to replace all the rubber in the brake system, even if it works now. I expect the wheel cylinders are not moving very easily. Have fun!
This top was closed for 30 years, it took time in the summer sun and a lot of work to get stretched and latched. In the end I replaced it cuz it was to far gone and I didn’t like the black color. The seat back frames have two tabs that hang over the seat frames on top and two metal tabs on the frame that bend over two U shaped extensions on the seat back on the bottom. Great find I will be following this one. Take it one bite at a time. I started in 2013 and just got the interior installed and finished last weekend.
The brakes received new wheel cylinders and lines. The master cylinder is the original single style. Im not to thrilled about that.
I've put a lot of miles on that type of master cylinder...and you fixed the problem with them, which is the brake lines.
The leading shoes are interesting they have a large groove in the center. My chevelle still has a single master cylinder. They work great until they suddenly dont.
Racer, I just noticed the dual quads. Neat car! And e1956v, good call on the new top color, that thing is beautiful.
If you've ever tried to work the wrinkles out of old vinyl like a door panel or a new headliner, steam works better than just heat. You can buy a little hand-held steamer pretty cheap to soften up that top material some. A heat gun can actually melt it if you're not careful. And as others have said, slow and steady, if you try to force it you'll rip the seams out. But you need to have some pulling force while you steam it, if you steam it in place you'll just soften it up and it'll harden wrinkled again. One guy steams, one guy puts light force on the top getting it into place. I bet you could get it to close again without tearing.
A good way to ruin the stainless header trim above the windshield is to pry the top open with the latches. Like another person said- you are going to replace the top in the end as it will disintegrate. More harm than good will come with fooling with it. As far as the seats- the back rests have 2 loops that fit over the seat frames. Buy the Corvette service guide put out by GM for the 53-62 cars- a wealth of knowledge for a novice. I have had over 30 C1s and still refer to it. PM me with any questions and will try to help.
Thanks greg ct. I can see how the seat attatches on the top. Its the bottom that i cant figure out at the moment. I looked at the passenger side. Its fastened in some how. I just cant see it. I was sweeping out the floor and found a clip with a hole in it. This might be what i need. No barn find car is complete without a mouse nest. This guy died peacefully at home.
I found the the other low script valve cover in the trunk. Before and after picscof the door panels. I have the missing trim piece. I scooped two full dust pans of dirt off the floor. The red shag carpet has been pulled. Its starting to get cleaned up.
I have six hub caps that might be original i dont know yet. They all have holes pressed into the on each side of the tire valve. What was the purpose for this? Now that the car is somewhat cleaned up its looking better. Are the rims supposed to be black originally? Looks kind of funny to me. The boat air cleaners were in the truck to .
Those are '59 to '62 hubcaps. Yours should not have holes around the outside. I am working on a '57 and getting most of my parts from ZIP Products. Many times one or two day shipping. They all sell the same stuff it's all about customer service to me. I'd have to look to be positive but I THINK with non white walls it gets body color wheels. That's how my '63 was.
Is this the car from the estate the owner died and the house along with the property sold to the high bidder ?
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