Windshield Wipers and Top ?

[alpine_64]

The mounting arms that go into the b post that the frame pivots off are likely bent in both vertical and horizontal access... Provided your screen is in the correct position i would guess by the photos you need to adjust the pivot arm to go down and in at the bottom and bring the top rail edge a bit back and down... Its lots ofnfun fiddling... It happens when people force the top frame down trying to fold the top.... Been guilty myself when in a rush

 

[rixter]

Twoput,

Where is the glass top edge when fully raised with respect to the quarter light top? Your photos could indicate that the glass is just not raising high enough as per the adjustment stop as explained by others. On my soft top and on many others I have seen, the velcro overlap onto the rail velcro falls a bit short of what I would like in some spots near the windshield end and near the hinged end, but is ok on the rest of the rail. Here are photos at the top of the glass near the center of the window and at the quarter light where you can see the glass can be raised just above the quarter light top edge due to the curved edge of the glass at this spot. The track prevents it from going up any further than this. If it is up this far on yours and you are not reaching the rails, then the rails could be bent. Also common are distorted hinge tabs at the B pillars. These can easily get bent and worse, twisted. You have to be real careful lowering and raising the soft top. In my case, a previous owner did the soft top install incorrectly by putting the soft top inner side flaps under the two shorter trim pieces. Photo 3 is what results in addition to bending the frame and hinge tabs.

Rick

 

[Twoputt]

thanks Rick, I will have a look and compare your photos to the car. I sent the photos to a top manufacturer and his comments were that it didn't appear to be the right or correct top for the Sunbeam. He assures me his top is made to Sunbeam specs.

 

[Tom H]

Twoputt, Maybe post a picture of the hinge at the B-Post, taken from inside. Distortion and bending of the arm that the lower end of the side frame attaches to is a very common problem..

 

[Tim R]

Can you post a photo of the side glass at the front where it meets the quarter light?

 

[Twoputt]

Here are 4 photos, 2 of each side. It sure appears that the top may not be the right one given the way the corners fit or don't fit

 

[65beam]

The top is correct. It wasn't installed correctly. Installing these tops requires a lot of stretching and this can only be done after the frame and windows are set to fit right. You'll find there will always be wrinkles on the sides behind the door windows and the rear window. I have always used Robbins tops and they fit good.

 

[Tom H]

From your pictures it appears that the primary "fit" problem is between the glass and the frame. Like 65Beam says '''this can only be done after the frame and windows are set to fit right". I think your problem is at the B post hinge.

Tom

 

[Twoputt]

in your opinion is this fixable through adjustments? thanks!

 

[Tom H]

Twoputt, Maybe post a picture of the hinge at the B-Post, taken from inside. Distortion and bending of the arm that the lower end of the side frame attaches to is a very common problem. Rebending the arm on the hinge is difficult, but if that's where the problem is maybe replacing the hinges is the easiest fix

 

[Twoputt]

Here are a couple of interior photos, anything stand out?
thanks so much for your time!

 

[65beam]

Not sure what the white piece with the bolt is but it's not supposed to be there. The top frame is also setting very high from where it should be.

 

[Twoputt]

Can you send me a comparable picture of yours so I can see the difference? thanks

 

[Tom H]

Good catch, Beam!! I did not see that. Twoputt, it seems that the vertical of the frame sets a bit high above the chrome cap on the B-Post. And it may have something to do with that non -original white plastic piece withe the bolt going down thru it. Here is a picture of somebody's car showing what that chrome piece should look like and how close the bottom of the frame vertical is to that chrome piece.

 

[Twoputt]

the white cap with what appears to be a bolt is actually the chrome gas cap on a lawn mower in the background. I don't see where any adjustment can be made to the vertical frame where it sits on the chrome base, am I missing something? thanks all!!

 

[DanR]

Looks a s if there is too much space between the frame and the B post!

What are the measurements/spacing/distance between?

 

[Tom H]

No, there is no "adjustment". You may need to bend some steel on the arm. like I did on mine. but it is not clear to me exactly where you would bend it. It's a very complex set of bends in the piece and not easily reshaped. But it is easily bent out of shape when raising and lowering the top, if one is not careful to be sure all the pivoting occurs at the pivot points. Otherwise you have great leverage as you raise or lower the top and can easily bend the arm out of shape. As Dan asks, how large is the gap between the bottom of the bottom of the frame and the chrome top of the B-Post? My guess is that the gap is about the same as the gap between the top of the top of the window (at the back edge) and the frame/ seal.

Tom

 

[65beam]

If you look close it appears the hinge may not be setting in the slot of the B post cap. That would hold the top frame up off the body. Probably due to the top fabric being installed wrong.

 

[Acollin]

On the wiper motor: I have had a number of project cars over the years and a number of them had wiper motors that did not work initially.
Someone commented on congealed grease gumming up the works / poor grounding. For me, this has been the repeated cause of wiper motors not working. This is an ancient trick— I may have learned it in high school in the 60s when a local mechanic told me about it while I was working on my 1951 Packard.
*****My first cure attempted is repeating banging with the heal of my hand. First , flick the wiper switch to on. I suppose you could test for electrical continuity, but if things have not been messed with it should be OK. 10 or 12 solid raps will often free it up and it will work “ forever after”. You could try a dead blow hammer too. In theory this could “loosen congealed grease “ and also “ clear a ground of corrosion”. I do know that this caveman solution has worked for me on my series v and 1957 ranchero. I have not tried this because the rap always worked, but I would also consider applying some heat and I do not think it would take much to soften the congealed grease — a heat gun, hair drier or leaving a heating pad on it over night. I swear by the heal of the hand method!
Good luck
Andrew