Need Hardtop Identification

[ProfessorB]

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So I'm an NCO (new Cobra owner) and after a few mechanical upgrades I am starting to play with the hard top. It came with the car but the seller knew nothing about it. It looks to be well-made and even cam with a storage rack (with casters) and a canvas storage cover. There appears to be two clips that I assume attach to the top of the windshield frame and some sort of window mounting hardware on the sides of the top (see pics). I see absolutely nothing in regards to fastening the rear (baffled by that). Can anybody provide any info? Thanks

[ProfessorB]

I should also mention that viewed from the front or the rear. The roof looks...ummm..."double humped" meaning the centerline of the roof (front to back) is lower (like a valley, for lack of a better word)

[65 Cobra Dude]

Professor, that’s an APE hardtop. The rear of the top is fastened just behind the doors with c-clamp type hardware. I’m sure someone will post some pics.

Henry

[CraigS]

Sorry for the lousy pics. At top of windshield.
DSCN0458.JPG
Sorry this is from the wrong angle. It just slides up to hook under the piece on the windshield frame and thumb wheels tighten to lock into position in the slots.
DSCN0459.JPG
I changed the side attachments to this style from an old Corvette
https://www.mamotorworks.com/corvett...ing-kit-632720
The kit I got had 2 of each. Use the top piece, washer, and nut to fasten to the body. This gives you a 1/4" coarse thread hole to thread a bolt through the APE top and into.
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I eventually used an old style carb air cleaner bolt which has wings on top to hand tighten it. There are no fasteners at the rear. In fact the side fasteners might be all that is needed. I had the passenger side windshield clip work loose once on the interstate and never noticed it until a rest stop. A pic of my FFR w/ APE top.
IMG_20140821_080016_232.jpg

[ProfessorB]

Sorry for the lousy pics. At top of windshield.
DSCN0458.JPG
Sorry this is from the wrong angle. It just slides up to hook under the piece on the windshield frame and thumb wheels tighten to lock into position in the slots.
DSCN0459.JPG
I changed the side attachments to this style from an old Corvette
https://www.mamotorworks.com/corvett...ing-kit-632720
The kit I got had 2 of each. Use the top piece, washer, and nut to fasten to the body. This gives you a 1/4" coarse thread hole to thread a bolt through the APE top and into.
dscn0457.JPG
I eventually used an old style carb air cleaner bolt which has wings on top to hand tighten it. There are no fasteners at the rear. In fact the side fasteners might be all that is needed. I had the passenger side windshield clip work loose once on the interstate and never noticed it until a rest stop. A pic of my FFR w/ APE top.
IMG_20140821_080016_232.jpg

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Thanks for all the help. You're right the pics aren't the best (LOL) but they sure do help. I can see the fastener on the "hip" of the body (and the kit for early Corvettes)....but I'm still trying to get my mind wrapped around how the fasteners attach the body....it's not like there is much of a lip on the bottom of the roof itself. I could use a pic of that if you happen to have that handy. (Another post mentions C-clamps....I'm having trouble picturing that as well). And a final question: the early Corvette kit shows 3 fasteners. How many anchor points are needed? Would two (one on each hip) be enough? Or do you have a suggestion on how many are needed and where they should be placed?
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Edit: Craig, I re-read your post and this time I see the part about only two fasteners being needed. (DUH !)

[ProfessorB]

Would you possibly have any pictures of this C-clamp method?

[65 Cobra Dude]

Google APE hardtop cobra for pics. There are some other novel ideas. I sold mine years ago with the car.

Henry

[ProfessorB]

So, I ordered the early Corvette kit as suggested by Craig and I will also try to do a few searches. Just curious now, what's my top worth anyway?

[65 Cobra Dude]

I paid $1400 for mine about 15-20yeara ago.

Henry

[CraigS]

..it's not like there is much of a lip on the bottom of the roof itself...
That is weird. Mine had a lip that was at least 1.5" wide. Something to check carefully when you drill for the Corvette parts. You should hang the side windows on the roof first. You can move the side of the top in and out and the window will follow along. What you want is to end up w/ the front top and bottom edges of the window parallel and flush w/ the windshield post.
IMG_20160714_075948233.jpg
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Then the sliding part can slip to the inside of the post.

[ProfessorB]

Well, I plan to re-check the thickness of the lip. I suppose it's a relative term and maybe I'm using the wrong standard. My other thing is that I'm trying to source something I call "static film"....it's kind of a thin clear film that "sticks" to paint without adhesive. If I can source that, I would put some down on the rear deck lid to protect the paint (I have some static film on the car already....serving as rock guards).
And finally, I don't have windows....this car is a new acquisition and came with top but without windows (or attaching hardware). I'm thinking I should get windows before decidng my "anchor points" on the rear deck

[CraigS]

Exactly what I did. Search for 'clear bra material'. Most places sell it precut to fit a specific car but many also sell it in a roll of different widths or by dimensions like 12"x48".

[ProfessorB]

Exactly what I did. Search for 'clear bra material'. Most places sell it precut to fit a specific car but many also sell it in a roll of different widths or by dimensions like 12"x48".

I HAVE found it (either by roll or by sheet) by Googling "clear static film" and it is also referred to as"non-adhesive" film. I'm wondering if some brands/thicknesses may be better than others. My rock guards are made of clear film and it is applied with no bubbles or wrinkles despite the compound curves of the body contour.

[Badfish]

I did the corvette ferrules based on guidance from other forum members. I did 3M clear film on the body to protect the paint.

My pics are scattered, but here’s a few. In the second can kind of see the clear film. I did it in strips. Not perfect, but gets the job done.

nIMRTPU.jpeg

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[Badfish]

Cross-forum posting… Here’s one of my hardtop threads, unfortunately most of the photos at the time were on PB:

https://www.ffcars.com/threads/got-m...17402/#replies

[CraigS]

You can search for reviews of clear bras and get a bunch of opinions on which material is best. Xpel and 3M are a couple that come to mind.

[ProfessorB]

Thanks Craig, yeah...I figure I'd try 3M first, based on the name recognition. I have the early Corvette fastener kit on order and starting to assemble other fasteners I'll need. At this point, I realized that I will need to source windows (I don't have them yet) to properly locate and adjust the windshield angle. That's what Jeff suggested. Only then can I install the rear fasteners. At least, that's what I'm thinking. Does anyone know where I can source some windows?

[CraigS]

I would go the other way. Dig up the measurement for the windshield to body, set your windshield, and make windows to fit. That way you are at the 'standard' angle just in case it matters in the future. On mine I may have fudged the angle slightly. I concentrated on making the leading edge of the top look reasonable compared to the back edge of the door.
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