[Michael C Henry]

I usually over think these things and frequently am still surprised but yet something I hadn't considered. The tool s that I have and think might be used are a Fostner bit and a Dremel with a squared end bit. Heck I hadn't looked at the EM ferrules before and just now noticed the blind ends. I've had the soft top, side curtains, front bows and inside hoop for the soft top, and all the hardware ( snaps and lift dot fasteners )for about 19 years now and noticed the square shouldered heads and blind ends. I figured that the blind ends on the ferrules were there by reason they're meant to carry the weight or force of the side curtain and not have the fabric pinched hard between the side curtain inner frame and the top of the ferrule. At the time anything EM said was SS was SS. and stainless isn't as shinny as chrome but is forever, I'm thinking that if the first ferrule is SS then I may be able to turn the edges of the squared shoulder head with the threaded body chucked in to the drill press with a flat file and then smooth and polish with abrasive cloth. I've never done a soft top and my original 56 AC never had any side curtains. It has been 42 years since I had that car. Heck when I left LA in June of 71 I hadn't put the soft top on before. I got caught in rain and drove for a while leaning forward and inward until I stopped at a truck weigh station got completely soaked putting the soft top on the car, I didn't know about the two little feet on the front bows front center,that engage the top of the wind shield top frame. The soft top material stretched between the front bow frames and I ruined the soft top. Remember ata boys are great until the aw **** and you start over.