CR's body dimensions for soft top bows

[Double Venom]

Sorry to take an extra day....things happen!









Size calls for a fraction over 3/8's inch. If you do it right (not in the book) cut 6 pieces of 3/8's stainless tubing about 3"s long. Nerl the outside of the tubing, you can use a cut off wheel or even a grinder, and gouge up the outside of the tubes well. Next use marglass/duraglass, or some type of strong body puddy, cover the outside of the tubes and force them into all six holes for the bows. LEAVE about a 1/4" above the fiberglass, when hard grind off the the tubes that are sticking up above the fiberglass. Carefully! Then you can finish off the top when all the body work is being done. Don't worry about getting paint inside the now inserted tubes, when your done painting it is easy to run a dremel or the likes inside the tubes to clean and polish them. I actually drill all the way through the body holes to allow drainage.

ITAL, you do have blocks of wood glued/fiberglassed below the surface of the body/doors where the bows go-no?

I'll follow up with door measurements as soon as they are mounted.
DV

[Ital-cobra]

Hi DV
I have no wood in the doors or in the body where the bows go, should I put some? I guess this would be for support Right!


Thanks DV for your help

[Double Venom]

Ital-
Was your body made in Canada? SHAME ON THEM FOR NOT PUTTING IN THE WOOD BLOCKS! Yes, definately glue-fiberglass some wood blocks in. These are what will remove the stress of the top and window bows pulling against the fiberglass. about 2"s wide, 3"'s long and 3"s deep. Measurements are not exact but this will give you an idea. Once you have the door inside panels cut out they are pretty easy to do. The two on the rear body are the tougher ones, but they will go in, just do not glue in the rear wheel tubs until the body is being mounted and the wood blocks are installed.
DV

[Ital-cobra]

thanks DV for your help

[Ital-cobra]

DV my body came from Bill Emerson I dont think he use's tops in his neck of the woods

[Double Venom]

Hmmmm,
I'll have to talk to Bill about this!
DV
PS. Do you understand the info./measurements except for the doors of course?

[Ital-cobra]

DV Got it, I understand.....I'm not as stupid as I am

[Ital-cobra]

Hey DV cant get to the rear bow attachment area..... already glassed in if I make a hole large enough and fill it with fiberglass kitty hair ....do you think that will be strong enough?

Joseph

[Double Venom]

fella,
I'm sorry I missed your post yesterday. Just how talented in body work are you? Well I'll tell you what I do and have done then leave it all to you.

I use a straight air saw, like a sabre saw but this entire thing, tool included is horizontally long. ( About 10"'s and is used by a lot of fiberglass shops.) I start about an inch below the top of the body curve-inside- and cut approximately a three and one half inch slot, from the end and the begining of this lot I then cut upwards to and through the body. Straight on each end. I thin continue to cut the body around the outer curve of the rear fender, going downward about four inches. Doing this to the other end of the cut you have made, take it down to it's level with your first cut. Now cut straight across again and remove this square block you just cut. with this removed you can actually glass in a block of wood, put it all back together again and duraglass or mar glass it back in place. Now you have the rear wood block support taken car of and you wont have to worry about the top breaking the glass-which it will eventually do! I do not think kitty hair is the way to go here.

Clear as mud?
DV
PS.- start your rear cut from the door jamp about 1/4" away- toward the rear end!

[Ital-cobra]

DV I'm pretty good with body work