Hard top wont fit.

[Living Legend]

I recently purchased a hard top from a 66 that Im trying to fit to my 73. I was told that the windshield frame to top bolt pattern was different but that everything else was the same. For whatever reason, it turned out the windshield frame was drilled to accept the ealier bolt pattern so I thought it was a go. So heres the problem. The top sits 3/4 of an inch from the windshield frame. The top is straight and as far as I can tell my windshield frame hasnt been chopped. Im afraid that if I unbolt the bed rails and bolt the windshield down first, then bolt the bedrails down that it would stress the top and crease or buckle it. Are tops swapable from 66-77? Or is there something wrong with my truck?

 

[SaddleUp]

Do you have a roll cage installed? It's not uncommon for the roll cage to suck up the middle of the Bronco when it is welded up which could cause this. Also make sure your body mounts are in good shape.

 

[Tito]

yeah, how are the door gaps, that would show if your Bronco is having a case of the bends. Doesnt take much to cause a 3/4 in gap. Do you have a new gasket to put in there, those gaskets are pretty thick!

 

[Living Legend]

SaddleUp the roll cage is bolted in, and body mounts all seem to be decent.

PDXBronco Sadly I dont have any doors atm to judge this. The gasket seems to be right (not trailer tape) but isnt very thick.

 

[SaddleUp]

SaddleUp the roll cage is bolted in, and body mounts all seem to be decent.

PDXBronco Sadly I dont have any doors atm to judge this. The gasket seems to be right (not trailer tape) but isnt very thick.

Bolted in doesn't matter. If it was welded together (Front legs, etc.) after it was bolted in then chances are it sucked up in the center. I was talking this over with Rob (Crab Cages) a while back and they have to account for this when they are building cages.

 

[Tito]

sounds like there has been some body sag. What style cage 4 point, 6? Does it bolt down to the front floors? if so, unbolting the front floors and bolting the windshield to the top first may work. Have you kinda tugged on the top to see if there is much give. 3/4 isnt too much.

 

[Living Legend]

Its a 6 point ProtoFab (I believe) roll cage. Bolted in.

 

[Living Legend]

Have you kinda tugged on the top to see if there is much give. 3/4 isnt too much.

It didnt want to give that much, Im afraid that if I was to force it that it could crease the top.

 

[Scoop]

It didnt want to give that much, Im afraid that if I was to force it that it could crease the top.

You might try loosening all the bolts on the cage and then try fitting the top. Maybe get everything started then tighten everything down slowly. It might pull everything back into alignment.

If it still causes too much stress on the top, I would tighten the top first and then shim the cage to fit.

 

[SaddleUp]

You might try loosening all the bolts on the cage and then try fitting the top. Maybe get everything started then tighten everything down slowly. It might pull everything back into alignment.

If it still causes too much stress on the top, I would tighten the top first and then shim the cage to fit.

I would suggest the same. Might also be able to get by with only loosening the bolts on the center hoop.

 

[Mark]

A 3/4" gap is not much.
When I put my hardtop back on each fall and have everything lined up on the bed rails, there is about a one inch gap between the windshield frame top and the hardtop.
Do what Scoop suggested and I think you'll be good to go.

 

[scsm76]

If you have no doors, your windshield may just be leaned back to much.

 

[Livinglegend]

Thx for all the help, going to try to loosen the top and roll cage and see what happens.

 

[Flash69]

If you have no doors, your windshield may just be leaned back to much.

Highly possible.

 

[Bitch'nBronco]

I have a top from a '75 on my '67. Not many of the holes matched. The windshield frame had been drilled to fit a leter style top. If you had a '67 windshield frame then the frame is a bolt on rather than a weld on. So I just got strips of steel and drilled them to match and bolter 'er down. This worked as a shim and the windshield was sitting where it was supposed to. I also retrofitted some '74 doors to the '67 and they fit right where they were supposed to. So, can they fit together? Yes. Is it easy? No. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Bitch'nBronco]

Or you could get a fat kid to sit on the top while you bolt it down, and pay him off with a ho ho.

 

[Livinglegend]

Thx guys. I unbolted the roll cage and that seemed to help just enough to get the top bolted down.

 

[Scoop]

Thx guys. I unbolted the roll cage and that seemed to help just enough to get the top bolted down.

I love happy endings!

Glad to hear it worked.

 

[Potshot]

Yeah, I'd hate to have wasted the Ho Ho. Those things RULE.

 

[Socal Tom]

I recently purchased a hard top from a 66 that Im trying to fit to my 73. I was told that the windshield frame to top bolt pattern was different but that everything else was the same. For whatever reason, it turned out the windshield frame was drilled to accept the ealier bolt pattern so I thought it was a go. So heres the problem. The top sits 3/4 of an inch from the windshield frame. The top is straight and as far as I can tell my windshield frame hasnt been chopped. Im afraid that if I unbolt the bed rails and bolt the windshield down first, then bolt the bedrails down that it would stress the top and crease or buckle it. Are tops swapable from 66-77? Or is there something wrong with my truck?

Tilt the windsheild up until it matches the top. My guess is that the windsheild is just leaningback too far.
Tom