Progress Thread Pete is checking out these valve covers

I did that job just last march. My big mistakes that made the job less than perfect are I didn't get the pocket seated properly in the sail panels and I didn't stretch it tight enough on the front bow. It is super difficult getting every last wrinkle out of those tops. And the 300 bolts behind the back seat that need to be torqued just right. What a crappy job!! I switched to black from the original white as can be seen before and after.
 

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I am concerned about the finale pull. You have to put a box between the windshield and the top. About 18 inches , staple it up and close the top. This should all come together tight. We will see. I have to really see how much pull Im going to get. The more the better. I got the movie on how , but your still really on your own.
 
That final pull is where I kind of messed up - pull it as tight as you can, mark it with chalk or whatever and then add another half inch to an inch. One day I'll remove the weatherstrip and yank it a bit further but for now its functional. Good luck.
 
oh ya one final pointer on that final tug - not just tight but straight towards the windshield. If its crooked it wont cover as far down to the door windows as it should exposing some of the convertible framing
 
So you would say one inch maybe. Or three quarters. It needs to be tight. Iv been redoing if its not right. I think thats its going to have some small imperfections. Hopefully very small. Local price was $1600. 00 .Tops on line price $250.00. The name of the game is do it yourself. Now I need some plastic Equate cylinder heads.
 
Yeah go an inch, worst case scenario you can always relieve tension at the end below the window. This is definitely a case of you only get one shot if you trim too much excess material. Be careful here
 
Almost done with the top. Waiting for the glue to dry on the header , and the sides. The secret on getting everything tight was to staple the header while its halfway up , .and really short it. Maybe a little more than an inch. Then close it. You gotta really push it down then latch it. I never thought it was going to get tight and crease free. Drives me crazy though , handprints and such are hard to get off. Still have to staple on the round canvas sealer in the front. And the classic thing across the back bow that has the stainless ends. I couldnt control myself because I hadnt driven in three weeks . So I went to the church for a dog walk, and some pics. A $250.00 mod that most convertible people could do.
 

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It worked out real good . Mostly got lucky on some things. Worked each side well after your suggestion. Also really cut the top short at the header. Nice and tight with very minimal waves. Anybody should consider doing it themselves. If you fox is your hobby , then your obliged to do it yourself. Next is heads . Im thinking ProMaxx maybe. Something Iv never done before , and Im very nervous about . But read about over and over . I only have about eight hours in that top. Thanks for looking. Glad I have a foxbody , and you guys are great......
 
Took the car to Siesta Key here in Sarasota this morning. If you ever dreamed of moving here house prices are high, and rents are even higher. Pay is low unless your in the medical field.
 

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Beaches are free , but parking is a real problem . The population has more than doubled in seven years. Its illegal to stand in a parking spot until the car gets there. People do it and fights break out all the time. Beaches fill up by ten in the morning while thousands are still on there way. Sarasota has gotten filled with rude people. It used to be so nice. All the yankees moving here to fast have changed the balance of things.There are maybe ten large apartment complexes just built and they fill up in a week. Rents go from $1600=$24000 and twelve bucks an hour is a good pay. Its a house of cards , and Im waiting for it to fall. No welfare in Florida is what I like. When they go down , they go down hard .
 
Nice job on your top! Can I bring you mine now?? :jester: :hide:

I have a new top for mine that I was going to install but decided that it would probably be better that someone else does it. I can just see my blood pressure going through the roof on more than one occasion if I were to try and tackle it myself. Besides, I'm thinking about not using the top I have now and going with a different color. I bought a black top but the more I think about it I think I want to go with a tan top to match my interior.
 
Beaches are free , but parking is a real problem . The population has more than doubled in seven years. Its illegal to stand in a parking spot until the car gets there. People do it and fights break out all the time. Beaches fill up by ten in the morning while thousands are still on there way. Sarasota has gotten filled with rude people. It used to be so nice. All the yankees moving here to fast have changed the balance of things.There are maybe ten large apartment complexes just built and they fill up in a week. Rents go from $1600=$24000 and twelve bucks an hour is a good pay. Its a house of cards , and Im waiting for it to fall. No welfare in Florida is what I like. When they go down , they go down hard .
Exactly why I left.
 
Nice job on your top! Can I bring you mine now?? :jester: :hide:

I have a new top for mine that I was going to install but decided that it would probably be better that someone else does it. I can just see my blood pressure going through the roof on more than one occasion if I were to try and tackle it myself. Besides, I'm thinking about not using the top I have now and going with a different color. I bought a black top but the more I think about it I think I want to go with a tan top to match my interior.
Tan would be nice on that sweet car. Nice contrast , and a one of a kind look. Not that you need that because your car is one of a kind.
 
Thanks, but are we talking about the same car? :rlaugh:
My 87 GT convertible started life as a cabernet car. Going off of the Mustang GT registry website it is one of 112 with the beige interior. I think it came from the factory with the black top, but I'm not 100% on that. I'm not taking it back to stock regardless, but I am going to keep the beige interior. I haven't fully decided on a paint color, but I've been leaning toward an emerald or forest green OR a dark blue, like navy blue or something. It just seems to me that a top that matches the interior would compliment the car much better than a standard black top.
 
Exactly why I left.

Visited my wife’s Aunt and Uncle there, probably about ten years ago now (wow time flies). Anyway, they live near the Sarasota mall and they took us to Siesta Key. Really is a beautiful beach. Such a shame to hear it’s gone that way. Hung out at a place called O’Leary’s right on the water a few nights also. Real cool place.... hope that’s still there!