MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES
No. 191
June 30, 1960
TO ALL ROOTES GROUP DEALERS
SOFT TOP ASSEMBLY – SUNBEAM ALPINE
A number of instances have been brought to our attention where Dealers and owners have found the soft top assembly very difficult to erect feeling that the soft top assembly fabric has been cut too short and will not sufficiently reach the header panel and give sufficient compression at the header panel to ensure against water leaks at this location, not to mention the difficulty in fastening the hold down hasps on either side.
When cases of this nature are encountered it is suggested that the rivets in the secondary bow which attaches to the primary bow at the waist moulding be removed allowing the secondary bow to drop down. The Convertible soft top cover assembly should then be fastened properly to the header panel and the hasps adjusted for sufficient compression. The secondary bow then should be trussed back up to its original position when it can easily be seen new holes should be drilled in the secondary bow approximately 3/8″ above the existing rivet holes and new rivets should be installed. This action will give sufficient relief to the soft top assembly to facilitate relatively less difficult fitting, especially in the case of women drivers.
It should also be noted that the zippers as fitted to early production units should not be zipped or unzipped when the Convertible top cover is fastened to the header panel. Such action puts an undue strain on the zippers and readily tears them out. All owners should be fully instructed that the zipper should not be operated until the soft top assembly has been released from the header panel.
In cases where the zippers do become torn it is possible to effect a modification to the top cover assembly similar to our current production models which eliminates completely the zipper. This can be accomplished by:
1) Remove the existing zipper.
2) Sew to the existing zipper location a double-skinned piece of black vinyl cloth similar to the soft top cover color.
3) Install within the double-skinned thickness welting the length of the periphery of the belt rail rear quarter section, making certain the welting is sewn on either side as evidenced in the sketch attached in such a manner that when the soft top stowage panels are put back in place the side stowage panel top cover compresses against the welting making an adequate water seal at the belt rail periphery.
There is also sufficient material on the top cover assembly to install two (2) dot fasteners to the body at the suggested points indicated in the sketch attached which should then render the modification quite acceptable.
Should there be any question with regard to this suggested modification and you will contact this office we shall be pleased to give you the benefit of our thinking.
Kindly bring the foregoing to the attention of all concerned.
ROOTES MOTORS INCORPORATED
F.J. McGettrick
Manager
Wholesale Parts & Service Depts.
——————————————————————————–
SUNBEAM ALPINE SOFT TOP ASSEMBLY
SUGGESTED MODIFICATION – SECONDARY BOW
To Relieve Soft Top Tension for Easier Closure.
1. Remove secondary bow C to main bow D attaching rivets A right hand side and left hand side.
2. Fasten soft top cover assembly to windshield header panel and secure with attaching hasps making sure of adequate compression of soft top cover header weatherstrip to windshield frame.
3. Adjust secondary bow to approximately same location on soft top cover as before making certain maximum play is removed from cover assembly without being drum tight when it can be determined where the rivet relocation holes can be drilled in the secondary bow B using as a guide the existing rivet holes in the main bow, both right hand and left hand sides.
It will be noted the distance between centers of the existing and relocated holes in the secondary bow (A – B) should be approximately 3/8″.
4. Refit new rivets.
Approximate modification time 1.5 hours.
——————————————————————————–
SUGGESTED MODIFICATION REPLACING ZIPPERS
SUNBEAM ALPINE CONVERTIBLE
SOFT TOP COVER ASSEMBLY
1. Remove top cover.
2. Remove torn zipper sections from top cover as well as from periphery of belt molding.
3. Fabricate double skinned vinyl strips approximately 2-7/8″ wide and 20″ long and insert 5/8″ welting the length of the strips between the skins and stitch on either side of welting to assure positive location. Note: Welting should be so located that when the side hood stowage panels are pressed in the closed position the edge of the stowage panel that abuts the body waist molding will compress against and atop the welting at all points along the periphery of the body waist.
4. The fabricated vinyl panels should then be sewn to the soft top cover assembly in the same location as was the previous zipper.
5. To insure removal of all soft top cover wrinkles which may present themselves in the locations of the rear quarter and rear vinyl windows, two dot fasteners should be installed on each side of the soft top cover with the reciprocal portion of the fastener installed in the outer body metal – per sketch attached.