[alanmay0]

I have recently purchased a 1967 GTO convertible. At that time all the weather stripping on the car needed to be replaced. We removed the door glass and vent windows, We had the vent window frame re chromed and we replaced the passenger side window due to scratches in it. We also replaced the front windshield. Yesterday we replaced the convertible top molding that runs along the sides of the top. This is the molding that the windows roll up into. As you know the vent windows only fit in the door one way. It is bolted to the door by a bold on the door that you only have access to by opening the door. (see photo).
The door windows only roll up so far. When they hit the top of the vent window frame that is it. All windows are flush along the top. They can't roll up any more.
So in the pictures provided you can see that the windows are rolled up all the way and straight across but there is a large gap between the top and the windows on both sides of the car. It was not this way a couple of months ago when I drove the car to Texas from Florida. I can not figure out why the gap. There is no way to get the windows up any further as you can see.
So I am hoping that some one on this website can come up with a solution and help me out..
Thank you
Aloan

[Murf]

I’m sure you already have but check & make sure it’s latched correctly. On my wife’s 65 you can have it where it seems right but it’s not. Looks like a kinda huge gap though. Are you sure the weatherstrip for the sides is the correct part? Seems like it’s easy to get the wrong parts anymore.

Good luck
Murf


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[tjs72lemans]

I was going to ask if the seals were compared to old ones and correct.

[1965gp]

It doesn’t look like the top is all the way up to me- could something be holding it back?

[The Champ]

Do you have the top latched down up front? It looks like it's sitting too high on top of the windshield in front in photo #5. If you don't have it latched down, it will sit high like the photo shows. Once latched down, it will drop down about an inch - which looks like what you need to happen.

[John Milner]

It certainly looks like the front that goes against your windshield is not pulled down far enough. There is a picture of mine that shows the area pulled down against the windshield area. As was said, if the latch isn't pulled all the way down, it will sit about an inch higher.

[gto4evr]

as other's have said, your latches are not engaged that lock the top down and pull it down further

[alanmay0]

No the top is not latched down. I can assure you that when the top is latched there is not much difference. Still have about 2 inches gap.

[6869GTO]

I'd bet your weatherstrips are a bit too long, binding up the top frame. I had to grind and fit my replacements one at a time , taking material off the ends where they meet. Fit them with the windows down and top latched.

[squidtone]

I have been through the process of aligning freshly installed windows, new top, and new weather stripping on a 67 GTO. It was all new, so no references were intact and I had to go through the whole thing. I will say that the Fisher body manual was a great help in doing these alignments.

As for your situation, I agree it doesn't seem possible to have that kind of gap by just removing and replacing the vent window frames and door windows. If you are truly seeing a 2 inch gap, I can't imagine that something else didn't get moved, or disturbed.

Did the header weatherstrip get replaced with an overly thick piece and someone adjusted the clamps to compensate?

Did the frame get disturbed where it bolts to the "tub"? Maybe the hardware is loose and something moved?
There are several degrees of freedom for adjustability that can get the top closer to the top of the windows:

Loosening the three main bolts on the "male hinges" (the rams are attached to these) will allow you to move the frame lower, and closer to the top of the windows. This won't help much at the front near the header.

Adjusting the control link will allow the angle between the two forward-most frame rails to be adjusted to bring the hinge of those two rails (each side) closer to the top of the windows...at the risk of the hinge point appearing to sag a little bit.

It's possible to unbolt the header from the frame rails and put in some shims to "drop" the frame rails closer to the tops of the windows.

And of course the door windows have adjustable stops...you may be surprised how much you can move the windows up and the rubber at the top of the vent window channel will absorb (stretch) to the higher window position with no problem.

Good luck!

[alanmay0]

Hello and thanks for your information. The funny thing is I drove this car from Florida to Texas and the top fit the windows fine. The top was closed during the time we were installing the went windows. We had the frame re chromed. We also replaced the passenger door glass due to scratches. Also the front windshield was replaced. As you know the vent windows fit in a specific place. There is the bolt that holds the vent window frame in place. This bolt is located on the inside of the door. You have to open the door to get to it. Then there is the long screw that goes though the top of the door metal just below the window glass. Then there is one more screw that goes through the hinge side of the door, for lack of a better descriptions. So it seems to me that there is no up and down wiggle room for the vent window frame. I could be wrong. We did replace the weather stripping on the top itself, the one that fits on top of the windows and the glass should roll up into it. We made no adjustments to the top proper. I know we can get the door glass to go higher up but now it stops at the top of the vent window where there is weather stripping with a little lip where the door glass is suppose to stop. I dont know what you mean "did the frame get disturbed where it bolts to the tub"?

Adjusting the control link will allow the angle between the two forward-most frame rails to be adjusted to bring the hinge of those two rails (each side) closer to the top of the windows...at the risk of the hinge point appearing to sag a little bit. Again dont quite understand what you are talking about. never had a convertible before. maybe a picture or two would help me out.

It's possible to unbolt the header from the frame rails and put in some shims to "drop" the frame rails closer to the tops of the windows. dont know exactly what you are talking about. maybe a picture or two would help me.
thanks again for you information. I hope you will be able to sent me a couple pictures to help me out
alan

[tjs72lemans]

Did you recheck your old weatherstrip to the new to see if the same? It seems the vent window should have some up and down adjustment, but I'm not familiar with your year. If the vent won't go up higher due to the weatherstrip, the weatherstrip front corner may be the issue. Hopefully the vent frame you sent out to get re-chromed came back as the one you sent out!?

[squidtone]

Alan,
I agree the vent window can only go in one way...the only adjustment is the lower mount and the only adjusts the "tumblehome" of the fit, not the height.


The things I mentioned in my response yesterday basically are extreme measures that involve adjusting the convertible top frame.


Assuming your frame has not been disturbed before your resto work, I can only think you'll have to slog through comparing your new parts with known originals, or known good parts on a car that is "in spec".


What I can do is, within a few days, get a few basic measurements of my top frame in relation to the tops of the doors. At least this could be a starting point to see if anything on your car seems way different.


Dave

[alanmay0]

yes i did check the old against the new and there is no difference other than the old in dry and cracked.
thanks
alan

[squidtone]

alan,
okay. I uncovered my slumbering goat, and took a couple measurements.

Using a tape measure placed on the outside stainless trim on top of the door (window) opening, following the rear of the door window upward, I measure 14.5 inches to the top of the fully closed door window.

From there, the top frame of the convertible top (the underside of the metal frame) is about 5/8 inch above the top of the window.

The same type of measurement at the front of the door window, basically the vent window vertical post to the top of the channel where the rubber cap is, is about 14..5 inches also. And the underside of the top frame is about 1/2 inch up from there. Hope this helps (at least as a data point for you)