Trying to place a 1955 Thunderbird soft top on studs

[37 Coupe]

I hope someone can help me or give me pointers on this problem I ran into today.Trying to put the soft top into car that came with it. It is a '57 top but I was under the impression it will fit as is. The two swing arm"feet" will not align with the four studs in place on floor. Slots in feet are off about 1/2". Were the four stud placements different on '55 than '57? Is it a tight fit and do you need springs removed to lessen tension so feet will move somewhat? One spring was off when I got it but I placed it back on on the bench,real ***** to attach.What am I missing? I thought it would just drop on the studs.?Thanks fo any ideas.

 

[55blacktie]

I would post your question on one of the Tbird forums. I can tell you, however, if you're not careful, you'll end up breaking one/more of the studs. When I inherited my 55, even though the soft top was in place and had been used while my dad was alive, one of the studs was loose and one broken. This happens often enough that Gil Baumgartner (CTCI, Gil's Garage) addressed it in the CTCI Thunderbird Restoration Specifications and Details Manual. The bottom of each stud is spot-welded to the frame. It's not accessible without raising/removing the body. You need a 90-degree drill/attachment, drill the stud out from the top, and tap it for a new stud. If you need specific instructions, send PM, and I'll provide details. As far as the loose stud is concerned, I forced epoxy putty into the hole, around the stud.

Although there are slight differences between 55-57 Tbird soft tops, they are interchangeable.

 

[miker98038]

I can’t answer your question directly. But I remember having some sort of similar problem with the swing arm 20 years ago when I put my soft top on. Which is a 57 frame on a 55 bird. I changed the back hold downs. But everything on the soft top and swing arm is a pita to get into alignment. IIRC, I installed the swing arm with the springs in place, but the top not attached. Every adjustment you make throws something else off, and you keep going in circles to get everything lined up.