Ron, Marjo and Matthew

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

The other parts did tweak up a bit. So they will need to be straightened up in the correct plane. Was the top being lowered or raised when it bound up? Looks like it was going up to me....


John Q.

[rogerh]

Matthew,
I looked in the 55-58 Parts book, and the answer is
YES,
the assembly (three bars riveted together, as John's picture shows) is the same for Ply and Dod 1957, 58, 59.

Help me remember: when the book says "lefthand", does that mean Driver's Side?
I think you are going to find it easiest to have the part custom-made. Perhaps John Quinn knows of a shop that could copy his driver's side link. Then all you'd have to do is rivet it all together.
I dont know why the receipt is not in the trunk. Either I still have it here (in storage, ugh or I threw it away. I am thinking it was a place called Convertible Top Specialties...one of two Florida-based companies that advertise regularly in WPC Magazine.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

The left hand is the drivers side and the part number end in Odd numbers when it is on the left (drivers side) and even numbers are the right side (passenger side) Orientation is always from the position of the driver in the front seat for right to left designations.

Matthew, if you don't have access to repair facility to duplicate that part I could start looking around for someone with a Plasma torch and HD vise to make the main part. Then you could pin it together out there. Have no idea how much but will get a quote on it if you wish.


John Q.

[Matthew Keij]

Johnny, if you could do that you will make me very happy! And the top was going up indeed.

Also i emailed Big M, maybe he has something in stock. With thanks to Roger i know that 57-58-59 are all the same

[rogerh]

John Fowlie is a good one to know about this set-back. He has his '59 Ply cvt in pieces, he has access to LOTS of parts, and he has lots of contacts. He no doubt knows someone who can make your part(s).
He will need to know precisely WHICH parts need to be made...(it is not absolutely clear to me from the photos what was damaged or broken.)

[rogerh]

Convertible Top Specialists is in Floral City, FL.
Not sure I got the parts from them.
Bo Malefors in Phoenix, AZ was collecting all the 57-9 cvts he could find some years back.
He doesn't like to sell anything, however.

[big m]

I received Matthew's photos, and have a few boxes of spare convertible parts to look through.

If I do not have it, Jeff Cartere of JC restorations may have it.

---John

[rogerh]

I will email Jeff.

[big m]

Sorry to report, Matthew, but I was not able to come up with the part you need. If you have both pieces, I would check with a local welder on repairing it.

---John

[Matthew Keij]

Thanks for looking John F!

If you find something out there please let me know. I prefer to replace it than welding it.
Or i can use John Q's linkage

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Matthew, Do you want me to proceed in having that part fabricated here? I am in the process of finding the correct thickness of the steel and then have a buddy plasma cut out the shape and then using mine as a check template, doing all the bends an twist on it.

Just to make sure we are talking about the right section, in the picture I posted with the assembly in a basket, it is the long part with the other two smaller irons attached to it, Right?

John Q.

[rogerh]

John, you are a great friend to take up this cause.
Of course you will need Matthew to tell you exactly which pieces need replacing; however, from the pics, it looks to be one broken piece and one severely bent piece.
Looks to me that if that one bent piece were straightened, it would break, thus I think they need at least TWO pieces.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Roger, you are proabably right on that one piece that is bent up so badly, It may have weakened it a bit. I will make paper templates of the pieces individually. I don't want to mess up with my rivited sections but can work around the rivit.

Lets see of young Matthew can tell me what parts he wants me to have made for him. Glad I had not assembled my top yet but was going to do so soon, but will hold off for a month till I have these parts duplicated for the Keijs.

John Q.

[rogerh]

As I said, just my carpenter's opinion....someone wise in the ways of metalworking might be able to heat this part, then hammer it back straight all the while maintaining its integrity. If it were in my hands, it would break!
It is bent in TWO places, and the bend at the pivot looks pretty severe..........

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

The pivot area would be major pinchpoint and just bind up again. You sure you are not a Tool and Die guy?

I am going to take this over to a fab guy tomorrow and see what he thinks.

John Q.