Cab Top Curl - Engine lid opening

[Chris Lovell]

The back edge of the Cab roof has curled up. The engine lids hits the fabric. The curl looks lousy as well. Pictures of the curl are below. Does anyone have a suggestion how I can "encourage" the material to lay flat. It seems as if a stiffener of some kind could be sewn into the fabric to eliminate the curl, or maybe just glue it down. Thoughts?

[JeremyD]

eliminates lift at high speed - you don't need no stinking tail!

(mine does that too...)

[Sonic dB]

Happens on my car too... I learned to live with it and I suggest you do the same.

Either that, or never change the oil, or do anything else in the engine compartment.

[widebody911]

Mine does not do that. You can adjust the top in that area by loosing up the allen bolts across the bottom of the back window and sliding the top up a bit. Or you can increase the gap at the top of the engine lid.

[WydRyd]

Mine's done the same too

[john walker's workshop]

the fabric is glued under the rear holddown hoop. the farther the fabric is pulled under, the more the outer lip is angled downward, tight against the body.

[Chris Lovell]

JW advises to release the hold down loop and pull the fabric under and then reinstall. And Widebody911 says release the allen bolts holding the hoop to relieve some fabric tension.
Can anyone give me advice on specifically how to release the hoop and reinstall? As all Cab owners know, documentation on repairing/adjusting these tops is hard to find or non-existent.

I'll miss the rear spoiler effect but it'll look better.

[JeremyD]

I guess mine has not gotten that bad to mess with it yet - I just push the first few inches as I am raising - and bam - fine.

I would be interested in having some sort of documentation to fix the issue - doesn't look like it will get better - only worse - and yes, info on the cabs can be more rare than Jack Olsen thread without a picture of BBII (just kidding Jack!)

[trj911]

Mine has the same problem although it hasn't gotten any worse over the years. Like the rest of you, I have to be careful opening the engine cover so I don't fold the edge backwards. JW's fix sounds logical to me. I'll give it a try this weekend.

[john walker's workshop]

the fix only works if the stitching hasn't rotted above the edge beading.

[3.2 CAB]

John is correct about the rotted stitching, it could also be the seams have loosened up or have gotten torn from the lid pulling up on the edge. The rear hoop or bow the fabric is applied to has three bolts that hold the loop in place just below the window, and there is one bolt on each side where the side curtains meet the body, there is a rubber seal under all this to keep water out. You should be able to loosen the 3 bolts at the rear, I don't recomend totally removing them because they are a real pain to get back in. After they are loose you should be able to take enough slack out of the rear fabric to make the seam lay down better and closer to the body. I replaced my top a couple of years ago...it was a major PITA!!!! but it was worth it, loogs great. Engine lid clears the top always, but sometimes the lid will touch the boot.

[on-ramp]

trust me, it's more a pain to fix it.

just learn to live with it. I recently replaced my top and getting the window just right is PIA. you may fix the curling but end up making the back window full of wrinkles and waves.

[3.2 CAB]

By trying to make the curl lay down, would actually pull the window tighter. It is still attached at the top where the halves meet, it could only make the window flatter by trying to pull the fabric lower down.

[Waynec]

Did anyone ever find a good method or instructions on how to deal with this cab top curl? I have the same problem. I have loosened the alen bolts. The top gets looser but I can't adjust it. How do you remove the vinyl cover inside the car that is all around the allen bolts?