MTFCA Forum

I’m installing the top bows on my 24 Touring for the first time…without any straps or anything tying them together…in preparation for the installation of the straps/pads/top.

I’m finding it to be near impossible to get the bows erected.

Should I tie them together first with some twine that mimics the length of the straps?

Don, I use thin timber laths to hold them where I want them. The first two hold the rear bow at the correct height and distance beyond the back panel. Then two more full length ones are tacked under the bows, from that fixed back one to the fixed one at the windscreen. Then I can set the intermediate bows in their correct positions and tack the laths to them. With the laths tacked on the underside, it leaves the topside free to fit any fabric straps and the side bags.
This means you are not relying on the straps/bags to position the bows. The timbers do the job, FIXING the bows in place.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Tie a string to your headlight bar, and stretch it over the windshield and once around each bow. Then follow Allan's suggestion with lathing strips tacked or clamped to the bows. Leave all this in place while you attach your top. If i recall correctly you get the rear curtain in place and tacked down. Then proceed toward the front. I sewed the bow drill on the two middle bows and did not use tacks. It is pretty simple to do and no worry ever that a tack will work its way through the top. This is what Vince Iaccino stated on his video. it is just a needle and thread so no one is ever going to see your handiwork. Black thread on black fabric.

Several ratchet straps work well also.

With the one man top, it is much easier to get the bows set up than with a two man top. Most important thing is to get the rear bow the correct height from the back of the body. The web strap can be tacked in place between the back bow and the tack strip on the back rest. It is important to get this distance correct on both sides. Everything else will be easy to line up after the back bow is properly placed. The front bow of course is fixed to the windshield post by the clamps. The other bows will automatically line up.
A very important thing about the height of the rear bow. It is very important to have the correct distance from the tack strip, not height above the ground. This is because if the car sags on one side and you measure from the ground, it will always look crooked even when the car is level.
Norm

I used 2” spring clamps to hold the straps to the bows to set the height of the bows. They allowed for easy adjustments until I was ready to tack them in place.

Thank you for all the input....it is sincerely appreciated.