Ultimate FAIL. Well, maybe not ultimate, but definitely a fail...on the first try.
Okay, start at the beginning. When ordering the panel from FWC, they asked how tall it was (measuring both lower and upper panel), uh my upper panel was destroyed, the hinge stayed in the roof as the panel came off. So I measured as best I could and measured the rear panel as well, should be the same I thought. Came up with 25 1/4". They said that was in the range.
So new panel comes, set up everything with straps and ready to install. Too tall, by 1 1/2" by my count, 2" by my helpers count. (he does auto body work for a living so I figure he is better at fitting stuff back together than I am). Damn. Now what...helper says let's just cut 2" off the top and re-rivet hinge back on. okay. Do that and install. Height is almost perfect, (should have trimmed 1 1/2", not 2" but it looks good. Okay let's put the top down. Oh crap, the front roof is pushed back about 2", won't close. Oh duh, it's a hinge, should have trimmed 1" from top and 1" from bottom. Crap. So, we talk about maybe relocating center hinge down an inch or so, so that hinge is centered. But we are already short by 1/2", that will make it even shorter.
Just finished 3rd coat of poly on new 1/4" birch plywood. Doing 4 coats. Cut plywood so that it measures 24" and center hinge is centered. Hopefully will get hinges reinstalled yet tonight and tomorrow night we will install again.
If I had good hinges and a good template to begin with, this is the route I would have taken. But my top and bottom hinge are rusted in place and the top plywood left little to use as template. That and FWC not offering the 71" hinge anymore, blah blah blah. I am confident this will work. My wife asked me what plan C is. Ha Ha.
So word of advice to anyone thinking about doing this because their panels are starting to fail, measure now. Do the work BEFORE panel comes out of rivets. I didn't have that choice, you do. It's not hard, it is just time consuming and at times tedious.
