Michael Breen wrote
>Hello,
>
>I just purchased a new tonneau. It does not come with the fasteners/clips
>installed and the "install/care" sheet recommends having a trim shop install
>the tonneau. Are special tools required to crimp the fasteners to the
>tonneau?
>Is this a job I should leave to the professionals?
>
>I have a full soft top, so the posts are installed already on the car.
>
>Any advice is appreciated.
>
>Mike
>68 2000
I installed my own clips, and it wasn't bad. I used a white china marker
(grease pencil) to mark the locations of the posts. The metal strip in
the rear and the steering wheel pocket will help locate the cover on the
car. The trickiest bits to do are the clips on the dash. No special
tools required, an x-acto and plenty of #11 (standard) blades. Don't let
them get dull, that's when you get problems, pushing too hard. You can
slice the cover and yourself. I think I made the marks on the cover,
aligned the top metal piece over my mark, and pressed. This made little
dimples in the vinyl that I used as a guide for making small slits for
the metal tabs ( just a poke with the x-acto)
Put the metal top piece back on, and use the post opening as a guide to
remove just enough vinyl material to allow the post to pass through the
clip. Now put the backing plate on the inside of the cover over the
metal tabs, and with needle nose pliers and/or a flat-bladed
screwdriver,bend the tabs inward to secure the backing plate. A note on
orentation of the lift-the-dot clips. On my soft top, the trim shop put
the dots facing the front of the car I guess because you operate the top
from the front back. My tonneau is not where I can see it now, but I
believe I placed the dots facing outward from the car, but I'll have to
check.
-Marc
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