ragtop bow spacing

[68rsssrag]

I see in the Fisher Body Manual that the correct distance betwwen the rear and center bows is 13 3/16" from center of middle bow to front edge of rear bow but the Sessions Restoration book says 14 1/2" from rear of middle bow to front edge of rear bow or the top won't fit. The last one works out 14 1/2 compared to 13 1/2 for GM. Anyone know which is correct?

Thanks

Arno

[bertfam]

Arno, what page of the Fisher Body manual are you looking at for the measurements? I just measured mine and it's 12.5" centerline to centerline. Am I measuring in the right place???

Ed

[1968RSZ28]

Ed, the 13-3/16" dimension is mentioned on pages 13-5 and 13-6 along with a couple of notes on dimension tolerances and variance in the Fisher Body manual.

Paul

[bertfam]

Okay, mine's right at 13", so according to the book, it should be 13-3/16" (plus or minus 1/4" after the back curtain has been installed). It appears that I'm within tolerance, but just barely! Of course, you should check with other guys as well to see what they show.

Ed

[1968RSZ28]

Arno -

  Just keep in mind Fisher Body built these babies, so I'd deem their information and measurements more accurate as "something always gets lost in the translation."  Speaking from my own experience working at many GM dealers (school of hard knocks) we never used outside manuals to repair customer vehicles.  Just my two cents worth.  

Paul

[bertfam]

I just took a look at the Sessions book (page 161) and it appears that the 14.5 inches might be correct AT THAT LOCATION. I measured mine and it's about an inch less than what the picture shows, but my top is in HORRIBLE condition and I know it's shrunk.

So it may be that BOTH measurements are correct, but just taken from different view points.

Ed

[68rsssrag]

Ed

That doesn't make sense. The Sessions distance should be shorter not longer and is measured in exactly the same place just different points on the bows. See my original posting. 13"+ sounds correct if measured the GM way.

Arno