Flaring the deck lid hard top grommet

Here's my obscure question of the day. I replaced the stainless grommet that is in the center of the deck lid to locate the hard top.



It holds in place reasonably well but I can't put on the washer and nut to actually hold town the hard top without flaring the grommet tangs. Also, there isn't much room to maneuver in there.



Any clever ideas on how to flare/bend the tangs that stick out through the bottom?

Hi

I thought that the center pin is only a loacting pin without any nuts to be installed.
Only the outboard pins are secured. Am I wrong ?
The 68 Top doesn't even have this ctr pin at all.

Rgds. Günther

NOt only that, but my '72 has what appears to be a stock fitting, and it's got a larger nut on bottom to just screw it down....the hole was worn a bit, so I slipped a stainless washer under it years ago.....never seen what you have pictured....

:crap:

mrvette said:

NOt only that, but my '72 has what appears to be a stock fitting, and it's got a larger nut on bottom to just screw it down....the hole was worn a bit, so I slipped a stainless washer under it years ago.....never seen what you have pictured....

:crap:

Click to expand...

I know that they only come on cars that came from the factory with a hard top (or was drilled later, I suppose). I also know that they didn't start until 69. When I got the part from Doc Rebuild, there was a flat washer and wingnut to attach to the bolt that hangs down from the hard top itself. Not a very big bolt so I presume most of the holding power is from the side attachemnts, but I don't want the stupid thing to fall out either.

I never had any bolt/fastener/wing nut to hold that OR the sides right behind the window rubber either....no fittings on the hatch, but two 3/8 holes there on the wing tips....essentially same fitting you have on the cover center as you show, but a large hex nut to hold it to the deck.....

I never bothered to correct any of that 'defect' as the top stayed on just fine with the rag top latchs all around....

now my largest bitch was, the imprint of the hard top rubber rubbing from road vibrations, basically had a worn divot in the hatch cover, in the batwing shape, looked like shit, basically down to the primer.....



I never saw any need for mechanical fasteners for the hard top.....MAYBE it would have slowed that, but when I bought the car,, damage was done....:gurney::drink: