1954 softop stowage

[Harold W.]

I'm having some difficulty in figuring out how the softtop on my 1954 can be stowed away without damage. I have tried to pull out the folds in various ways, but still find it difficult to get it to flatten out enough to close the top compartment lid. At Carlisle yesterday, a fellow club member mentioned an NCRS operations manual that covers this procedure. Is there such a document?

Harold Wrede

[Joe R.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Harold, there is such a document. I will look for the digitized (PDF) of it when I return home. It's somewhat helpful, but that top is a buggar to get to fold down enough to get the cover down. I'll add that I roll up a beach towel and put it between the window fold to prevent getting a crease in the window. I also use a thin sheet to keep the cover paint from rubbing on the top. I hear that the hold down straps are also helpful.

Joe

[Joe R.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Please send me an email with your email address so I can send to you when I find it.

joeryan@advancedmediausa.com

[Roy B.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

This is an original sticker which the face is slick and not a paper as copy repro. are that is glued on

[Harold W.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Joe,

My e-mail is hwrede@earthlink. net

Roy,

Is this sticker supposed to be attached somewhere in the top compartment?

Thank you both for the information.

Harold

[Michael L.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

The sticker is on the inside center of the deck lid. Positioned sop you can read it with the deck lid open.

Many vendors sell reproductions.

Mike

[Roy B.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

I'm not sure when the sticker was added in 54 mid or late? But not all 53 or 54's had it, 55 yes all 700 . The repro's I've seen you can tell it's repro, original are rare I don't know how they judge them for year or originality??
Mike lander should know better then I
Like the trunk tire sticker rarely see the right original repro'ed correct in size

[Joe R.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Harold, I'm sorry to say I can't locate the manual. I have a paper copy that I could copy at work on Monday and mail to you if you want. Just send me your address and I'll send.

It's a 67 page orange colored booklet titled "Your Corvette Operations Manual" and was not originally delivered with the cars when new, as I understand it. It has all maintenance schedules, tune up specs, instruments, etc. It's very concise.

If anyone out there has this in PDF or JPEG form, please post here with many thanks in advance!

Joe

[Russ U.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

If anyone out there has this in PDF or JPEG form, please post here with many thanks in advance!

Joe

I have an original 54 manual posted on my website in PDF format:

1954 Manual

Russ

[Joseph T.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

This is an original sticker which the face is slick and not a paper as copy repro. are that is glued on

Roy..I don't remember this sticker being on my Pennant Blue '54 #814.

And..I would need to look at my 15,000 mile 54 in the garage that I bought about 8 years ago. I have never put the convertible top down. Should be interesting. This car is a late '54 as I recall.

When I restored #814 I installed a new convertible top. It was one of the more difficult tasks I have ever done, and yes had to be very careful not to pinch the canvas when trying to fold it down. This car had the early flippers. Wish I still had that car.

Joe

[Russ U.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Roy..I don't remember this sticker being on my Pennant Blue '54 #814.

Joe

My 54 #3279 did not have it either.

Russ

[Joe R.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Russ, thanks for posting the 54 manual link.

I'm very curious. The manual that I have is very different. It contains 67 pages with more illustrations than the one you posted. The cover has a picture of the car with 2 polo players on horses. Nearly every page has an illustration. The back cover has a picture of the front badge.

I have a reprint of your manual, and received this different one from a fellow NCRS mate that remains a mystery to me!

Are you aware of this publication?

Joe

[Russ U.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Russ, thanks for posting the 54 manual link.

I'm very curious. The manual that I have is very different. It contains 67 pages with more illustrations than the one you posted. The cover has a picture of the car with 2 polo players on horses. Nearly every page has an illustration. The back cover has a picture of the front badge.

I have a reprint of your manual, and received this different one from a fellow NCRS mate that remains a mystery to me!

Are you aware of this publication?

Joe

Joe-

When GM started making 53 Corvettes, GM published a temporary owner's manual without illustrations. The conventional wisdom is that GM stopped publishing this manual after making 100 to 150 cars in 1953. I have a GM factory pic that shows 1953 #287 with a temporary manual, however, so I don't buy into the conventional wisdom.

The temporary manuals came with a post card that the car owner would send to GM. for those owners sending in the post card, GM promised to send a full owner's manual when the manuals were ready.

The full manuals with illustrations have an orange cover with a polo player setup. Based on your description, you have the full manual. These manuals have been widely reproduced, however, so don't assume that you have an original manual.

I believe GM issued the full manuals with illustrations at the end of 1953 or the beginning of 1954.

The webpage I provided above has everything I just discussed - the 1953 temporary manual, the post card, and the orange full manual. I also have a copy of the GM cover letter that GM sent to owners of the 53 temporary manual who returned the post card. If yo take another look at that webpage, you should see all of this stuff. If you click on the orange cover woth the polo players, that should bring up the pdf of the full manual with illustrations.

Hope this helps,

Russ

[Joe R.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Russ, maybe I'm dumber than I thought, but I found the temp manual and the post card, but can't find the final manual

Joe

[Russ U.]

Re: 1954 softop stowage

Russ, maybe I'm dumber than I thought, but I found the temp manual and the post card, but can't find the final manual

Joe

That's weird. I can see the full manual using several different browsers. Anybody else having a problem?

Joe - here is a link to the pdf file itself: 1954 Manual - PDF file. The 72 page full manual should open up as a pdf file if you click on this link.

Russ