I just bought a used hardtop for my 1988 325iC. I drove a van from South Bend, IN to Washington DC for it. I tried to install it yesterday and the top sits on the car correctly, the back pins lock in with a quarter turn on the side bolts. But the latches that rotate to lock the top into the windshield frame are too tight to turn. I unlocked the back bolts and pushed down on the top near the windshield frame... and I could only turn the latches half way. I called the previous owner and he said he has had it on 2 other cars and it fit like a glove... no problems. Any suggestions? Any adjustments to make the latches easier to turn? Thanks.
Hummm.... I don't have a hardtop, but looking at the diagram on RealOEM.com http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BB13&mospid=47326&btnr=54_0164&hg=54&fg=15 it looks like the hardtop uses the same clamps (item 6; BMW part numbers 54311932777 and 54311932778) as a soft top. If this is the case, they come off with the two phillips screws. You should be able to kluge spacers between the top and the clamps or something to loosen them up. I suppose you could file the 'ramps" a bit on the clamps, but its big bucks if you want the metal back some day and have to buy new ones. ... obviously I am just punting with my suggestions for solutions.
Solved... Hardtop fits like a glove Hi again. Thanks for the ideas. I had a buddy help me remove the top today. Looking at the latching area we determined the hardtop had the locating pin spacers attached to the locating pins. This created a double spacer situation on each side. I removed one set of spacers from my car and the top fits great and latches properly. Thanks for all the help.
