Help with automatic top replacement - corner straps

[bbowman]

I have a question for anyone out there with a functional automatic top (if there are any...) . I just got my auto top mechanism all working (with fabric removed from frame), and now I'm in the process of fitting new fabric to the frame. My question is about the little straps in the corner pockets of the top. NOT the tension straps. I'm talking about the small elastic straps sewn into the corners of replacement tops. Anytime I see them referenced in other posts (e.g. BadCab's install guide), they dismiss them saying they are for auto tops, and since no one runs auto tops anymore its hard to find any detail on them...

Also my old top that i'm replacing did not have them attached to anything.. but it also wasn't working with the automatic mechanism.

So - before I glue everything down, anyone with a functioning auto top - do you know where these are supposed to attach? If you have an auto top and the straps attached to something, could you take a picture? I think you should be able to see them with the top up from inside the car.

Also if you have an auto top and didn't attach the straps and everything still works fine that is useful information as well. If they are not needed I will just ignore them.

Below is a pic of what i'm talking about. And thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to help!

[bradnic]

The straps don’t appear to be present on the new top of my mom's E30 manual top vert. I took a look at the electric top frame+canvas I bought for my calypso. The 2 straps are there on each side, loose. Next I took a look at the frame itself to see where they could be attached. There are a couple of holes on a bracket on each side that may be where the straps get attached. These holes are also present on the manual top car. I also looked at the factory top service videos on YouTube (video 3 in particular). They don’t show the straps there, but that video was probably released in 87 before the electric top kit was available.

I suggest you study any electric top vids you can find and see how the sides of the canvas fold when the electric top is being moved. BMW engineers probably added the straps to keep the canvas from binding with the frame

Driver side detail. note the two holes in the bracket upper right. Note this top mechanism is damaged - there are a couple of sheared pins. the taped up area is a bag with the replacement parts


Closeup from my callie build thread, pass side, inside view. the strap appears to be loose.


Pass side detail. outside view. same two holes upper right.

[bbowman]

Thank you bradnic for the photos!

Based on the photos you sent above and any other details I could find, I think that strap is intended to be secured to the frame rail that has the tapped hole seen in the first picture you sent.

After testing everything I can answer some of my own questions:
- The strap is NOT required for functional operation of the auto top mechanism. As far as I can tell, it is there as a safety measure to prevent the top from bunching up into the frame rails. Although after much operation, I'm not really sure how that would happen.

Because my frame already had holes tapped for where I think the straps go, I just attached them for good measure. Everything operates the same way as far as I can tell with the strap attached or not attached. Here is a pic of the strap attached:



Hopefully this helps someone in the future who is also confused about these straps.