i did an exhaustive search for top installation instructions before i
replaced my top. i am no expert so needed the confidence that comes with
doing research on a subject. despite the great effort made by some in
making them most only provided guidelines for installation. the duetto
motors instructions however were head and shoulders above the rest. but
they don't specifically speak to installing the tension cables after the
fact but rather during top installation. if i recall correctly, you should
be able to replace the cables with the top in place. if you open the top
half-way see if you can peel back the fabric from the passenger or drivers
side near the front to reveal the rivet that holds the plastic connector
that is on the front end of the tension cable. this rivet would need to be
drilled out in order to replace the cable. also try to peel back the fabric
at the part of the frame that would be in contact with the rear of the
window (window, not windshield). here you should find the cable connected
to a tension spring and the other end of the spring screwed to the frame.
make note of the path that the cable takes around the top hinges as you have
to put the new cable in the same way. if you have access to these two
points then you can replace the cable without having to remove the top. the
only other step in the process is that you will have to fish the cable
through the top itself. this should not be too difficult to do. you could
tape the new cable to the old cable and pull the new cable through as you
remove the old one.

"XS11E" > wrote in message
...
> "Christopher Muto" > wrote in:
>
>> you also might want to ask them about installing the top so that you
>> don't have to unzip the window (they add a couple of straps between the
>> second and thrid bow and the rainrail... makes life much easier.
>
> Are there instructions somewhere as to how this is done? Can it be done
> after the top is installed? I'd REALLY like to have this done on my car
> if
> at all possible.
>