Hi all! I have a 77 Chinook with external latches for the pop top roof. The piece attached to the roof was mounted on wood which has become rotted. I found this out the hard way while driving on the highway yesterday. The latch pulled free from the mounting piece and the front end of my roof lifted about a foot at 60mph! I pulled over immediately but it was too late. Of course its can't be just a matter of fixing the latch because I now have two bent arms (one on each side) on the scissor spring hinges that push the roof up. It is the arm mounted in the front leading back to the roof slider that is bent downward making it impossible to close fully in the front or even pop up fully in the rear.
Has anyone had to work on these? Does anyone have a set for sale or know where to look? Any ideas on straightening the arm without taking the whole thing apart? I'm really at a loss here and cant drive (my daily vehicle) in this condition. Please someone help me figure this out.
