GUSTO14

Not at all, however if it were done in the same manner as it is on the 70-75 convertible it would help and be pretty sound. The Door Alignment Receiver is actually bolted to the top of the rear upright of the birdcage. The Door Guide is bolted to the steel door shell of the door. I don't think it will cure the problem, but I know it does make a difference.

When I bought my '63 convertible in 1969, the first time I exited an entrance to the street at a local auto parts store with the top down, I looked over my shoulder and was awe struck by just how much the top of the door moved away from the rear quarter panel. On my '73 convertible, needless to say there is very little movement between the top of the door and the quarter panel.

GUSTO

rfn026

We're driving cars that are over 50 years old and we're concerned about rattles? I'm just happy that mine starts every day it runs straight down the road.

Richard Newton
1958 Interior Project

JackTripper

Then why do Verts bring more money vs the same car in a coupe? 63 excluded. This is what I saw during my search anyway.

tuxnharley

Interesting! Has anyone actually done that sort of retrofit application on a C2? Is there a template or dimensional location points for installation?
It doesnt seem like the kind of thing to attempt on a trial and error basis!

MikeM

Besides the extra length and weight of a C3 door, those cars also have a different design door latch than a C2.

Maybe that's why the extra hardware is required?

My 63 convertible doors may move a little but they don't rattle or make any noise even with original rubbers.

00fxd

I notice the same gap movement when I cross train tracks etc. I expected a lessening of this when I changed to my all welded frame. The frame perimeter stitch welds were all completed and the frame was then powder-coated. No change.

I have persevered to make my car pretty much rattle free. A friend [mid year owner] noticed the silence recently. Strangely my toughest rattle to find was my soft top foreword latches when the top is down. I blamed all aspects of my soft top till I figured it out. I have 2 sets of latches with the springs, just to try a different set. I now wrap them with something when top down which is pretty much always. On real rough road section [which I obviously try to avoid] my glove box door may rattle.

sub006

One partial convertible body looseness cure is to install a factory C2 hardtop. The doors are brought under control because the windshield frame and the rear clip are tied together.

BTW, when the '63s came out, almost all racers went with the SWC. Until aircraft engineer and longtime C1 racer Dick Guldstrand realized the convertible had a lower center of gravity than the coupe. He proceeded to run away with a few years' worth of SCCA Western Region class titles.

Coupes are the choice for long-distance events, especially in rainy regions like Le Mans.

tuxnharley

Yup, I have the hard top for my 67, but that kinda defeats the purpose of having a convertible here in California...... It hasnt been on the car in about -5 years!

David Shiel

and I am on my second one , an 02 with 19 K miles. Very tight and absolutely no cowl or windshield shake even over RR tracks. Much more solid than my 93 C4 coupe was. It is rattle and squeak free as was my 01 vert. Just an FYI.
Dave

6T5RUSH

Yup, cowl shake is the norm with my vert. Like sub006 says, installing the hardtop DOES tighten that up. Mine goes on every late fall...does also give her a more classy, formal roof line (without the "rib" )

Jim
In God We Trust!

Revfan

Gee, I thought that was the "features" list!

I agree about hearing lots of sounds (both good and bad) with the convertible. I don't even listen to the radio anymore as I'd rather "hear" was is going on in my Vert.

I can tell when the side view mirror is not positioned correctly, as it whistles if it has been bumped too far out!

MikeM

If your convertible is a rattletrap, shakes, flexes, etc., maybe you have one that has been pieced together from three of them including the rusty frame from one?

No doubt the convertible is a looser unit. That doesn't mean it's a rattletrap if the car is in good condition.

Mike Geary

Seems like the convertible bodies want to flex like a big hinge right at the luggage stop bulkhead. Have seen many with significant stress cracking in this area.

So to you guys doing a convertible body off -- give this location a thorough look.

And set the door-to-lock pillar gap is tad wider than you might on a coupe. Might save you some paint chips if you get airborne and come down hard.

You don't even have to guess how I know this....

JohnZ

And don't forget the tapered wedges at the top of the rear face of the door inner panel and at the top of the front face of the lock pillar; they should touch each other when you close the door. Same goes for the pairs of wedges between the outer corners of the convertible top lid and the return flange on the quarter panels - some painters cover up the screw holes and don't re-install the wedges.

LouieM

Went and checked on these in the garage, since my car's been repainted; all there! Thanks for the reminder about these obscure bits.

sub006

The high-volume-cabbed C2 coupe looks like a 2+2, while a convertible with hardtop DEFINITELY is reserved for JUST two in a small, intimate space.

From '63 to '67 the convertible/coupe production and sales ratio went from 50/50 to almost 70/30 AIR. In spite of fastback rarity, unless it's a SWC a same year/condition C2 convertible usually brings at least as many $$$ as a coupe in recent years.

(And there's less cargo room if she takes your hardtop shopping!)