bj1k

One of the PIA things that we convertible owners deal with are the stripped threads in the Z bars for adjusting the rear of the bows. Usually over the years someone has stripped at least one of the four holes in the Z bars that are located down in the rear door jamb in an area that it very difficult to get at . I have dealt with this on several of my C3 convertibles and thought I should share the fix with someone that is going through this or will in the future. The early C3's are a little easier than the 70 and newer with the door jamb wedges and brackets in the way . After these parts are removed you can see the Z bar down in the opening with a metal strap over top of the bar that holds it in place and from falling down into the door jamb when the adjusting bolts are removed. Years ago I bought a 12 inch X 1 inch metal blade for my sawzall and ground the first few inches down from 1 inch to a point down at the end so it will fit down between the inner jamb and the strap. You need to cut through the one side of the strap so it can be folded out to remove the Z bar. Use a long extendable magnet to remove and re-install the Z bar. When you have the Z bar out you will be able to drill out the old threads with a slightly larger drill bit and tack weld a grade 8 nut on the backside of the Z bars on both holes. With the nuts you get twice the threads because the original Z bars were only about 1/8 inch thick which is why they eventually strip out. When you slide the Z bar back in place , just bend the strap back in place . You won't be able to get down in there to re weld the bracket because of the location but it is not necessary . It only holds the Z bar in place when the bolts are removed from the bows. Hopefully this will help someone that may have this problem. Maybe should be a sticky.

LT-1 kid

thats a good fix, I have also just drilled and tapped the 3/8 caged nut to a 7/16 and used a 7/16 thread bolt

bj1k

You can do that but the problem is that the threaded part is not a cage nut . It is a 1/8 thick piece of mild steel that is made in the shape of a Z and is to thin and will eventually strip out again. Welding a grade 8 nut which is the hardest grade on to the back of the Z bar gives you the extra thickness for more threads . The factory was only concerned with having the car assembled one time . Now being some forty years later and being met with the careless hand of many Bubba's , many have been stripped out.