How-To Tuesday: Fix Your Top-Popping Corvette
Some of you may not know it yet, but this, the circled item in the picture above… is a problem. It is a MASSIVE problem. So much so that GM had to recall thousands of Corvettes. This part, and its “friends,” caused many Corvette owners many nights of lost sleep. Some people just tried to “deal with it.” For others, there simply was no end to the torture it caused while driving their beloved cars.
So what is this fiendish, nightmare-causing issue that GM engineers had no answer for? The connection points of the “targa” and convertible top on the C5, C6, and some cases were even reported in the C7.
Over time these connection points wear out and fail. Now, keep in mind, when I say fail I don’t mean that they are unsafe to use. What I mean is that they are not working as originally designed. The original design keeps the roof not only secure, but quiet at the same time. The failure in this instance isn’t in the security, but rather the quiet portion. This failure can even drive some people to the point of wanting to sell their car. Rattles, specifically ones that you may not be able to find or repair, are extremely frustrating.
Thankfully our friends in the Corvette Forum How-To section have just the fix you need if you are dealing with this particular issue. Take a read through this week’s How-To Tuesday article for a step-by-step DIY tutorial.
The above picture is one of two action points detailed in the article. By following the steps outlined, you will hopefully be able to silence the annoying vibrations and rattles plaguing your Corvette. The duck in the background is NOT included in the repair, unfortunately for you.