[C2] Convertible Rear Deck Lid
11-13-2018, 05:28 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Convertible Rear Deck Lid
Was every convertible's rear deck lid drilled for hardtop bolts and plugged, or only those that ordered a hardtop option from the factory? Meaning, are there any rear deck lids out there without the hardtop bolt holes drilled?
11-13-2018, 05:41 PM
#2
Team Owner
Member Since: Feb 2003
Location: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
Posts: 48,987
Received 6,929 Likes
on
4,774 Posts
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Non hard top cars got no holes
11-13-2018, 06:22 PM
#3
Race Director
Only convertibles ordered with the hardtop option had the hardtop holes drilled in the rear deck lid. My current 67 ragtop has no hardtop and so lacks the holes in the deck lid.
11-14-2018, 10:40 AM
#6
Racer
Thread Starter
Just for fun, I decided to determine just how "rare" the midyear convertible RPO C07 Auxiliary Hardtop option really is and was surprised. My research indicated that 49.6% of all midyear convertibles came with a hardtop and it was pretty consistent all across the board;
1963 - 52.6%
1964 - 50.4%
1965 - 50.6%
1966 - 47.6%
1967 - 47.7%
That means that 36,528 midyear convertibles were produced without hardtop bolt holes drilled and 35,892 with, so it should not be too difficult to locate a clean deck lid.
1963 - 52.6%
1964 - 50.4%
1965 - 50.6%
1966 - 47.6%
1967 - 47.7%
That means that 36,528 midyear convertibles were produced without hardtop bolt holes drilled and 35,892 with, so it should not be too difficult to locate a clean deck lid.
Last edited by White Monster; 11-14-2018 at 11:08 AM.
11-14-2018, 11:12 AM
#7
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2018
Location: San Antonio, TX/Mahopac, NY
Posts: 8,353
Received 5,524 Likes
on
2,784 Posts
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
While some were added later, I can’t imagine they would skew your numbers significantly.
When I was looking for my ‘64, I avoided any with the hardtop. My ‘61 has a hardtop that sits in the corner taking up space. It was only installed once since a complete restoration in 2009 for transport by the previous owner when it shipped to me.
When I was looking for my ‘64, I avoided any with the hardtop. My ‘61 has a hardtop that sits in the corner taking up space. It was only installed once since a complete restoration in 2009 for transport by the previous owner when it shipped to me.
11-14-2018, 12:00 PM
#8
Racer
Thread Starter
11-14-2018, 12:44 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2018
Location: San Antonio, TX/Mahopac, NY
Posts: 8,353
Received 5,524 Likes
on
2,784 Posts
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
And that is the point. It never gets used in Texas either.
Have you considered filling the holes in the one you have? Done properly with appropriate cure time the holes will be invisible, particularly on a light colored car.
Have you considered filling the holes in the one you have? Done properly with appropriate cure time the holes will be invisible, particularly on a light colored car.
The following users liked this post:
TRP_IV (12-19-2020)
11-14-2018, 01:26 PM
#11
Racer
Thread Starter
Yes, because I want to get rid of the antenna hole too. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a Corvette radio delete.
11-14-2018, 01:47 PM
#12
Drifting
RON
11-14-2018, 01:55 PM
#13
Racer
Thread Starter
There was no such thing as "radio delete" because the radio was not standard equipment---it was an option. If the car was ordered without the optional radio, there was no hole drilled for the antenna. There also was no radio suppression equipment, such as ignition shielding, ground straps and static collectors in the front wheel hubs.
11-14-2018, 02:39 PM
#14
Team Owner
Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Washington Michigan
Posts: 38,899
Received 1,856 Likes
on
1,099 Posts
St. Louis received three soft top compartment lids from Molded Fiber Glass Co. - One with just the round holes drilled (for the round hardtop anchor bezels on hardtop-only cars), one with both sets of holes (for the round hardtop bolt bezels and the irregular large holes cut for the soft top rear latch pins on two-top cars), and one with just the irregular soft top rear latch openings cut for standard soft top-only cars. On ALL lids, the INNER panel had clearance holes cut for the soft top rear latches so only the outer panel had to be cut to accommodate the soft top rear latches. The plant tried drilling the round holes for the hardtop rear bezels and bolts using the completed top for that car as a template/drill fixture on the Final Line, but the supplier-drilled lids were more consistent. 
The following 5 users liked this post by JohnZ:
64SilverbluePhx (11-14-2018),
Kerrmudgeon (11-16-2018),
MAD IN NC (11-16-2018),
TRP_IV (12-19-2020),
White Monster (11-14-2018)
11-14-2018, 07:54 PM
#17
Team Owner
Member Since: Feb 2003
Location: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
Posts: 48,987
Received 6,929 Likes
on
4,774 Posts
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
whats a shorty deck lid?
all dashes had the speaker cut out with defroster opening. but non radio cars didn't have the opening for the radio
Correct ... and don't forget the console & dash cutouts for the radio, speaker and grill cover.
The following users liked this post:
White Monster (11-15-2018)
11-14-2018, 09:47 PM
#18
Le Mans Master
A friend of mine has a C2 that came (to him, as a used car) with two different deck lids. One has a much smaller deck surface, that would seem to permit better access to the cargo area when the hardtop is installed. I don't recall ever seeing another like it, and this thread got me to wondering what the origin of that thing is. I presume it's aftermarket, but it occurred to me that it might have been an accessory that was available through the dealers' parts departments. I don't think he has ever installed it (or the hardtop) in the years he's owned the car. Both are hanging in his garage.
Live well,
SJW
Live well,
SJW
11-15-2018, 09:40 PM
#19
Team Owner
Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Washington Michigan
Posts: 38,899
Received 1,856 Likes
on
1,099 Posts
11-16-2018, 08:11 AM
#20
Le Mans Master
Thanks for the confirmation on that, John. It's the only one I've ever seen, and I've never even heard of another. Any idea who made and sold them? Maybe it was an Eckler's item back in the day?
Live well,
SJW
Live well,
SJW