Hardtop instalation help
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 8
From: brewster NY
Hardtop instalation help
Thought I would put the hardtop on today but had a problem right away.
I laid out all the nuts and bolts I bought from Paragon, and I took the large threaded rod and tried to put it through the rear latch and it won't
fit. It's like kindergarden all over again, round peg in square hole.
The spring is in the way ,something is wrong here, what am I doing wrong.
I laid out all the nuts and bolts I bought from Paragon, and I took the large threaded rod and tried to put it through the rear latch and it won't
fit. It's like kindergarden all over again, round peg in square hole.
The spring is in the way ,something is wrong here, what am I doing wrong.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 22
From: Marina CA
I may be off base here but isn't the stud and hardware for the cars that have the 3rd mounting hole in the center of the deck lid? My top only has 2 outboard mounted pointed studs that match the ones on the ragtop.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,455
Likes: 5
From: Upstate South Carolina
The large stud should fit through the latch that you have pictured. I'm not sure what the problem is, but here are some links that discuss hard tops. There are probably more.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...p-removal.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...lp-needed.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...p-on-69-a.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...p-removal.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...lp-needed.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...p-on-69-a.html
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
From: Coquitlam British Columbia
From your pictures it looks like you may be trying to push the stud up through from under the receptacle and from underneath the decklid, but the studs go into the receptacle from the top side above the decklid, so that when you push the hardtop on to the deck the studs will penetrate through the receptacle which opens up just as does the soft top studs when you install the soft top, or have you tried that. The hardware you have looks correct to me if you have tried that maybe the receptacle is not opening as it should. 
ikwhite
ikwhite
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
The studs mount into the recepacles in the hardtop. When the hardtop is lowered on to the decklid, the studs will pass through each of the rear bow locks. Nuts for the studs and flat washers then mount from the underside of the decklid. These are optional since the hardtop will stay in place without them.
You will almost certainly need two people to position the hardtop on the car.
You will almost certainly need two people to position the hardtop on the car.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 8
From: brewster NY
Before I put the studs on the hardtop I tried to pass the studs through
the hole and there is no way that it can fit through.
I can make this fit all I have to do is notch the bar that holds the spring,
but before I make any modifications I just like to know how it is supose
to work.
the hole and there is no way that it can fit through.
I can make this fit all I have to do is notch the bar that holds the spring,
but before I make any modifications I just like to know how it is supose
to work.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,400
Likes: 1,227
From: Tampa Florida
Something doesn't look right in the photos of his spring clips.
CF Community Team
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 9,342
Likes: 360
From: Delaware
St. Jude Donor '25
I gotta ask this question.........68 latches were different.....the spring is in the way and the studs will not work on these (I know this......I tried/failed). Is there a chance the latches are not original?
Last edited by avalonjohn; Dec 23, 2009 at 12:46 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 8
From: brewster NY
Ok so I went over to A&R corvette they are down the road from me and I showed Richie the latch, he is working on a 70 LT1 so Chris brought out a box with parts and took out the latches and they are different than mine. Problem solved I am suppose to just use the convertable pin.
Early cars just used the pin then probably later 70 an on used the bolt.
Notice the spring on the outside of the pic
Straight through
Here is the LT1
Early cars just used the pin then probably later 70 an on used the bolt.
Notice the spring on the outside of the pic
Straight through
Here is the LT1
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,051
Likes: 677
From: FL
Looks like problem solved. The latches are wrong for the hardtop that uses the threaded stud to attach. You could just use soft-top studs instead or change the latches.
Here is a pic of my decklid that shows the correct latch.
Here is a pic of my decklid that shows the correct latch.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 8
From: brewster NY
Ordered the soft top studs will send back all the other hardware I don't
need.
The frame is done on the LT1. The engine was sent out, and they are putting a correct nose on the car. The original tank sticker is still there.
need.
The frame is done on the LT1. The engine was sent out, and they are putting a correct nose on the car. The original tank sticker is still there.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
From: Coquitlam British Columbia
Turbo glad that you were able to get it figured out. PM me if you want to sell me the parts that you picked up for the hardtop as I am interested.
ikwhite
ikwhite