c3 convertible conversions
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Hi Milo! Haven't had much to write for a while. Me and the family got into an intense arguement over selling the vette last spring. I finished the conversion. (It turned out great) Then I finished sanding the whole body and spray bombed it, finished the stripes. Me and the whole rest of the family then had WW3 over selling it.
I was furious. I parked it on the concrete slab, tarped it extremely well and told them they were all the proud owners of it. It hasn't been untarped or even started in 15 or 16 months now. I told them I'd never work on it or even sully the drivers seat with my bottom again.
My wife said I was being hard headed....I told her she hasen't even seen hard headed yet. And so it goes..........back into lurking.
John
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,560
Likes: 4
From: Arlington texas
No, a convertible has no extra braces or supports in the tub or rear. Late convertibles did have.....4 (I think) supports under the dash. This prevented side to side movement under the dash and cowl. Convertible and coupe use the same frames, no difference at all.
Hi Milo! Haven't had much to write for a while. Me and the family got into an intense arguement over selling the vette last spring. I finished the conversion. (It turned out great) Then I finished sanding the whole body and spray bombed it, finished the stripes. Me and the whole rest of the family then had WW3 over selling it.
I was furious. I parked it on the concrete slab, tarped it extremely well and told them they were all the proud owners of it. It hasn't been untarped or even started in 15 or 16 months now. I told them I'd never work on it or even sully the drivers seat with my bottom again.
My wife said I was being hard headed....I told her she hasen't even seen hard headed yet. And so it goes..........back into lurking.
John
Hi Milo! Haven't had much to write for a while. Me and the family got into an intense arguement over selling the vette last spring. I finished the conversion. (It turned out great) Then I finished sanding the whole body and spray bombed it, finished the stripes. Me and the whole rest of the family then had WW3 over selling it.
I was furious. I parked it on the concrete slab, tarped it extremely well and told them they were all the proud owners of it. It hasn't been untarped or even started in 15 or 16 months now. I told them I'd never work on it or even sully the drivers seat with my bottom again.
My wife said I was being hard headed....I told her she hasen't even seen hard headed yet. And so it goes..........back into lurking.
John
Good luck
And as far as the braces are concerned, I researched it too. I found a guy that has done the conversions in the past and he swears that braces need to be installed in the rear but as far as I can find, they are all the same other than some have the bracing under the dash and I believe the convertible door jamb was a little different.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
And as far as the braces are concerned, I researched it too. I found a guy that has done the conversions in the past and he swears that braces need to be installed in the rear but as far as I can find, they are all the same other than some have the bracing under the dash and I believe the convertible door jamb was a little different.
The early verts had brass alignment wedges on the deck lid and doors and jambs. The later verts had a set of pins that lined up the deck lid, and a set of tapered pins that were in a small pocket at the top of the door. These fit into a reciever that stuck out of the top of the door jamb.
The only braces I can think of is the one at the front of the deck that the deck lid hinges bolt onto, and the one at the rear of the deck that stiffens the deck where it bolts onto the rear bumper cover.
Coupes have the rear brace too, and the front brace is the one the Astro- Ventlation uses so I'd assume all coupes had it also.
John
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: MA
No, a convertible has no extra braces or supports in the tub or rear. Late convertibles did have.....4 (I think) supports under the dash. This prevented side to side movement under the dash and cowl. Convertible and coupe use the same frames, no difference at all.
Hi Milo! Haven't had much to write for a while. Me and the family got into an intense arguement over selling the vette last spring. I finished the conversion. (It turned out great) Then I finished sanding the whole body and spray bombed it, finished the stripes. Me and the whole rest of the family then had WW3 over selling it.
I was furious. I parked it on the concrete slab, tarped it extremely well and told them they were all the proud owners of it. It hasn't been untarped or even started in 15 or 16 months now. I told them I'd never work on it or even sully the drivers seat with my bottom again.
My wife said I was being hard headed....I told her she hasen't even seen hard headed yet. And so it goes..........back into lurking.
John
Hi Milo! Haven't had much to write for a while. Me and the family got into an intense arguement over selling the vette last spring. I finished the conversion. (It turned out great) Then I finished sanding the whole body and spray bombed it, finished the stripes. Me and the whole rest of the family then had WW3 over selling it.
I was furious. I parked it on the concrete slab, tarped it extremely well and told them they were all the proud owners of it. It hasn't been untarped or even started in 15 or 16 months now. I told them I'd never work on it or even sully the drivers seat with my bottom again.
My wife said I was being hard headed....I told her she hasen't even seen hard headed yet. And so it goes..........back into lurking.
John
and when they reinforce a convertibile (if its needed) they reinforce it around the front of the car around the dash to prevent cowl and body shake first and the the rear if needed?
Last edited by Kavinsky; Oct 6, 2011 at 12:04 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 954
Likes: 2
From: San Jose CA
All convertible need bracing. Easiest just the replace the rear clip. All bracing etc. already installed.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
I didn't have any problem with shake, rattles or my doors not opening and shutting correctly. My conversion was every bit as solid and tight as it was as a coupe.
John
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