i am trying to install the new rear brackets for my glass t-tops and i cant get the old rear bracket out. how do i get them out? its the part that the rear alignment pin goes into but it just doesnt want to come out. what am i doing wrong.

 

If memory serves, there is factory sealant behind them which will offer a little resistance when you tug on them. There's a tapping plate behind each which will drop to the bottom if you aren't careful. AIM shows the installation.

 

thanks for the help i checked the AIM manual and sure enough it did show the bracket that you were refering too. i had to drill the rivits out from the inside but once i did the old parts came out and i used a magnet to hold the new back plate in and bolted it up. finally after 5 years i got one side done time to do the other side now

 

I would remove the roof panels on the inside of the car. The backing plate will be easy to realign when you install new t top bracket. You canalso check that alarm switches are working properly. I put some 3M dum dum around the new switch before installing. When done it looks just like factory.

 

Very easy if you take out the inside panels. You can hold the brackets in place with your hand.

 

what inside panels are you refering to?

 

im installing the newer style glass t-tops on my 76 which didnt have an alarm for the t-tops so i just removed the switch part that i didnt need. i took out all the interior pieces but the fiberglass body panel prevents me from removing the parts without taking out the rivits that hold it in.

 

OK I thought your interior was complete.

 

LiquidDragron,

I’m a bit confused too! I understand what you are trying to access, but I don’t understand why.

The 1976 cars used a design on the rear roof that included a flat chrome plate with a triangle bolt. This plate was held in place by two screws and the t-top used the triangle bolt to as a latch for the rear lock.



If you are running the single handle roof panels (glass), the design is different in that the rear roof used a plate which accepted the t-top pin when the top was locked down.

To convert to this newer design, all you need to do is purchase the 78-82 rear roof lock plates. You can install them on your car in two manners. 1) Drill out the retainer plate to allow the switch to mount or 2) Remove the switch from the back side of the new plate and just screw them on. Either way will work, knocking off the switch is the easiest way. (Someone Help Me Here)It's been a long time. You may not even have to remove the switch to get the later year switch to work.

The job you are trying to do can not be done without cutting the fiberglass panel in the red area shown.
If you cut it on the edge between the two panels, most of the cut is hidden by the rear roof panel edge. I would only advise you to do this if you were trying to access the reinforcement for a repair!

Willcox

 

well i got it all finished up. i replaced the old fiberglass tops with the newer style galaxy glass t-tops. i bought the galaxy glass tops and new hardware about 5 years ago but never got around to installing the rear brackets because i couldnt figure out how to get the old mounting plate out and i couldnt install the old parts because the screws broke off in the mounting plates. anyways i cut as little fiberglass as possible and was able to remove the broken mounting brackets and i got the new parts in today i finished the driver side and aligned the tops and everything came out perfect and i couldnt be happier with the results. also thank you for the help now i have to start working on the wiring and air duct nightmare in the car. i got most of it done but with the extremely limited space behind the dash it makes things tough. i have to make room for the stock wiring, fuel injection wiring harness/computer and the vintage air kit and hoses