T-Top Repair
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 353
Likes: 0
From: West Point MS
T-Top Repair
So I have known about it since I bought the car but today I decided to investigate. When I take the t-tops out and move them around, you can hear something inside of them moving around. Well the weatherstripping is shot so I decided to pull it off and pulled the interior panel off the t-top. I then removed the pieces of channel and discovered that some of the screws are broken off which is the noise I hear when the tops are moved around. Has anyone on here had the same situation and what did you do to get the loose items out of the top. It looks to me like the top is constructed of an inner and outer piece but don't want to seperate them unless absolutely neccessary.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 353
Likes: 0
From: West Point MS
They are all there. Might be what it is someone else replaced the weatherstripping prior but all of them are there now. How do you get them out is what I want to know. Looks like the inner and outer halves are bonded somehow but I don't want to open that can of worms if I can help it.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
Man I know this one all too well. The noise you are hearing is rusted bits of metal from the nut and retainer. The retainer with the nut was installed before the inner and outer were bonded together. I had to make my own retainers and fish them through a 3/4 inch hole I drilled in the inner half then rivet them in place. Biggest pain was making the retainers no one else does.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 492
Likes: 3
From: Temecula CA
Here is a bubba repair that has been on the forum before: Drill a hole in the inner side of the t-top, near a corner, mix up some epoxy, pour it in the hole, and shake all the bits into the sticky glue. When the glue sets up-no more rattle. Git-R-Done.
Temvette72
Temvette72
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 971
Likes: 7
From: roanoke va
Man I know this one all too well. The noise you are hearing is rusted bits of metal from the nut and retainer. The retainer with the nut was installed before the inner and outer were bonded together. I had to make my own retainers and fish them through a 3/4 inch hole I drilled in the inner half then rivet them in place. Biggest pain was making the retainers no one else does.
I too have been down this path and it is a pain in the rear. I had to make some of the metal pieces my self and I had a donor car with bad tops that I salvaged some parts off of.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
In the bottom picture right in the middle where the three brackets are I drilled a 3/4 hole and fished out the rust with a magnet. Then made new retainers and fished them through the hole and pop riveted them in
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis Minnesota
1981 t top repair
Hi all,
This is my first posting on the forum so I apologize in advance if I did it wrong.
I recently replaced the weather stripping on my C3 t tops. Fit is very tight, but no more leaks. However, the fit is so tight that I think I broke the connection between the front clamp and the alignment peg in the rear. Very hard to take the t top out and re install. Am I looking at a new t top or can this be repaired.
Thank you.
This is my first posting on the forum so I apologize in advance if I did it wrong.
I recently replaced the weather stripping on my C3 t tops. Fit is very tight, but no more leaks. However, the fit is so tight that I think I broke the connection between the front clamp and the alignment peg in the rear. Very hard to take the t top out and re install. Am I looking at a new t top or can this be repaired.
Thank you.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,237
Likes: 4,328
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi M,
WELCOME! I'm glad you're here.
What year car are you working on?
Often after new weatherstrip has been installed the roof panels DO fit very tightly.
The 4 adjustment points need to be loosened a bit so the front and rear locks can be set fairly easily.
After the car has sat with the tops on and locked into place for a few weeks the weatherstrip will have compressed a bit and then the 4 points need to be adjusted again.
Did you do any adjustments AFTER installing the weatherstrip but BEFORE trying to lock the panels in place using the 2 levers?
Regards,
Alan
WELCOME! I'm glad you're here.
What year car are you working on?
Often after new weatherstrip has been installed the roof panels DO fit very tightly.
The 4 adjustment points need to be loosened a bit so the front and rear locks can be set fairly easily.
After the car has sat with the tops on and locked into place for a few weeks the weatherstrip will have compressed a bit and then the 4 points need to be adjusted again.
Did you do any adjustments AFTER installing the weatherstrip but BEFORE trying to lock the panels in place using the 2 levers?
Regards,
Alan
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis Minnesota
Hi M,
WELCOME! I'm glad you're here.
What year car are you working on?
Often after new weatherstrip has been installed the roof panels DO fit very tightly.
The 4 adjustment points need to be loosened a bit so the front and rear locks can be set fairly easily.
After the car has sat with the tops on and locked into place for a few weeks the weatherstrip will have compressed a bit and then the 4 points need to be adjusted again.
Did you do any adjustments AFTER installing the weatherstrip but BEFORE trying to lock the panels in place using the 2 levers?
Regards,
Alan
WELCOME! I'm glad you're here.
What year car are you working on?
Often after new weatherstrip has been installed the roof panels DO fit very tightly.
The 4 adjustment points need to be loosened a bit so the front and rear locks can be set fairly easily.
After the car has sat with the tops on and locked into place for a few weeks the weatherstrip will have compressed a bit and then the 4 points need to be adjusted again.
Did you do any adjustments AFTER installing the weatherstrip but BEFORE trying to lock the panels in place using the 2 levers?
Regards,
Alan
I let the tops sit for a couple of weeks in the locked position, but have not done any adjustment. I did not know that there was an adjustment. The car is a 1981 Corvette. Coupe.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,237
Likes: 4,328
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi M,
81... NICE!
I'm much more familiar with earlier (68-76) roof panels which are made a bit different.
I'm afraid any info I gave you might cause you MORE problems, not less.
Hopefully someone will come along and sees your post that can help you out.
Sorry!
Regards,
Alan
81... NICE!
I'm much more familiar with earlier (68-76) roof panels which are made a bit different.
I'm afraid any info I gave you might cause you MORE problems, not less.
Hopefully someone will come along and sees your post that can help you out.
Sorry!
Regards,
Alan
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Hi M,
Previously I had replaced the weather strips on our 80. Now, a few years later I am in the middle of removing these and the metal molding so I can repaint.
With the new weather stripping, the fit was tighter. But all I need to do is push down on the rear of the panel (to align the rear pin) before closing the latch.
You think you broke "the connection between the front clamp (latch?) and alignment peg".
If you remove the t-top, does the latch operate normally? The rear pin should move without binding.
If it doesn't work when outside the car, I think there are 2 possibilities. The pin may be corroded so it binds to the teflon sleeve. I would start out by spraying a penetrant where the pin exits the t-top and see if this helps.
Or ... the pin is threaded into a steel rod that connects the latch mechanism to the pin. Is it possible that the rod has been bent? If there is a problem with the rod, you will need to remove the weatherstrip and then the metal molding on the side of the t-top. First remove the weatherstrip, then the small corner molding connector piece (1 screw), then the side molding (3 screws). When the side molding is removed, the entire rod is exposed and you can see where the problem lies.
Good luck and hope this helps.
BillK80
Previously I had replaced the weather strips on our 80. Now, a few years later I am in the middle of removing these and the metal molding so I can repaint.
With the new weather stripping, the fit was tighter. But all I need to do is push down on the rear of the panel (to align the rear pin) before closing the latch.
You think you broke "the connection between the front clamp (latch?) and alignment peg".
If you remove the t-top, does the latch operate normally? The rear pin should move without binding.
If it doesn't work when outside the car, I think there are 2 possibilities. The pin may be corroded so it binds to the teflon sleeve. I would start out by spraying a penetrant where the pin exits the t-top and see if this helps.
Or ... the pin is threaded into a steel rod that connects the latch mechanism to the pin. Is it possible that the rod has been bent? If there is a problem with the rod, you will need to remove the weatherstrip and then the metal molding on the side of the t-top. First remove the weatherstrip, then the small corner molding connector piece (1 screw), then the side molding (3 screws). When the side molding is removed, the entire rod is exposed and you can see where the problem lies.
Good luck and hope this helps.
BillK80
