When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My glass t-top latches are touching and rubbing against the inner windshield pillar trim, has this happened to anyone else and are there shorter or different latches? If not I'm goint to have to grind the corner or the latches. Here's a pic:
The squeaking from the latches is driving me crazy!
It's been a while when I did mine but I believe Alan was referring to the 2 nuts seen on your last pic. If you noticed, the bolt holes are oval allowing you to move the latch.
If only it was that easy! The latch is integral with the pin that goes through the windshield header, if I adjust the latch back the pin goes back too and misaligns the t-top.
Hi IL,
I'm sorry!
I didn't realize that you had a later car with the latch as you describe.
Before you grind on the latch…. is it possible that soft trim isn't installed quite properly and it could be moved 1/4" to give you the needed clearance?
Regards,
Alan
Hi IL,
I'm sorry!
I didn't realize that you had a later car with the latch as you describe.
Before you grind on the latch…. is it possible that soft trim isn't installed quite properly and id could be moved 1/4" to give you the needed clearance?
Regards,
Alan
i wish it did! The moldings fit snugly and i only need about 1/8 of an inch. I've got both glass and the original tops and they both fit the same. The t-tops make a lot of noise and I'm sure they'd be al least a little quieter if they weren't rubbing.
Mine touch about the same as shown in your picture but don't seem to squeak. I've had the car since new and don't remember them ever squeaking. Yours look like new trim pieces, maybe after they've rubbed for a while the squeaking will stop. Or maybe try a little graphite on the rub point?
Mine touch about the same as shown in your picture but don't seem to squeak. I've had the car since new and don't remember them ever squeaking. Yours look like new trim pieces, maybe after they've rubbed for a while the squeaking will stop. Or maybe try a little graphite on the rub point?
I just assumed they all made noise due to frame flex, I wonder what's going on with mine! Those trim pieces are the originals but maybe they aren't the problem.
Every C3 I can remember being up close and personal with had that problem. The 75 I'm restoring had huge chunks taken out of the trim pieces because of the latch, and my 79's plastic trim pieces are both cracked because of the latch.
I figured it was just a normal thing to deal with.
That's a typical problem with most 68-82's. The 81 I bought new, has little nicks in both moldings, where the latches just touch the molding. I can't say that they ever squeaked though.
The 68-76's used padded a-pillar moldings, and small diameter adjusting nuts. The tops of the padded pillar trim is often torn from contact with the top latches. 77-82's have molded plastic pillar post moldings, with larger diameter adjusting nuts. The larger adjusting nuts secure the tops better, but caused even more interference, when used on 68-76's.
When I bought my car it was just the body sitting on the frame, I had to shim and bolt down the body to the frame and I had it on jack stands when I did it. I think I should have had the tires sitting on blocks when I did it, I've noticed since then how much the body flexes when on stands, the doors don't open and close the same. I'm going to re-shim the body mounts with it sitting on blocks and see if my t-tops quit squeaking.
Hi IV,
Earlier cars have white nylon (?) bushings in the receivers along the center bar.
They're there to help silence the 'creak'.
Does you car have the receivers and are the bushings in place?
Regards,
Alan
Hi IV,
Earlier cars have white nylon (?) bushings in the receivers along the center bar.
They're there to help silence the 'creak'.
Does you car have the receivers and are the bushings in place?
Regards,
Alan
I just looked and my car does have those bushings. It also has nylon bushing in the front at the windshield header and a much smaller one in the rear where the sliding pin goes in. I didn't lube the ones you pictured but I did do the others and it's much quieter, so I'll do the ones you pictured as well. What a relief, I thought I was just stuck with those noises forever!
T-top latch rubs windshield pillar trim
