Convertible owners
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,540
Likes: 115
From: Arlington TX
Convertible owners
Do your cars do the shakes over certain bumps in the road? When my top is up it shakes bad. I will continue to adjust it but I don't think that will cure it.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,540
Likes: 115
From: Arlington TX
Re: Convertible owners (72rdstr)
I would love to figure out a way to fix it. At first I thought maybe my frame was rusted out and weak. It isn't. I guess it is just going to be that way.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,127
Likes: 2,326
From: Pottsville, PA. USA Home Of America's Oldest Brewery Yuengling
Re: Convertible owners (bamavettes)
My 75 convertible is pretty good. I have a new top on it along with all new weatherstripping. I installed a new windshield in the car last summer. My windshield frame was in excellent condition with no rust. All of my post trim peices are on correctly.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 1
From: VetteMOD
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Re: Convertible owners (Darrell's 68)
The cowl on C3's is pretty flexible. Older cars had a metal bulkhead that the dash attached to (or the metal dash was the bulkhead). Some air conditioned convertibles had about 4 or 5 strut rods attached to the cowl that attached to the upper door hinge area. I think it was never done to the non AC cars in order to save money. If you have an 68 AIM, look at pages H304 and H48. It shows how the struts were planned. I am thinking about making some for mine because of this problem ( I hate cars that rattle).
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Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 10,643
Likes: 8
From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
Re: Convertible owners (BBShark)
Every now and then I go through mine and either tighten or lubricate everything that could possibly rub or rattle when the frame flexes (around here it's potholes). Like doors, hood, suspension components, etc. It really makes a difference...
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 389
Likes: 0
From: san diego ca
Re: Convertible owners (rgregory)
There are certainly plenty of squeeks/rattles in my '73 vert, but I don't have any data to compare top up vs. down. I don't drive it with the top up (this is San Diego, after all) and I didn't buy it to drive it with the top up. I do park it this way (top up) once in a while (if it is damp at night or foggy) but I won't drive it that way. ;)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,030
Likes: 17
From: White Pine / Dandridge TN
Re: Convertible owners (johnnybrewmeister)
I shake, rattle and roll but I would never trade my vert for a coupe. I just turn the radio up a little louder. I have thought about what I can do to strengthen the frame. One idea is to add the shock tower brace sold by Vette Brakes to stiffen the front. I also hope to add a roll bar of some sort which should strengthen the rear by locking down the opposite sides of the birdcage. If I ever had the time to perform a frame off, I would love to reinforce the entire frame.
On a seperate topic, I washed the car yesterday and had very little water leak in from the top. I had a new top and weatherstripping installed last spring. I did find water leaking in at the floor board. I think its getting in thru the cowl area. I noticed some fatigue...cracks....in the cowl in the engine compartment.
[Modified by Frankenvette, 8:01 AM 3/1/2004]
On a seperate topic, I washed the car yesterday and had very little water leak in from the top. I had a new top and weatherstripping installed last spring. I did find water leaking in at the floor board. I think its getting in thru the cowl area. I noticed some fatigue...cracks....in the cowl in the engine compartment.
[Modified by Frankenvette, 8:01 AM 3/1/2004]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 2
From: TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS TEXASTEXASTEXASTEXAS
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Convertible owners (SharkAttack)
I have to say mine seems pretty tight. I've never noticed it having rattles, squeaks, or flex at all, just wind noise. I wonder if it's more a milage thing, since mine's pretty low milage (51K original).
JB
JB
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Lambertville MI
Re: Convertible owners (rgregory)
My 79 ACI Convertible has zero rattles with the top down, but with the top up on a bumpy road there are a few rattles....Top up on smooth roads it is almost rattle free.....I'm having a new top put on this spring so hopefully it will be better yet... 
[Modified by golfclubguy, 12:04 PM 3/1/2004]
[Modified by golfclubguy, 12:04 PM 3/1/2004]
Pro
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 592
Likes: 0
From: London Ontario
Re: Convertible owners (golfclubguy)
I have no rattles with the top down but when the top is up I have a 1/8th gap from the top of the window to the edge of the weatherstripping that drives me nuts. I laways get water in the car when I wash it and the wind noise on the highway is a pain.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 1
Re: Convertible owners (rgregory)
Mine shakes, rattles, creaks, moans, groans and makes every onomatopoeia known to man in both top-up and down positions.
Just remember, the C3 chassis has less rigidity than Bob Dole's member sans Viagra.
Just remember, the C3 chassis has less rigidity than Bob Dole's member sans Viagra.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,540
Likes: 115
From: Arlington TX
Re: Convertible owners (rgregory)
Looks like just about every other one is the same. Need to find a way to stiffen the frame I guess. Top down it isn't too bad just the steering wheel shake over bumps that bothers me.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 1
From: VetteMOD
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Re: Convertible owners (rgregory)
The frame is very strong. What is bolted onto the frame is not. The body is not as strong as a steel car and the cowl (firewall) is not close to the stiffness of a modern car. Increase the stiffness of the body, not the frame.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,217
Likes: 1
From: End of the Ike IL
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Re: Convertible owners (sammyb)
Mine shakes, rattles, creaks, moans, groans and makes every onomatopoeia known to man in both top-up and down positions.
