Hardtop Installation 93 vert
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Urbana Illinois
Hardtop Installation 93 vert
I acquired a used hardtop for my 93 ruby vert some time ago and some of you folks gave me installation tips. Thanks again for the tips. I have tried to install it a few times but it will not match with the attachment screws above the windshield. Are the tops or measurements different between the 80's and 90's C4's? Also, not sure how the tube and bolts work in the back.
I would sure like to see a hardtop installed. If any of you have a C4 hardtop installed and you live within 100 miles of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois I would appreciate a look. Thanks in advance for your comments.
PS I included a similar note on the Where do you Live Survey in error.
I would sure like to see a hardtop installed. If any of you have a C4 hardtop installed and you live within 100 miles of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois I would appreciate a look. Thanks in advance for your comments.
PS I included a similar note on the Where do you Live Survey in error.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
The attaching brackets on the front (windshield) of the hardtop are adjustable. You should be able to loosen the screws and slide the small brackets around. With them slightly loose, place the top on the car and start the encapsulated front bolts. Gently undo the screws and lif the top up and then tighten the bracket screws.
All tops are the same from 89-96 as that was the only years the top was available but each new top was fit to a paticular car. When the car was ordered with teh RPO CC2 hardtop, it got delivered to the American Sunroof Company just a short distance from the Bowling Green plant. The tops were installed there and some tops may have been "tweaked" a bit to fit the car. Sometimes the side windows even had to be adjusted to fit both the ragtop and the hardtop.
The locator pins at the rear simply slip into the holes in the decklid. You may have to pull the top release lever under the decklid to get the pins to drop into the holes. The locator pins have bolts in them that thread into the holes at the bottom of the latch assembly.
I have scanned pics of the original top installation instructions that GM supplied. If you PM me your e-mail, I'll be happy to send you the files.
All tops are the same from 89-96 as that was the only years the top was available but each new top was fit to a paticular car. When the car was ordered with teh RPO CC2 hardtop, it got delivered to the American Sunroof Company just a short distance from the Bowling Green plant. The tops were installed there and some tops may have been "tweaked" a bit to fit the car. Sometimes the side windows even had to be adjusted to fit both the ragtop and the hardtop.
The locator pins at the rear simply slip into the holes in the decklid. You may have to pull the top release lever under the decklid to get the pins to drop into the holes. The locator pins have bolts in them that thread into the holes at the bottom of the latch assembly.
I have scanned pics of the original top installation instructions that GM supplied. If you PM me your e-mail, I'll be happy to send you the files.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 217
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Listen to c4cruiser, he knows of what he speaks. That said, with a bit of adjustment you really should be able to get that top to fit.
Too bad I don't live closer (I'm in NY). I have the factory original hardtop bolted to my Ruby right now, and I'd be glad to show it to you if we were closer.
Just a word of caution once installed...open and close your doors slowly/carefully at first. You may find that the upper tips of your door glass touch the hardtop trim, and you'll want to adjust for that. Also be very sure that the top edges of your doors clear the bottom corners of the hardtop. Those bottom edges can be chipped very easily if the door/hardtop alignment is off. Good luck.
Too bad I don't live closer (I'm in NY). I have the factory original hardtop bolted to my Ruby right now, and I'd be glad to show it to you if we were closer.
Just a word of caution once installed...open and close your doors slowly/carefully at first. You may find that the upper tips of your door glass touch the hardtop trim, and you'll want to adjust for that. Also be very sure that the top edges of your doors clear the bottom corners of the hardtop. Those bottom edges can be chipped very easily if the door/hardtop alignment is off. Good luck.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,889
Likes: 2
From: Castro Valley Calif.
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
The way I did mine was leaving the header brackets loose and attaching the top with the captive bolts. That put the brackets in a good position to tighten them.
I also had someone put some light pressure on the top so as to get a good seal on the weatherstrip when I tightened the brackets into the head rail
I also had someone put some light pressure on the top so as to get a good seal on the weatherstrip when I tightened the brackets into the head rail
