I just bought a C4 Vert (first Vette since I won a bet on a fight back in 1980!!!) and the sticker said the car came with the optional hardtop.

I was lucky enough to find the original owner and he said he didn't realize the car had a hardtop and must have left it at the dealer back in '92!!!

Can anyone tell me where I may be able to find one and just how does it connect to the deck of my vert?

Thanks!

 

WOW. If the original owner is telling the truth...he is NOT the sharpest tack in the box. Open the console glovebox and there should be a listing of original factory options listed on a GM sticker on bottom side of lid.

I have a 1994 Vert with both tops.

You can also look behind (next) to seat belt anchors and see if the support bracket for the hard top has ever been bolted on. There is a bracket that bolts to the side rails and then to the top. There are also screw fasteners that go up thru the brace at top of windshield to hold top against seal. And...there are two screw fasteners that hold the rear of the top down to the deck.

You can try eBay or the C-4 section for parts sales......good luck.

You can also try and locate a copy of the owners manual (eBay) and you really should consider the FSM (factory service manual) for your car. The FSM will become your "best" friend.

IMHO.........the car never came with a hardtop OR the previous owner sold it off for the cash???

 

Thanks. I'll look for the hardware and yes, the sticker and the code under the center console said the car has the optional hardtop.

Haha. I'd like to take the car back to the dealer and ask them for it!!!!

 

 

When the car was delivered to the original purchaser, the hardtop should have been installed on the car. The hardtop only weighs about 60 lbs but when it's off the car, it is fairly bulky to handle.

I wonder if the original owner decided that he didn't want the hardtop once the car arrived. Hardtop-equipped cars (it was RPO CC2) had to be ordered with that option. When the car was built, it was transported to American Sunroof Company in Bowling Green where the tops were made, painted to match, and then installed. The company also had to adjust the side windows so that they were tight against the weatherstripping on both tops. Then the car was returned to the assembly plant for shipping.

I have scanned images of the installation instructions that came with a hardtop. PM me your email address and I will send you the files.

The windshield header will already have the bolts in place. There is a hole in the trim above the visor near the hinge You should see a Torx T-40 head in there. Push it up and it will pop up above the header (the soft top has to be released and pushed up.

The hardtop has two locating pins that fit into the rear decklid latches. On the underside of the latch, you should see a welded nut. The locating pins have bolts that protrude through the pins and are tightened with a 10mm wrench. The factory top came with a Torx T-40 ratchet and a small box-end 10mm wrench. The torx ratchet is available in the various catalogs but it's an aftermarket piece.

The heavy steel brackets for the side came with 10 bolts; 5 for each side. If you look for a hardtop, make sure you get these two steel brackets!! Don't install a hardtop using just the windshield header bolts and the locating pin bolts. Body flex will either damage the hardtop or pull the decklid latches out or crack the decklid.

If the car did have RPO CC2, all of the wiring will be in place for the rear window defogger The connectors are under the carpeting near the two shoulder bolt towers. IIRC, the heated mirror button on the HVAC control also operates the defogger.

 

 

What an idiot! Dude didn't even know what he bought.

 

Steel brackets, bolts, and storage cart with cover are all available from Corvette Central. You will also need the Torx ratchet tool and an 8mm ratchet for the deck bolts. Good luck.

 

Actually the guy seemed decent but he fell in love with the Vert. As he told the story, it was displayed in showroom without the top and wasn't aware it came with one. he took delivery as is. My guess is the dealer screwed him.

Thanks for lead on the parts.

 

When you install the Hardtop, it gives the car an entirely differently LOOK! Like an entirely different car. My 1990 Vert came with one, I took some pictures of the car with it on, then put the Hardtop in a storage unit, and haven't looked at it again! I can't think of a reason I would ever use it (and no, I don't want to sell it). I live in Florida, and there is just no need - I bought it because it was a Convertible. I will attach a few pics so you can see the difference in the look of the car with the Hardtop installed:

 

Thanks for the info gents! PM sent for the files.

One BIG question. I found a hardtop and the owner said he has the bag that came with it with wrenches, etc. I was wondering if the brackets came inside the bag he's referring to (he wasn't sure). If they are not there, can anyone tell me exactly where to look for them inside the car?

In the interim, I'm going to ask him to check the bag for them.

Thanks again!

 

The small bag will contain just the ratchet and wrench. The attaching brackets are about 8" long' 4" wide and weigh about 3 pounds each. Because of their weight, I would think that the two brackets would be stored in the passenger side storage compartment.

The 4 files have been emailed

 

Thanks again.

Last question. Any fitment issues with '90 hardtop going on a '92?

 

Nope. It would be a good idea to make sure that all the weatherstripping is in good shape and is clean. The various catalogs have a static cling plastic protector that will help protect the paint on the decklid when the top is installed.

Also, when the hardtop option was ordered, it came with a protective cover for the decklid. Once the top was on, you slid this cover into place and it stayed there through a friction fit. The material was a soft black carpet glued to a cardboard back. That piece allowed you to place things on it and reduce the glare from the painted decklid. I would think that they would be hard to find, but you could simply use some foam and some black fabric cut to fit.

If you want to have a hardtop cart, I have some plans for one that I made from PVC pipe, some fittings, and some casters. IIRC, it cost about $15 to make. I 'll email that too; it's a Word doc with embedded pics.

 

OK...thanks to the advice here, I found a hard top. A few locals had their Verts up for sale and a few had the hardtop. I asked all of them if they would consider selling the HT separately.

One seller did and I picked it up for $600. It appeared the HT was never on the car. Weatherstripping looked brand new. Both brackets were bolted on the HT. The 10 bolts and washers were in a bag.

The guy could not find the Torx or ratchet wrenches.

Does anyone know where I can find a set? Is the "roof panel" ratchet on ebay the same one for the Vert?

What can I use to lube the weatherstripping to keep it pliable? Silicone grease?

 

I've never seen one of the hard tops on a car, only pictures of them here on the forum. They must be either rare or all the verts around here (middle Texas) either go topless or soft top up. I think they look pretty cool and really do change the way the car looks.
Reminds me of my buddy's C5 fixed roof Coupe.

 

I think that most people don't put them on because they are such a PAIN to install & remove. And if you are driving around and you get the urge to go Topless, you can't because there is no way to store it temporarily like the soft top. I think that they are mostly used in the Northern Colder climates during the Winter on Daily Drivers (my car started life in Massachusets which could explain why it has a hard top). They were a special order item and I doubt that the option was added to dealerships' standard order cars. I have read here on the forum that some places require the use of Hard Tops on convertibles on racetracks, probably for safety and they do make the car more rigid (less body flex).

 

The torx ratchet can be found in the various Corvette accessory catalogs. You can also just get a 1/4" drive ratchet and an extended T40 socket. You need some length for the windshield header bolts, but for the 10 bolts for the brackets, it's not necessary. For the rear encapsulated bolts, get a ratcheting box-end wrench in the correct size. Sears would have all of this.

To keep the weaterstripping in good condition, use dielectric grease. Permatex makes a small 1 oz tube that will work fine. Just apply lightly and spread out evenly.

If the top you picked up matches your car's color, you got a tremendous deal! I had to have my hardtop painted; cost was something like $450 for a show-quality paint job.