C4 General Discussion General C4 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech

Removing hardtop

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 11, 2017 | 09:33 AM
  #1  
dmergein's Avatar
dmergein
Thread Starter
1st Gear
 
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Default Removing hardtop

I have a 1995 and need to remove the hardtop. I have the tool to remove the front 2 bolts, but do not have the ratchet to remove the back 2 nuts. What size ratchet do I need to purchase? It appears to be a 7/8, but I cannot tell exactly.
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2017 | 10:44 AM
  #2  
Nowhere Man's Avatar
Nowhere Man
Team Owner
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,073
Likes: 9,398
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Default

do you have a owners manual?
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2017 | 10:51 AM
  #3  
billschroeder5842's Avatar
billschroeder5842
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Supporting Gold
Veteran: Navy
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 5,218
Likes: 1,174
From: Southlake, TX
Default

If no one has swapped the bolts, they will be a "torx" head. I'm not sure of the exact size but if memory serves it is a 10. Any ratchet will work on front and rear with the correct torx head.












Ebay will have the wrench you need. 15-20 bucks
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2017 | 11:15 AM
  #4  
mazdaverx7's Avatar
mazdaverx7
Le Mans Master
Veteran: Army
15 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,333
Likes: 1,143
From: Vermilion OH
Default

Your car should have the tool in the center console to remove the bolts. Its a ratchet with a built in torx bit. Can you post a pic of the bolts in question?
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2017 | 01:26 PM
  #5  
billschroeder5842's Avatar
billschroeder5842
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Supporting Gold
Veteran: Navy
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 5,218
Likes: 1,174
From: Southlake, TX
Default

Originally Posted by bow tie guy
don't forget to unplug the rear window defogger, befor you lift the top off


Why?
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2017 | 01:38 PM
  #6  
billschroeder5842's Avatar
billschroeder5842
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Supporting Gold
Veteran: Navy
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 5,218
Likes: 1,174
From: Southlake, TX
Default

Never mind, I'm reading "hard top" (as in convertible) but thinking targa.


I've seen people refer to targas as "tops, hard tops, T tops, sun roofs"...etc


Sorry, brain scramble
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2017 | 09:35 PM
  #7  
A Peter C4's Avatar
A Peter C4
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 761
Likes: 66
From: Fitzwilliam New Hampshire
Default

Is this about a vert with hardtop or coupe with targa? Sounds like a vert top removal

Last edited by A Peter C4; Jun 11, 2017 at 09:36 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 12, 2017 | 06:41 AM
  #8  
mazdaverx7's Avatar
mazdaverx7
Le Mans Master
Veteran: Army
15 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,333
Likes: 1,143
From: Vermilion OH
Default

As stated above, I also think the original poster is referring to the hardtop for a convertible. I've never seen a C4 having two different tools to remove the lift out roof panel. Every C4 that I've owned has had four torx bolts, not two torx and two standard bolts. My 86 has two strange security bolts in the rear but I have the security lock to remove them...which has a torx head as well.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-4

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
Old Jun 13, 2017 | 02:44 PM
  #9  
c4cruiser's Avatar
c4cruiser
Team Owner
20 Year Member
Veteran: Army
 
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Default

If the car is a coupe (targa top) there should be a small ratchet with a Torx T40 tip. That tool will loosen the front two bolts in the top corners of the windshield frame and the two rear bolts that hold the Targa top to the halo bar.

If the car is in fact a convertible with the removal hardtop, the same T40 bolts are in the front of the hardtop. At the rear of the hartop there will be two bolts that attach the rear of the top to the convertible hatch lids IIRC, the bolts are 8mm or possible 10mm.

The convertible hardtop will have a pair of steel brackets that are bolted to the B-pillars and the box frame at the base of the top. These should be 15mm bolts (maybe 14mm?) and there are a total of 10 bolts.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Removing hardtop





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:03 PM.

story-0
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-2
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-5
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE