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Most likely to compete with the new 911 Targa that came out at the same time. I believe GM originally was going to keep it a T top like the C3 but succumbed to marketing pressure.
Most likely to compete with the new 911 Targa that came out at the same time. I believe GM originally was going to keep it a T top like the C3 but succumbed to marketing pressure.
imHo, the C3 design T-tops is more of a pain in the ****, than the C4 - not that a BOLT on targa is by no means the fix. they (GM) started to get their schitt together with the fifth generation quarter-turn clamp design. personally, i prefer the open top design of the one piece roof vs the bar down the middle, two panel, T-top -
It always makes me wonder why and where the tire mounting companies (like Discount tire or NTB) got the idea that they always want you to remove the targa before they put it on the lift? That just takes away from the structural rigidity of the whole car!
It always makes me wonder why and where the tire mounting companies (like Discount tire or NTB) got the idea that they always want you to remove the targa before they put it on the lift? That just takes away from the structural rigidity of the whole car!
EXACTLY!
Targa too? That's a new one. But, last time I had tires put on, I had to sign a waiver (to keep the hood. doors, and hatch closed) before they'd lift the car. Okay...WHATEVER! (I imagine that if the frame were cracked(?) before lifting the car, then body panels would be severely stressed - maybe even broken. But, I believe the body panels closed would improve chassis stiffness - not cause flex.)
So! I challenged the store manager to produce the document(s) that proved their "cracking the body panels" claims and how opening the doors, etc., was the cure. "Corporate policy" was the reply.
As a research project, it might be interesting to get to the bottom of this concern - what evidence prompted the "solution". It would make for an interesting post, if nothing else!
So where are the the C4 huggers to jump in and explain how the c4 just gets picked on by members here?
Seems to me the public eye and business the the c4's are fragile garbage.
If a tech starts that job and learns that policy of course that spreads to the general public, and some owners might start to believe it too.
Frankly that is embarrassing. No, these do not have a good reputation. Might be cool, different, or have sentimental value, but not respected or even trusted by that policy at least.
as far as this goes, my buddy jacked up his 90 at the side, the driver side front jacking point to be specific. for whatever reason, it pulled the hood out of place and he had to wack it back in place by putting a 2x4 up against the hinge and hitting it with a big hammer. it actually happened twice.
and yes the bolts were tight.
he jacked it up high enough and at the right spot, so the hood latch retainer, trapping the latch pin drug the hood when the nose drooped. then when the car was back on the ground it was hard to get it opened, then it wouldn't shut because the pin was now too far back towards the windshield.
he became a believer about popping the hood that day. if you get it just right, it is going to cause some kind of issue.
some folks will accept it, some won't, actually most won't until they actually see it happen with their own eyes
as far as this goes, my buddy jacked up his 90 at the side, the driver side front jacking point to be specific. for whatever reason, it pulled the hood out of place and he had to wack it back in place by putting a 2x4 up against the hinge and hitting it with a big hammer. it actually happened twice.
and yes the bolts were tight.
he jacked it up high enough and at the right spot, so the hood latch retainer, trapping the latch pin drug the hood when the nose drooped. then when the car was back on the ground it was hard to get it opened, then it wouldn't shut because the pin was now too far back towards the windshield.
he became a believer about popping the hood that day. if you get it just right, it is going to cause some kind of issue.
some folks will accept it, some won't, actually most won't until they actually see it happen with their own eyes
The only time I jacked my car up with the hood open was the same day I cracked my windshield. I popped it after many a times but that was the only time it started with the hood up.
Who knows. Individual cars are individual cars. Each has its own unique "personality" due to manufacturing variances, age, overall condition. My buddy, being the 2nd owner, can't vouch for how it was driven each and every mile before he bought it from a friend. Maybe the original owner did something that caused his unique brand of body looseness.
Now to crack the windshield with the hood popped tells me that your hood was holding the body rigid and allowed enough twist when jacking to distort the windshield frame and crack the glass. That is the only way that can happen, ie: a distortion causing stress.
Did you have the windshield replaced ? Or is it still the cracked one ?
Now we have 2 documented weird occurrences while jacking. Not enough to say every C4 falls into the category, but enough to talk about and say we know of.
It always makes me wonder why and where the tire mounting companies (like Discount tire or NTB) got the idea that they always want you to remove the targa before they put it on the lift? That just takes away from the structural rigidity of the whole car!
Maybe Discount Tire wants the targa removed because they found issues that caused the targa panel to crack because of body flex.
Maybe Discount Tire wants the targa removed because they found issues that caused the targa panel to crack because of body flex.
maybe a car with its own "unique personality" suffered a broken targa that they had to replace.
or someone had a car WITH a broken targa, that the branch didn't see and suffered a "blame it on them" situation even though it really didn't happen.
then an edict would have started to avoid having to replace another.
when I bought my car and asked for an inspection, the GM dealership put it on a rack and didn't take off the top, etc. BUT even though the particular Chevy dealership was a big Corvette dealer, it has been a long time since C4's were regularly serviced.
It always makes me wonder why and where the tire mounting companies (like Discount tire or NTB) got the idea that they always want you to remove the targa before they put it on the lift? That just takes away from the structural rigidity of the whole car!
Not to mention, a lift should be lifting all corners equally, there shouldn't be any twisting motion to begin with. The structure should remain more or less as static as it is sitting on the floor.
Who knows. Individual cars are individual cars. Each has its own unique "personality" due to manufacturing variances, age, overall condition. My buddy, being the 2nd owner, can't vouch for how it was driven each and every mile before he bought it from a friend. Maybe the original owner did something that caused his unique brand of body looseness.
Now to crack the windshield with the hood popped tells me that your hood was holding the body rigid and allowed enough twist when jacking to distort the windshield frame and crack the glass. That is the only way that can happen, ie: a distortion causing stress.
Did you have the windshield replaced ? Or is it still the cracked one ?
Now we have 2 documented weird occurrences while jacking. Not enough to say every C4 falls into the category, but enough to talk about and say we know of.
No I still have the cracked one. It isn't a very large crack, about 5 inches (giggity) starting a little to the right of the vin. Honestly though, it is a factory windshield. It could have had a chip on the lower edge. Who knows. I also don't use the factory jacking locations, I use the layered pinch weld immediately in front of it because that is where my jack fits. That shouldn't pose any real challenge to rigidity as that point on the frame is actually stronger. I've left thee car up with one side off the ground, only the front right jacked up etc and it still rolls and drives straight. If something had been permanently tweaked I would have noticed. I have also put the top on with it jacked up and it has gone on just fine so I honestly have no real clue how much flex there actually is.
Also my targa was cracked when I bought the car. Right down the middle.
01-20-2019, 12:38 PM
Why didn't GM use T tops in the C4?
Add to ^that^: opening doors, hood, hatch, gas cap cover, glove box door, ash tray lid.... 
