When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yes and no. As with the targa tops there was a change to the forward locking lugs I believe in 89. I believe they may be able to be retrofit but the return of the hardtop option for C4s did not begin until 89.
Here is a picture of the brackets from a 1995 C4 convertible.
You will also need the 4 torx bolts.
The brackets attached one on each side, just behind the seats.
I think the NUT side attaches to the Roof, and the oval-ed holes attache to bolts in the cars body.
There are actually 5 bolts that are needed per side for those brackets. In addition to the 2 per side that attach to the top and the 2 that go through the holes in the bracket to the car body there is another that anchors the tab that is at 90 degrees at the bottom of the bracket to the body of the car. It is mounted that way so it forms a rollbar of sorts when the hardtop is in place. There is a very specific sequence to follow when attaching the top to the car. Additionally there are long bolts that go through where the mounting lugs for the soft top mounts to the deck lid.
The brackets are readily available from ZIP Corvettes and others but are about $100.
I'm sure this will attract a lot of haters but why have a removable hard top? I bought a rag top because if it is bad enough weather to want a hard top then I couldn't be bothered taking it out. Minimally I'd want the targa roof so I could take it with me in case of unexpected rain.
I am sure some people did buy the hardtop to have a daily driver during inclement weather but only 459 out of 4971 cars had this option in 95 and it ran about 10% in most years. It does however provide a lot of rigidity to the frame when in place making it a lot more competitive in autocross. Think Fixed Roof Coupe that led to the C5 ZO6. When not at the track the top comes off and you are back to a roadster. I find no additional flex in my 95 convertible with the top in place when compared to my 90 coupe. Different story when counting on the x-frame stiffener to keep the car from flexing.
The soft top is always with you in case of rain but when down it is a roadster plain and simple.
Last edited by Fiberbundle; Mar 8, 2021 at 11:02 PM.
I'm sure this will attract a lot of haters but why have a removable hard top? I bought a rag top because if it is bad enough weather to want a hard top then I couldn't be bothered taking it out. Minimally I'd want the targa roof so I could take it with me in case of unexpected rain.
i just got lucky mine came with a factory hard top when i bought it. i will admit there is nothing convenient about it's removal or install. having said that, i personally love the way they look with the hard top installed. i think they give the C4's a custom type look that's unique from the coupes and think they are the coolest looking versions of the car. a C4 coupe is almost a dime a dozen. a hard top convertible i've rarely seen ever. not that they aren't out there.
additionally i will say living in texas, i don't really have a down season for the car. i take the hard top off somewhere around april-may and it stays off the car till somewhere around september-october. as it's a fun time toy i don't drive the car when the whether is sketchy, so frankly the rag top doesn't even get used unless i'm giving it a wash. love it when it's top down. love it more when it's cold weather and the hard top is on when i wouldn't have the top down for the next five months anyway.
many people ive spoken to hate the look of the big hatchback glass of the c4, I know several people that bought the convertible
and hardtop with no intention of ever taking hard top off. the hard top definately gives the c4 a different look. I personally like it more than the hatchback.and from what ive read. the convertible with the hardtop and the convertible X brace makes it a more rigid platform than the targa model
