Targa top help
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 52
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From: Colorado Springs CO
Targa top help
Hi,
I think I'm SOL but I just bought a used top in excellent condition and it doesn't fit. I have a '95 and the seller wasn't sure what year it came off. Looking at the brackets it's apparent that it is a L86-? type. I didn't have a problem with it because I had seen the conversion kits in Eckler's. Unfortunately I never looked close enough to see that the kit is made to put later model tops on early model cars. :cry
Is there any solution to this, or am I SOL?
Thanks in advance! :conehead
I think I'm SOL but I just bought a used top in excellent condition and it doesn't fit. I have a '95 and the seller wasn't sure what year it came off. Looking at the brackets it's apparent that it is a L86-? type. I didn't have a problem with it because I had seen the conversion kits in Eckler's. Unfortunately I never looked close enough to see that the kit is made to put later model tops on early model cars. :cry
Is there any solution to this, or am I SOL?
Thanks in advance! :conehead
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,490
Likes: 17
From: Darlington, MD
Re: Targa top help (journeyman)
You're not SOL. You can get the parts from a vette salvage yard. I got mine for my 85 from Contemporary Corvette. It was about $100. It takes about an hour to change. I think they have a web site and they advertise in most of the vette mags. Good Luck, Guy
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 118
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From: Monongahela PA
Re: Targa top help (journeyman)
From Memory....Front attachment patterns
1984 to 1986 Early had the cone pin only, 1 bolt on top
1986Late to 1988 had the 3 hole style (wide bolt pattern)
1989 to 1996 had the 3 hole style (narrow bolt pattern)
It was my understanding that the 86Late to 88 and the 89 to 96 hold down plates were interchangeable to allow switching of tops. An excellent resource is the Corvette Central catalog, page 117, which describes the different types of panel hold-downs.
With this said, I have the 1989 to 1996 hold down plates that you can have at a good price if we can verify that they will fit your top and solve your problem. Hopefully someone will chime in and help me out here.
1984 to 1986 Early had the cone pin only, 1 bolt on top
1986Late to 1988 had the 3 hole style (wide bolt pattern)
1989 to 1996 had the 3 hole style (narrow bolt pattern)
It was my understanding that the 86Late to 88 and the 89 to 96 hold down plates were interchangeable to allow switching of tops. An excellent resource is the Corvette Central catalog, page 117, which describes the different types of panel hold-downs.
With this said, I have the 1989 to 1996 hold down plates that you can have at a good price if we can verify that they will fit your top and solve your problem. Hopefully someone will chime in and help me out here.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs CO
Re: Targa top help (journeyman)
Yes, the top I bought has the wide bolt pattern (t-shaped) whereas my regular top has the triangle. Thoe holes appear much farther apart. Before I looked I thought it would be a simple bracket change as well, but I'm not sure how to overcome the spacing of the bracket mounting locations. I'll look a little closer, but it looks like I might just see if anyone would want to trade or possibly sell it.
