I purchased a '93 convertible last fall, and 2 of the metal convertible top frame arms were unattached. There are 3 metal top frame members (arms?) which attach to the chassis, right behind the seats on each side. The center metal arm on each side of my car is disconnected. It's as though someone unscrewed the Torx head bolts and simply left the arms there, unattached. The Torx bolts are still in the end of the arms. However, when I have tried to screw them back into the holes, the bolt turns and turns, but never tightens up. It feels as though the threads are totally stripped out, or perhaps the device which contains the female threads is missing altogether?

Has anyone run into this situation? Does anyone know what type of threaded device is supposed to be on the back side of the hole? Is there supposed to be a captured nut of some type? Or, perhaps a welded nut? How do you get access behind the metal panel with the hole in it? I tried removing the plastic inner fender liner from under the wheel well, but you still don't get access to the area I am talking about. Is the metal panel, into which the top frame arm screws, removable? What size is the bolt? Is it metric? If I am going to have to replace a captured nut, I need to know what size hole/thread to use, and in it's current position, it is very difficult to get to the bolt to measure it.

Thanks for any suggestions you may have. For your information, I took it to the local GM dealer, and the service manager didn't have a clue! They wouldn't even work on it! GM, you dissappoint me!

Jack Wheeler

 

Jack,

I've got a 1994, but the parts you mention maybe the same.

You can take the complete convertible frame assembly off by removing the bolts that hold the plate (the plate just behind the seats) to the car. You don't have to do anything under the car.

I'll look at mine tomorrow and let you know how they did it in '94.

Andrej

 

My arms are held to the metal plate with Torx headed screws and nuts.

 

If yours is the same as on my 89, what I had to do was to thread the screw in, then keep tension on the head as I turned it. It seemed that whatever it was screwing into was free to move unless it was pulled tight against the frame. It was a real booger to attach this screw since there was almost no room to work. I ended up putting a hex-backed Torx bit into the correct-sized box wrench and wrapping it with electrical tape to keep the bit from falling out. This improvised tool gave me just enough clearance to get at the bolt head.