Targa mounting bolts
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
Targa mounting bolts
Does anyone know the size of the Targa's rear top panel mounting bolts? I have seen them for $6.99 to $9.99 each and probably could get them at the hardware store a lot cheaper.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
I wouldn’t recommend using/replacing with anything but the original hardware or equivalent type. An equivalent type = a Torx drive tapered-countersunk bolt head, correct diameter thread/pitch & length and material strength/temper.
Remember the targa top actually acts as a stressed structural member of the body/frame. It also needs to tighten down/compress the seals to form a watertight seal.
This is not a good idea to economize/cheap out here. Good used clear acrylic targa tops go for around $350-500.
Bottom line “Do it Right the 1st Time” or compromise your car/safety.
Best regards,
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
The problem I have is when I put the glass top on, the bolt above the driver's side backs out. Upon looking at it, it appears that it is too short and the end is stripped. I got this bolt from either Mid America or Corvette America. Don't know which one. I put the solid top back on with the factory bolts and don't have any problems. If you were going to purchase another set of bolts, who would you buy them from. I don't want to have the same problem.
Florida turtle advocate
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,280
Likes: 6
From: Gulfcoast Salvage Englewood, Fla
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
The problem I have is when I put the glass top on, the bolt above the driver's side backs out. Upon looking at it, it appears that it is too short and the end is stripped. I got this bolt from either Mid America or Corvette America. Don't know which one. I put the solid top back on with the factory bolts and don't have any problems. If you were going to purchase another set of bolts, who would you buy them from. I don't want to have the same problem.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis Missouri
The problem I have is when I put the glass top on, the bolt above the driver's side backs out. Upon looking at it, it appears that it is too short and the end is stripped. I got this bolt from either Mid America or Corvette America. Don't know which one. I put the solid top back on with the factory bolts and don't have any problems. If you were going to purchase another set of bolts, who would you buy them from. I don't want to have the same problem.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,921
Likes: 53
From: Philadelphia Pa
I got my bolts used off of Ebay. No problems with the bolts HOWEVER, each top (I have two, a clear and a solid top) had the mounting hardware aligned slightly differently. You have to re-align the mounting hardware so that BOTH tops align when they are mounted onto the car. Somewhere in a prior forum response, a member laid out how to properly align the mounting hardware. That will probably solve your problem.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 211
Likes: 1
I got my bolts used off of Ebay. No problems with the bolts HOWEVER, each top (I have two, a clear and a solid top) had the mounting hardware aligned slightly differently. You have to re-align the mounting hardware so that BOTH tops align when they are mounted onto the car. Somewhere in a prior forum response, a member laid out how to properly align the mounting hardware. That will probably solve your problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,110
Likes: 6
From: Red Sox Nation! RI
+2, your top needs to be adjusted. There are several adjustments you can make to the mounts on the front and rear of the birdcage. Use the info in the service manual to properly adjust the mounts and top. Stay away from the "guide" floating around the forum which has bad info in it.
If you need replacement bolts, get the right ones. You can't use bolts from a hardware store. Contact Melrose Tops - they have them for about $5 each.
If you need replacement bolts, get the right ones. You can't use bolts from a hardware store. Contact Melrose Tops - they have them for about $5 each.
