Having purchased a 94 Vette with no with no hardtop wrench included, I used a cheap torx wrench to remove and reinstall the hardtop. That was a somewhat annoying and cumbersome process so I decided to follow a tutorial for creating hand-tightened ***** for the hardtop from this example:
This is how they turned out:








The larger, flatter ***** with the triple stacked nuts and the ground nut corners go in the front and the smaller ones went in the back.
The setup looked great but unfortunately, I could never get the rear ***** tight enough to stop creaking, popping, and loosening during driving.

That's when I took a look at the seat height adjustment clamp on my bicycle and got an idea. After searching the web for some "quick release binder bolts", I finally came across some M8*1.25 x 60mm ones on ebay for a couple of bucks each.
I slipped a large nut over the bolt up to the clamp area and slightly drilled out the threads (stopping before the nylon lock) on lock nuts so I could thread them down the bolt then push them onto the unthreaded section. This keeps the 2 nuts from falling off the bolt when the binder bolts are removed from the hardtop but allows the bolt to slide through them when the quick release is locked down.







New vs. old





Now, the rear is nice and tight, doesn't self loosen, and has a cool quick-release functionality and look to it. Combined with the front *****, I think I have a winner! Anyone else done something like this?

 

ill make 4. thanks for inspiration! do they fit on the front as well as the back?

 

cool

 

Awesome. I'll make a set as well!

 

Very innovative thinking! Do the front ***** get in the way of the visors at all?

 

I am glad to have been some inspiration! I have been racking my brain for some time to come up with a solution so I am glad this worked.
I have not tried the front yet as those larger, flat ***** have worked well for me. I don't see why they wouldn't though!

So far, they do not interfere with the visor usage in any position that I have used the visors. They touch the visors but that does not cause any issues that I am aware of.

 

Hot damn! Someone is thinking! Love it!

What Chevy should have done in the first place.

 

Do you have a link to the ebay binders?

 

Nice!

 

Here is the exact one I ordered:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/360726564706?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
They luckily sent me black ones so they look best in the car. I am glad that I ordered 4 because I ruined the threads on one while assembling the prototype. Now I still have a spare and at this price, i would recommend getting spares too since they are fairly cheaply made.

 

Wish you couldve done a complete write up with pictures for dummies like me.

Anyone planning to replicate this willing to do it?

 

Awesome thinking!!

 

nt.

 

Sorry I don't have more info on this!
I didn't take pictures through the process :/
If you have any specific assembly questions though, I would be happy to answer them.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I wasn't sure if this was so great an idea as I am still kind of a vette ownership noob.

 

I don't want to steal this thread, because it truly is a good idea. I'm just throwing out what I did years ago to get away from the factory ratchet.





Too many years ago, I picked up a simple B&D electric driver, dirt cheap refurbished even. And bought off the "tool truck" a long-ish T40 bit. It worked great for what it was. My old B&D died last year (yes, it still hangs on the wall) but the newer tool offerings are almost as cheap and quite a bit more advanced. T40 sized tool bits are cheaper and easier to locate today too.


I don't pull the roof off anywhere near as often as I did years ago but I'm over due for an upgrade.

 

OP, this is a great idea

 

ever think about selling this idea to some of us? id be more than happy to give you some money for a set

 

This is a nice idea, especially since it didn't require fabrication and it uses original hardware! Did you keep the driver in the car with you? I most often take off the top when I am away from home.

I definitely would like to do this for you guys but I couldn't do so immediately because I need to design a setup that works for the front and transition to a new job, which is killing my time right now!
When I do get around to it though, would $30 + shipping be fair?

 

Man, why couldn't Chevy just use some quick disconnect method like t-tops use in the first place.

I'll be doing this come spring time. Too cold to take the top out now.

 

You guys keep forgetting. Engineers don't design cars. Accountants do.