Welcome to the Corvette Forums at the Corvette Action Center!

1993 Roof Panel Alignment: how??

DanC

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 12, 2002
Messages
74
Location
Bradford, MA USA
Corvette
1993 Ruby Red Coupe
My roof panel started making horrible crunching and squealing noises in the front corners recently. Yesterday I removed the roof and discovered that the "hold down plate" that positions the roof in the windshield frame and accepts the bolt had loosened on both sides.

The noises were from the plate rubbing on the roof frame.

There is a large range of adjustment possible. I lubricated between the plate and the roof frame to minimize friction and screeching and left the plate loose enough so it could self align and put the roof back on.

The FSM does not indicate any alignment procedure, but from the diagram it looks like if I remove all the windshield trim there are holes through the mounting area, so that with the roof in place I can reach the bolt heads to tighten the hold down plate in position.

Can anyone confirm that for me before I start to take things apart?

Thanks in advance.
 
I think you can access the mounting plates from the top after removing the targa. Directly above the sunvisors are plactic covers that are held in by phillips head screws. These are accessed from the top so you won't have to fool with the windshield trim. After taking the plastic covers off you shud be able to see the hold down bolts for the mounting brackets & the attachments for the sun visor. I aligned the top on my "90" about 10 years ago & that's all I can recall. I can run a scan of the front holdown plate & bracket if you like, but I think as soon as you remove the covers all shud be ok.
 
From what I can remember I didn't have to fool with that at all. The adjustment was on the targa top itself. I left the screws loose enough so that the bolts found the threaded holes in the targa. Carefully removing the top as to not disturb the position of the threaded holes, then tighten, recheck for alignment at that point. It took a few times before it was right but it got it dead on where as it wouldn't fit at all in the beginning.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I think Robertwav1 is on the money. My problem with doing the alignment as you describe is that when I was tightening the adjustment bolts, the hold down plate was moving all over the place. I was hoping to get at the bolts from underneath while the roof was installed to prevent the plate from moving around.

I would still like to know if there are holes through the mounting area that I could insert the roof ratchet through to tighten the adjustment bolts with the roof in place. If not, then Robertwav1's procedure looks like the only way to go, which I may try anyway to avoid removing all the pillar post and windshield trim.

Rabbit, what are you using for a source for the scan you offered? If it's the factory service manual, I already have that. If it's something else, I'd be grateful to have it.

Thanks.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I think Robertwav1 is on the money. My problem with doing the alignment as you describe is that when I was tightening the adjustment bolts, the hold down plate was moving all over the place. I was hoping to get at the bolts from underneath while the roof was installed to prevent the plate from moving around.

I would still like to know if there are holes through the mounting area that I could insert the roof ratchet through to tighten the adjustment bolts with the roof in place. If not, then Robertwav1's procedure looks like the only way to go, which I may try anyway to avoid removing all the pillar post and windshield trim.

Rabbit, what are you using for a source for the scan you offered? If it's the factory service manual, I already have that. If it's something else, I'd be grateful to have it.

Thanks.

Was looking thru the Chilton & it has a procedure for adjusting the roof panel (Targa). I'll scan it & forward to you. E-mail me or pm with your e-mail.
 
Thanks for the replies and Rabbit, thanks for the pages on aligning the roof.

I won't have an opportunity to try this until next week (family matters). I'll let you know how it works out.
 
Targa top front hold down plate alignment write up

I did the alignment over the weekend. Thanks Rabbit for the pages with the procedure and diagrams.

For anyone doing this, here is a write up.

I removed the targa top.

I removed the covers at the top corners of the windshield to get access to the sun visor attachment. Removed the nut and semi captive washer that retains the tension spring, unplugged the vanity mirror light wire and removed the visors.

I then removed the rear view mirror; one philips screw, and unplug the light connectors.

Removed the top windshield trim. This allowed access to the holes on either side of the front targa top hold down bolts.

I then loosened the alignment bolts on the targa top just enough so they could be moved.

Installed the top and snugged up the rear hold down bolts and lightly tightened the front hold down bolts. I could then put the Corvette top ratchet through the holes and tighten the alignment bolts on either side of the front hold down bolts.

The alignment bolts will want to make the alignment plate rotate as you tighten them, so be cautious as you tighten them.

Remove the roof and put all the stuff back that I took off. Total job took about one hour. The most difficult part was unthreading the visor washers that retain the visor spring. I needed needle nose pliers to "unthread" them from the visor stud.

All the creaking/screeching has gone away!
 

Corvette Forums

Not a member of the Corvette Action Center?  Join now!  It's free!

Help support the Corvette Action Center!

Supporting Vendors

Dealers:

MacMulkin Chevrolet - The Second Largest Corvette Dealer in the Country!

Advertise with the Corvette Action Center!

Double Your Chances!

Our Partners

Back
Top Bottom