Dumb question: targa top removal

[pounce44]

I apologize in advance for the simplistic nature of this question, but my recently purchased '94 did not come with an owner's manual and the weather's getting too darn nice in Santa Fe ...

How do I get the targa top to come off?

I've loosened the two screws at the back all the way, but it doesn't seem to want to budge. Are there more screws to take off? I don't want to force the thing and tear something up, but I suspect it could be just a matter of the seals being stubborn since it probably hasn't been removed in a while.

Thanks.

 

[LT4man]

That is NOT a dumb question. There are two more bolts that are hidden! That is why you cannot get the top off.

Stand next to the driver's side and put your flat hand on the upper windshield header trim. Your palm should touch the visor. Feel around for a hole. When you find it, you will insert your rachet and socket into that hole. There is one on the left and one on the right. The bolt comes out from the bottom. In other words, the bolt is vertical whereas the rear bolts are horizontal.

Good Luck!

Save The Wave!

 

[pounce44]

Thanks, lt4man. Those are the really deep vertical holes, right? I spotted those, but my rachet extension is too deep to fit all the way up in there. I figured there was no way that the car's designers made the top THAT difficult to remove ... but I guess I underestimated the GM ingenuity ;-)

Guess I'll be paying my local tool shop a visit this afternoon.

Has anyone ever modified/replaced the screws with something that makes for an easier and faster removal? Seems like this is just a stripped screw head waiting to happen.

 

[WhalePirot]

Don't you have the top removal tool that comes with the car? It's really not that bad to remove, albeit not a locking-handle setup. Early C-4s had a double ended tool, while later had a special ratchet.

Owners have talked about changing the bolts, but I have never seen any posts about success.

 

[LT4man]

Your car should have come with the rachet and tool to remove those bolts. The tool (socket) attaches to the rachet with a roll pin. In this way, you never have to worry about the socket falling off the rachet. The socket is extra long so that it fits up into the hole. All of the aftermarket vette suppliers sell the tool. There is also a rubber coating on the rachet handle so that you never scratch or dent any of the interior when you are using the tool.

Save The Wave!

 

[pounce44]

Figured there was probably something like that that came with the car, but who knows what the previous owner did with it! Unless there's some special storage compartment hidden away somewhere that it might be?

 

[tlong]

The ratchet lives in the middle console in a little clip. Find it, then put it on Ebay.

Get a Black and Decker rechargeable screwdriver at Walmart for $15 and stick a torx bit in there. Off and on in under a minute, fits in the console.

 

[nyernga]

The original torx bolts are designed to remain with the roof panel. You would hate to end up only having 2 of four needed to reattach the roof.


Len

 

[ZumZum]

There are no dumb questions. Some just need a little tutoring.

 

[Jeroenvgfn]

Don't you have the top removal tool that comes with the car? It's really not that bad to remove, albeit not a locking-handle setup. Early C-4s had a double ended tool, while later had a special ratchet.

Owners have talked about changing the bolts, but I have never seen any posts about success.

Question regarding the ratchet, when did it get introduced ?
I got one with my 1986 ( which actually was build early 1985)

thanks for the info on the clip inside the glove box, I tought it was there to keep a ballpoint in it ooops

btw do you guys have a cassette rack holder in it ? did it came standard ?

silly, after 5 years owning my Vette still learning about it.

 

[Edmond]

If you can get the car level, that would be much easier when you have to put the top back on. If I have mine at an angle on the driveway, I may as well forget about it and do it tomorrow after I straighten the car out.

 

[LT4man]

Edmond, You are spot on about that! That is one good piece of advice for anyone that has his first C4! I wish someone would have told me that in 1991!

Yes, the rack came standard. Vettes have a lot of little things that when you think about them, are pretty cool. I still am learning about these C4s. I know they built a ****load of them. A lot of people knock them because there are so many out there. The fact is: GM would not have built them and sold them if nobody was buying them! :L

I guess that is why after owning three new C4s, I still like the third one enough to keep driving it. I just do not think that often about buying a C5 or C6.

Well, maybe I think about it, BUT I have not done the move yet!

Save The Wave!