No one is going to believe this...

[Edmond]

So as I'm backing (on an angle) out of my driveway to head out to work, the right rear tire makes contact with the street and I hear a loud pop behind my head. Lo and behold, the bolt on the driver's side rear holding the removable top on snapped! Some of the bolt is still inside.

How do I get this out? I was at Home Depot and asked someone there; he recommended that I drill a small hole in it and then use this little thingy called a "stud remover" or something like that. I got that little gadget, tried to drill a hold in the broken off piece, but was not successful. The leftover piece is extremely hard and I don't know what else to do.

And where can I get replacement bolts for this?

 

[Yoda]

Edmond,
Man I'm sorry to hear about this.. If you can't use the easyout, tig welding is out of the question since it surrounded by fiberglass, but, a thought here.. maybe a little spot of JBWeld on the end of another smaller bolt stuck to the end left in the mounting.

If you do this BE VERY CAREFUL not to get the JBWeld on the fiberglass, only on the bolt ends. Once it sets up you might be able to use the smaller bolt to turn (backout) the bigger one.

As for a replacement, Look up "Fastners" in your yellow pages, and talk to them, they are the experts when it comes to bolts. I'm sure they could match up a bolt using one of the other ones..

Good Luck!

BudD

 

[rdgfx3]

GM sells the replacement bolts at a reasonable price.

 

[JonM]

If all else fails...you can remove the halo and then remove the fixture. Where the bolt it broken off is held on by two bolts. You can either have it drilled (on a press) and retapped. Or just replace it. Save and replace the spacers if you go this way.

 

[Edmond]

So what are these bolts called when I order them?

 

[c4ever]

Edmond,
You can get them through Corvette Central and probably Ecklers or MAD.

Good luck with it. Strange how this stuff just happens. I'm dealing with a similar issue that came out of nowhere.

Carlo

 

[Edmond]

Problem solved!

So I bought a 3/32" titanium drill bit by Bosch and drilled a small hole in there. Then I used that extractor piece and reversed the broken end out of there. Was done in about 30 seconds and cost me about $4.00.

There was a good amount left in there and I'm glad I took it out because the roof was rattling everytime I drove on anything other than smooth road. And the weather here looks like it could rain and they called for rain so I couldn't leave the top at home.