929nitro

In stripping my 75 t tops there are four screws that hold the weather strip channel to the top. These appear to go into strips of metal riveted to the inside of the tops frame. On mine all four strips disintegrated in removing the screws. Is there a way to repair this or do I need to get new tops?

DUB

You have a "CATCH 22" scenario going on here. I have encountered the same thing many times. I carefully use some penetrating oil and allow it to soak. Then I wipe it off.

One trick I have found that works very well "most" of the time is that i clean the head...or what is left of it...and use my MIG welder and slowly begin adding weld to the head of the screw....which is a machine screw and is going into a caged square nut. The weld does 2 things ...it heat it up a little bit and also gives me something to grab onto. If I can get it to move...then I slowly go back and forth and work it out. IF that does not work...then...


I grind off the head with a Dremel tool without damaging the weatherstrip track. All I am trying to do it get the weatherstrip track free so it can come off. Then ...due to hopefully having some of the screw still exposed. I remove the stainless steel molding and remove the broken screws and replace the square nuts and get new screws.

Getting another set of tops can have the same problem.

DUB

929nitro

Thanks for your reply. Problem I have is the screws are removed and track is off. The metal piece that the screw threads into is what is missing and needs to be replaced. Is there something I can do to replace these pieces?

DUB

If I am following you correctly...you have the track that holds the weatherstrip OFF the stainless trim...CORRECT???

And this track was secured by 4 machine screws...CORRECT?

NOW...the problem is that the caged nuts that held those four machine screws are missing....CORRECT???

If you answered YES to all of the above...the trim that had the caged nuts in them,....the trim that had the weatherstrip track was attached to...will have to be removed so either you can post a photo of the backside so I can see what is going on.

DUB

929nitro

Hi Dub your understanding is correct. I had to drill out the 4 machine screws that hold the track on as the cage that holds the nuts were disintergrated, didn't know they were caged nuts at the time of my first two postings.

With the track and chrome piece removed there is nothing there but 4 empty elongated slots. Is there a place to buy the caged nuts or do I need to fabricate something?

I have already tried separating the outer fiberglass skin from the inner frame and see no major problem there, been using a thin blade putty knife and gently tapping it both on the outer edge and the inside portion of the frame. Was planning on using Vette Panel Adhesive by Evercoat to bond the frame and skin back together, is this the right product or would you use something different?

Again thanks for your help on this matter. Dick

DUB

First off if you are trying to separate the t-tops...HEAT it up really good to soften the adhesive...it will separate better but it is a BALANCING act. TOO much heat can actually cause the SMC to distort...not enough heat and it does nothing. The main thing is to slowly wedge something in the seams and slowly work it apart without getting too aggressive. Allow the heat to absorb into the panel so the adhesive will soften. You can check it on a small spot where you see the adhesive and verify that it is getting soft....that is how I do it anyway.

Are the elongated cages on the stainless trim???? I need to see what you see because it has been a long time since I have been at this point and all I am remembering is the stainless trim that actually holds the square nuts.

The nuts are square nuts 10-24 and you can get them from a hardware store.

Why are you separating the outer skin from the inner frame of the t-top???....just curious.

DUB

929nitro

The caged nut is riveted to the underside of the support frame, so it is between the outer skin and the frame structure.

Originally I was not going to remove the outer skin I was just going to sand the place that was separating and rebound. When the cage nuts came apart I stopped at a local Corvette parts and repair shop and they offered to sell me a pair of used tops. They showed me where the cage nut sits inside the frame. At that point I figured I had nothing to loose by taking the top appart to try and make a repair, worst that happens is brake the top beyond repair and have to by a new set.

I will try and get some pictures posted this weekend.

Tinkering74

I am having a similar issue with the rusted square nuts and screws for fastening the weatherstrip channel to the T-Top on my 74. The nuts were spinning in the top and eventually came through rusted to the screws when trying to take the weatherstrip channel off. Do any of you have any solutions to getting new nuts back in place without having to separate the two halves of the fibreglass? Read a lot of threads and many seem lucky enough to just unscrew the fasteners and not have this issue. 31 years of sitting haven't been kind to parts of this car.....
The nuts have to be able to slide in the slots in order to position the channel and weatherstrip correctly so this is kind of painful. Alot of effort to change some weatherstrip but it may be unavoidable at this point.
Sorry for raising an old thread but it was the closest one to match my struggle. Really appreciate any help and ideas! Thanks!