You have love GM's dexcool (major sarcasm).... That stuff can be a beast to clean out once it breaks down and goes muddy. If anyone else is reading this and they have dexcool still in your car, GET IT OUT NOW, with a proper full flush draining the block.

I don't get the cooked fiberglass smell. Maybe because of my higher mileage? The engine heat can wear on the hoods paint job though. Especially with the factory temps getting up to 220.

Shielding looks good. Looks like you have a little jack damage in that driver side cat pic.

 

When I bought the car, the Hardtop was already bolted onto the car. I test drove the car with the Folding-Top. I bought the car with the Hardtop Installed.

After a few weeks I decided to clean and verify the Convertible folding top installation.
I read the Owner's manual a few times to learn how to remove the Hardtop, Pages 2-96 – 2-99.
Sine the roof was already installed, I did not know exactly how the Rear two bolts were actually attached to the car.
These two bolts use the same holes as the Rear of the Folding top.
The Folding top uses a cone shaped pin and retaining cam to hold the rear folding top in place.
The Pins are released with a Lever under the read deck.

The Hardtop works differently.
The Instruction manual was not clear, I needed at least one more sentence.

4. Loosen the rear comer bracket bolts with the ratchet.

Missing Text "Loosen the 8-mm bolts until they are no longer connected to the bottom mounting plate.
The 8-mm bolts do not need to be physically removed from the corner mounting bracket.
The Folding-Top release lever is bypassed when the Hardtop is installed."

I loosen the 8-mm bolts, but still had a few threads attached to the bottom mounting plate. The top will not come off until "All" of the threads are out of the mounting plate.
This would have been obvious to me if I had installed the Hardtop myself. Since the Hardtop was pre-installed, I was stumped as to how the mounting system worked.

I eventually figured it out and removed the top without scratching anything. Now I just need to find a place to put it when it is not in use.
Of-course i was missing the factory tools for installing the Hardtop. I am also missing 4 of the T40 mounting bolts.

Have any of you Used or know of a good Garage Celling hoist kits that can be used to hold the Hardtop?


Hardtop rear corner mounting collar with 8-mm bolt. The bolt Threads into a mounting plate inside the car.



What do you do with the top, when its off?

 

Finally getting some Top-down time.
I even let the wife drive the car.
My ferrous Guard dog "Ruby" loves convertibles.
The car is running great.

Ruby (the long hair dachshund):
She comes most of my car shows.
She prefers convertibles over hard tops.
She will greet every guest and verify there is no Food in your hands or on your lips.
I am still trying to break her of the habit of walking on the paint.
While cruising, she is on a short leash, so she can't jump out any more.
Car show people may not know my name, but they know "Ruby".

New topic:
Any suggestions for a good garage sling for hanging the "Hardtop"?

 

I watched a few YouTube videos on repairing the stripped Headlight motor gears.
One video suggested using a Drill-Bit, in placed of a real PUNCH to remove the roll-pin.
Bad Idea, I recommend you use a real Punch, 5/32 fit perfectly.

I took my time and many pictures before and after.
The only difficulty was getting the roll ping out. After switching to a real Punch, the pin came right out.
The DS light worked first try.
It was so quite, I could hear the sound of the PS motor striping its plastic gear.
Guess what I am doing Next week. Glad I bought two gears.

Other Tips:
Use the blue painters tap, to cover the painted headlight parts to prevent scratching.
I actually removed the to cover sections just to make sure i did not scratch anything.
If you do remove these covers, you will need to re-adjust the 4 screws on each cover a few times to get spacing and alignment to match the body lines correctly.


New Brass gear, all lubed up and ready for install.