i just bought a 91 rs convertible at an auction, and it was a repo, so the previous owner ripped out his system, and had panels and pieces everywhere. i see a switch on the back driver side next to the top release, is this switch for the back door thing for the convertible top? also, it looks like it has a power trunk release, but i don't see a switch anywhere, should the switch be in the same place as the coupes next to the window switches, or are they different due to it being a convertible? if it's not hooked up to a switch, is there a way i can install a switch? i would really like to see interior pics though. also, i know i'll need a new top cause the one on it is cut, but when i put the top down today just to see it like that, i had to put the back seats fowrard to get it all the back down, and then the seats wouldn't go back in place all the way, there was a bar keeping them from going back, why is that? also, around how much will it cost to have a new top put on, and what kinda top and window should i get? were they known for leaking in a certain place too? i notice both of my rear wheel wells are rusted through a little, could that be due to the top maybe leaking? any help on this would be helpful.

 

can anyone answer the questions at all please?

 

Damm, that's a lot questions

Let's answer a few of these backwards. Check for TSBs at edmounds.com or I think even carfax.com. I am pretty sure that I saw a few TSBs reguarding water being able to get up underneath the top right at the point where the top meets the door glass and the boot locking mechanism area.
My top, brand new, was $275 from Electron Top. It's all vinyl. I thought about having it installed by a local shop around my area that does Convertible tops, but after getting a qoute for more than $700, I decided to install it myself when I get all the weather stripping in my hands. replacing the weather stripping might be a good idea if it looks bad, especially if you are going to replace the top.
As for the question about the seats and the bar, I am not sure what you are talking about. It sounded like at first you were talking about the front seats and that they were hitting the floating rib, but I see you are talking about the rear seats. Somone with a 91 should be able to help (mine is an 89)you with that. It's my understanding that the frames for the convertibles changed every year and also changed a couple of times just during one year.
The rest of the questions I can't help you with right now. Don't have the car sitting here in the drive way as it over at a friends house where I am doing some work on it.
I can send you some pics of the interior so that you can get and idea of what it supposed to look like (so long as you dont laugh the previous owner had some wild ideas and it looks in my opinion tacky as hell, but the interior is my last mod to the car when everything else is done ). Pretty much the front passenger area is all the same except for the A-Pillar moldings of course.
HTH

 

The power switch for the trunk on my coupe and all for that matter are located right behind your shifter, on the center console.

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Current: 1991 RS 305 TBI
Past: 1990 RS 305 TBI (A woman forgot what red lights are for)
Current: mostly stock - newer 305 w/ 12,000 on it
Eclipse speakers all around w/ 10" tube in back
Future: 2" Cowl hood w/ K&N filter

 

Ok, i have a 91 convertible.. the switch is for the "Door" or hatch for the top to fold into. Pull the release and pull the top foward. push the switch up and pull up on the hatch and you will hear a click sound. If you do not hear a click, your fuse is bad or the wiring is bad. Once your hatch is open, put the top in there and close up the hatch. (i'll give you advice before you learn the hard way, when the top is down do not let anyone sit above the back seat and do not let anyone lean on that hatch, it can bend the supports. also never open the trunk with the hatch up).....as far as the trunk release, i thought for sure i had one too. It even looks like there is a motor for the trunk, but there isn't. I checked my fuse box and there is a spot for a trunk release fuse, but there is no wiring to this spot so i know that my car never had a trunk release. i really don't get the part about the seats, please clarify that and i will see if i can help

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91 rs, convertible, K&N, Edelbrock open element cleaner, 3.73, B&M mega-shifter, goodmark cowl-induction hood,tinted windows

 

P.S. I also got my car at an auction (great deal)....and to see some (not many good ones) pics of my int, go to http://in.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/canada/80/

 

it's kinda hard to explain. in order for the top to go all the way down, i have to put the back seats forward about 6 inches because one of the bars going across of the frame keeps the back seats from going all the back again. i hope this helps a litte.

 

That bar that sticks over the seats should fold back so that the top folds with it and fits in the cargo area. This is the same bar that is above your head when you are sitting in the driver's seat and have the top up. You have to push it up under the top as you are lowering it (if you are standing on the driver's side, fold it under and to your right). That's the only thing I can think of that sounds like it explains your problem.

 

i don't know, i will go home and screw around with it today to see if i can figure out what you mean. When i put my top down i just grab it in the front and lift it up and it all folds down into that cargo area. I will check it out though

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91 rs, convertible, K&N, Edelbrock open element cleaner, 3.73, B&M mega-shifter, goodmark cowl-induction hood,tinted windows

 

i'm gonna see if i can take a pic of what i mean today. it'll be easier to show you guys, then to try to explain it. also, i found a new gm canvas factory top for $375 plus shipping from florida to pa, does that sound ok, and will it be hard to put the new top on myself?

 

Camaro 22,
$375 is a lot for a top, but if you want it to be a GM replacement then by all means go for it.
Myself, I am going for a vinly top that should last longer than the factory one and be a bit more durable, its going to run me about $275 for just the top itself.
Or youcould buy the top from a place like:
www.autostyles.com

I know they have tops that are the same material and perosity (sp?) as the factory one for less than what GM wants.

Installing it yourself? Same here when the time comes. I know a friend of mine has installed his own top and he says it takes roughly about 8-10 hours to do and that it was fairly simple. I thought about just having a shop do it for me but after the shop quoted me a price of over $700 to just install it I decided that I will attempt this feat maybe either this coming spring or the next (have a lot of things to do in the meantime before putting the new top on). If you want I can send you my friends email and you can ask him any questions you might have about installing the top.

One thing to be carefull about when getting a new top is to make sure that you have the right size for the frame you have. It is common to see at least three different size tops for the same year convertible.

 

personally i like the looks of the canvas/cloth top over the vinyl.

 

I have a '92 Firebird convertible. I had a similar problem when I first got the car last year. As deacon17 said, if you gently push the #2 bow back as you lift the #1 bow (front edge) up, it will fold properly. Of coarse that is only if your probem is the same as mine.

I replaced the flip rods to fix the problem on mine.

Good luck

Dean

 

I responded to a 2 year old post

 

wow, they can date back 2 years .. i thought they get deleted after a couple months ......

 

I found a thread from

9-11-2000....

over 2 years of posts.......the information stored on this site must be enourmous.....

 

I'm an 89 Formula convertible owner and I can attest to leaks at both sides where the front door and windscreen pillar meets... I have to have towels or paper handy to absorb drips. Also get water from the back side, but my window and rubber stripping at back of door are beat all to hell... Getting replaced soon!

The seat pulls forward and back unrestricted and the pull release is in the black frame above the rear armrest, driver's side. Mine is labelled ASC. The linked latch for the rear of the top has to be reset by hand after pulling the side release however. Never worked hands free for me... also, there are to 'rip cords' on both sides that pull to release the door style latches on both sides of the tonneu (sp?) cover.

Bill



If you want details and/or pics...feel free to email. I'll have to photograph specific areas yet though.

 

Is that a picture of a picture???.....

 

Hey'lo

Yeah, I have to video tape and then send USB with a Dazzle* interface to my computer.
I'll get something to do bigger pics with eventually, but it works pretty good.
Can do audio and movies with it too.
-Bill

 

In the first post: I meant to type 'TWO rip cords' that lease the cover for the top. Also, almost forgot the latches on both sides for the rear seat!

I never lock mine down usually...it stays in place most of the time. Off the subject, I think I'll mention my electronic radio antenna has bit the dust... Where's a good deal on replacements?? hehe

Bill

 

I noticed half of those posts were in 2000!!

I was in a hurry and hadn't noticed everything on the page as well!
I am looking at cloth top alternatives, however I want the factory look. After reading the post quoting prices, I can see that those might reflect the car's age at the time. I was quoted $525 in the winter and $625 full rate to install the new cloth top w/o any parts supplied. (about a year ago roughly)

I'm now close to buying the top and weather stripping and having the top put on or ...if all else fails putting in myself (with help from someone)

Bill S.

 

You should not be pulling the seats forward to have to lower the top. Both Camaro 22 & Topless 92 have symptoms of broken or missing "Flip Rods". Here is a link to a tech article I wrote about them: https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/fliprods.pdf

I repaired two friends convertibles that sufferred these symptoms. In both cases the rods were either folded int a "U"-shape or missing. I manufactured a batch of them and have them available. Read the Tech Article and you'll understand their function, why they can break and find info on ordering new ones.

As far as some of the other questions go. The switch on a 91-92 that is next to the latch release for the pin on the #5 bow is for popping the tonneau release solenoid. Prior years have this switch in the same location as coupes have for the hatch release (center console between the electric window switches).

No the convertibles don't come with a trunk release switch. But you can add one easily. You'll need a hatch release solenoid from a coupe. This replaces the non-solenoid release by removing one 10mm bolt and attaching it. You'll need to wire a switch and relay and run the power line back to the solenoid. I added one to my car.

You also should not be filpping the seats forward to pull on the cable releases to open the tonneau. These cables are meant for emergency use only. You really need to correct the wiring problems or add any missing components and return the system to it's correct function. The best thing I can recommend is to purchase two books. 1) a factory service manual (AKA HELMS manual for your make, model and year car. They show up on eBay often or are available from HELM Inc. directly for roughly $110 with shipping. 2) a 1982-91 or 1982-92 Parts & Illustration manual. Also available on eBay. Someone on eBay has scanned one and is selling CDR's of it as well. This will tell you all the parts and part numbers you may be missing. The bad news is many are discontinued. You can try contacting Paradise Automotive in FL. They are supposed to have purchased many of the parts from ASC after they closed their conversion factory. ASC has nothing for these cars, so don't bother contacting them. They even neglected to include our cars in their history timeline on their web site (shows how much they care about us, right?).

Good luck and enjoy your convertibles. Now I'm back out to the garage to work on mine.

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

 

I happen to have electronic trunk release and an ASC door jam sticker and I also need to pull the rear seat for the tonneau cover release or I can't reach them. In fact, the rear screwed in side interior panels on mine were left unscrewed so I could get at the cords if they fell behind the metal plates near them.
I was shown how to operate the manual top by the previous owner and I've always done it that way. When lifting top rear, I walk around the rear of the car, as it's a short trunk it helps me anyway!

I have no knowledge of the top being electrically operated on these cars...nothing on the actual convert. top frame indicates such, but maybe that's not what you meant to say.

Mine is a 1989 350 Formula, BTW

Bill Schwenke

 

OK, I thought this bar was part of the fold down seats and not the actual convertible roof frame!!

I had a flat bar that screws to the top side rail in front break and that was already fixed, however, I don't think it's the same one mentioned, but could be. I'll take some pics of these parts though.
I take it the tonneau cover is to release by some button on the dash? Where that is I have no idea though. The trunk release is labelled as such and the latch is a lifting mech the same as the Cadillacs. One thing that bothers me about these is FORD people who buy a GM slam the trunk lid shut, damaging the electrically operated system! If you watch the remake film Gone in 60 Seconds, the 80's Eldo scene with the trunk slam makes me cringe everytime I watch it!! ;:~)

THANX,

Bill S.